You Are Not a Quitter
Published January 26th, 2008
Within the last 10 years, I have heard that people change careers an average of 3 times during their working life. Gone are the days of working for one company for 25+ years. I’m not surprised. I also wouldn’t be surprised to find out that people switch careers or at least jobs more often than that.
Times have changed. I think that with each successive generation there are more and more open minded people. It used to be that people stayed at one job for better or for worse for many reasons, including loyalty, supporting their family, and being afraid to disrupt the status quo. People who had the courage to leave a situation that wasn’t working for them were often called quitters (or worse). I was reminded of how much progress North America has made recently when we watched the coverage of our U.S. neighbours celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. day.
I believe that many people are not destined to be employees. These people are creative, work hard, and want to generally take more ownership and responsibility than they are given. They have better ways to do things, and could probably do a better job if the constraints and pecking order involved with being an employee are removed. These employees do a great job, but they aren’t happy with what they get out of their job. They have bigger and better ideas that don’t always conform to someone else’s corporate structure. They sometimes get frustrated because the people they work for pick at completely useless things instead of focusing on the great ideas they have. The solution for these people is to be their own boss. Oprah Winfrey decided that she wanted to write her own paycheques–and look where it has gotten her!
Then there are the people who are happy to be employees, but they just haven’t found the right job yet. It’s said that getting a job you love is the equivalent of getting a 20% raise. I believe that. If you know anyone that loves their job, they are in a good mood most of the time, have good social relationships with those at work and outside of work, and they just seem satisfied. They have found a place of employment where they fit in, are appreciated, and in turn appreciate the life they get out of it. These places of work do exist, but they can sometimes be hard to find, or get in to because no one wants to leave!
The bottom line here is that life goes by quickly, and you never know what can happen to you or the people you love. No matter what it is you want to do–do it–or at least start taking steps towards making it happen. Owning your own business can be tough, time consuming, and scary, but if you are the right type of person persevering through all of this to be your own boss and make your individual mark on the world will be worth it. Finding the ideal match in a place of employment is priceless, and it can happen for you. If your current job situation isn’t working, there really is nothing stopping you from looking for another one. Or you could do both and start your small business while you still have the security of a permanent job–there are many possibilities.
I firmly believe that deciding on employment, romantic relationships, and business relationships is all about finding the right fit. Once we get to a certain age we all find out that you can’t please everyone. The sooner you accept this and find the best fit for you, your values, and your needs, the happier you will be.
When I was younger, and left my first job, I thought that things would be better elsewhere. Insert cheesy saying here about how the grass is not always greener…the next job I went to was worse than the first, but it was the best thing I could have done for my career and my life (you can read more about this in Thank You Bad Boss.) Why? That experience taught me as a 26 year old woman that I cannot please everyone, and it also taught me how to stand up for myself. I don’t regret it for a second. The point here is that every job is a learning experience–you just have to be willing to learn from the things that happen and be grateful for the knowledge. We truly are the only people responsible for our own happiness, and we need to take this seriously. It was scary back then, but when I looked back at what I had the courage to do, it changed things for the better, and every time I told my story, it got easier.
There may be some naysayers, (people that don’t encourage you or wish you the best). After I had made the courageous decision to quit the bad job mentioned above, I remember hearing a now in-law salaciously gossipping to someone at a family gathering about how “She’s quitting another job…” I remember the sting of hearing it as I stood a few feet away, wondering how he could be so heartless. I later realized that I am not to blame for other people’s ignorance and lack of support or empathy. Some good did come out of it though, that day I became a more empathetic person.
Take some time to honestly think about what you want out of your life. Change can be scary, but it can also open so many doors and add real value to your life. Think about what is the best fit for you. A good indicator of whether something is going to be a good fit is whether the other party is willing to work with you: Are they willing to compromise so you can both benefit from the relationship? Another good indicator is where both parties are with their value systems and how they feel about finances. Talk about these issues with someone you trust.
Everybody has to earn a living somehow, figure out what’s really right for you and start to make it happen, even if it’s reading an article about starting your own business, or searching the job postings.
Be kind to yourself and acknowledge that things change, and people change. What was right for you a few years or even a few months ago, might not be right anymore. You don’t have to apologize to your boss or anyone else for this. It is okay to change your mind about something if it really just isn’t working out. The important thing here is that you spend time carefully thinking about what your needs are, and that you are true to yourself.
I promise that by being honest with yourself, you are not, and never will be a quitter.
Leave a comment
Comment Policy: All comments are moderated. Please be patient.