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Remember how
exciting it was when you first fell in love? Your heart did somersaults
every time you met the one you loved. The two of you sat up talking
all night. And you always seemed to have so much energy. The thrill
of falling in love is wonderful.
Soon enough,
of course, reality set in, and you had to start working to make
the relationship succeed. That's good, of course. It's how you
truly grow to know and love the other person.
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In
many ways, a new job is like a love affair.The
first stage is excitement. It can last from an hour to many years.
You think to yourself, "This job will pay
me more money than I've ever earned before. The clients will be
wonderful to deal with. I'm going to learn so much and do really
exciting things." The novelty of the job keeps your energy high.You are happy because you are so productive, and you're more productive
because you are so happy. |
Then the second
stage, reality, sets in. You still enjoy the work you do, but
you begin to notice some of the irritants and difficulties. It
bothers you that all the phones are ringing when you walk in the
door. Deadlines seem endless and impossible. It becomes harder
to arrive early or stay late. The novelty
starts to wear off. And, like love, your job has a third stage
too disillusion. The pendulum swings past reality, and
you find yourself focusing on the negative things. That's when
the "maybes" begin. "Maybe I could make better money at Company
X, and not have to work so hard." "Maybe I'd be happier with more
responsibility at Corporation Y." "Maybe Company Z would let me
come in a little later in the mornings or go home earlier at night."
In jobs, as
in love, it's very important for the pendulum to swing back.You
need to work to regain the exhilaration of the first stage. Such
excitement is essential to a fulfilling life. Think about what
you did to keep the thrill in your love life. Maybe the two of
you relived your first date at that little country restaurant,
or you thought to thank your loved one for being kind and generous.
In short, you remembered to see the person you first fell in love
with.
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| Apply this same technique to your career. Rekindle the thrill you felt when you first began your job. You must have had good reasons for taking it. What were they? Make a list of them, and expect to experience those joys again in your daily routine. |
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