I Love My Job! Do You Love Yours?

Do you love to do your job? Are you passionate about it? Are you able to use your natural interests is doing your job? I do! I love it so much that it would consume me if I didn’t pay attention to providing balance in my life.

How do you know if you love your job that much? A clear sign is enthusiasm. When you're doing what you love to do, no one has to motivate, challenge, or check up on you. You do it because of your passion. You don't need rewards, or even to be paid, because you love it. I know though, we need to be paid ultimately. A saying I learned early in my career to reflect on every day goes something like this: “If you act enthusiastic, you become enthusiastic. I can, I will, and I’m going to have the best day I ever had in my entire life.” In my job, I do!

The opposite is also true: When you don't have a heart for what you're doing, you're easily discouraged. There are a lot of things in life that I’ve learned just have to be done. They are not fun, pretty or easy, but they have to be done. I have resigned myself to that realization. It makes me sad, but it is a fact of life. Thank goodness I don’t have to deal with that in my job.

What are the benefit of being enthusiastic about your job? Whenever you do what you to love to do, you get good at it. Passion drives perfection. If you don't care about a task, it is unlikely that you'll excel at it. I plan plans to end all plans someone one once said. I believe that is part of the way I do business. That passion drives me to do the best that I can for the students of my school district.

The highest achievers in any field are those who do it because of passion, not duty or profit. Are you one of those high achievers? I know that I strive to be.

People have been heard to say, "I took a job I hate in order to make a lot of money, so someday I can quit and do what I love to do." Well, duh! That's a big mistake. Don't waste your life in a job that doesn't express your heart. And yes I’ve had this conversation with my employees. I want them to be fulfilled in their job.

We all know the greatest things in life are not things. Meaning is far more important than money. The meaning that I get from my job is part of what drives me. What drives you?

Don't settle for achieving "the good life," because the good life is not good enough. Ultimately, it doesn't satisfy. You can have a lot to live on ($), and still have nothing to live for. Aim instead for a life’s work that expresses your heart.

Love your job!