Of going fast and happiness at work

The last time I wrote (which was one month plus ago) was to announce the arrival of my new weapon of choice. Now let’s see how that went shall we? Well, if earlier on I say my driving habits have totally changed, now it has been turned over its head. I used to say I am totally petrified to go fast in a car, not so on a bike. But now I am quite at ease scaling the heights of speed in the car. Probably because it is so at ease going fast. And as fast as you want to go. I read in a biking magazine some time back about the definition of going fast. Just how fast is fast? The answer makes sense to me and everybody else I’ve spoken to. You know you’re going fast when you start getting scared. As such the definition of fast differs from person to person. I shall not divulge my definition. Suffice to say it would break the national speed limit. As many of yours would.

However that’s not what this entry is about. I’ve been thinking about this subject for quite some time now. It has not put me in any spot of bother, just something that crosses my mind at one time or another. What are your general feelings about your work? Are you happy with it? Do you think you are contributing to your organisation? And if you feel you are, is there anything else you could do to add more value to your contribution?

First things first. Happiness is a relative term. A man’s meat is another man’s poison. So if I’m happy with a specific set of circumstances, you may not. It also depends on a person’s requirements, doesn’t it? But I believe a general principle applies anywhere you go. There’s never a greener pasture. Anywhere you go, you are sure to have complaints. Not a good enough benefits package, your boss hassles you, you can’t get along with your colleagues, that sort of thing. As such, it is up to you to make the most of what you have, in if not all but most circumstances.

As for me, I am generally happy where I am. The work is challenging enough for me to sustain my interest level, I’ve just scraped the top of the industry as such there’s still  a lot to learn and I sincerely believe the organisation that I’m in consists of a good set of people who are professional in the performance of their respective roles. Synergy is the way to go. In an industry which requires a constant re-think of strategies and thrives on being ahead of your competitors, the organisation is in an advantageous position due to the personnel it has. I’m proud to be a part of the team. If I can contribute in a meaningful manner, then I am happy.

I’m generally trying to polish the strategic bit of things personally. Looking at things from a different perspective. Never been a person who thinks out of the box, at least not by default. It takes a bit of practice I’m sure. I’m a firm believer of constant deliberate practice. Deliberate practice is a concept propounded by Geoff Colvin, the author of “Talent is Overrated”. Mr. Colvin doesn’t believe in anybody being gifted. Mozart gifted in music? Nope. Federer a gifted tennis player? Nope. It is all deliberate practice in Geoff Colvin’s books. That provides a bright shining light of hope for people like me. I’ll write about it as soon as I finish reading the book.

Work consists of a process of reflection too. I’ve been told that there’s no use in working too hard. The popular adage has always been, “Why work too hard? You’ve got to get your priorities right. If you die in the course of your work, they’ll replace you without even blinking an eye”. To a certain extent I agree with the oft-said mantra. But then there’s also the belief that you need to complete tasks given to you, if possible adding some value to it. I’ve been told that you need to put some thought into your work and not just for the sake of completing a task. At higher levels in an organisation, that certainly applies and is something that I strive to do on a daily basis. Sometimes over thinking is not necessarily a bad thing.

In conclusion, am I happy where I am? The answer is not an unequivocal yes, but it’s close. I certainly hope to be able to prove myself. And see where I end up.