Dates With My Mentors- Chapter 1
THE LAZY TRAP
We all have big dreams…. We start our working life with the desire to live the dreams…..to improve our lives by contributing our skills and gifts. But somewhere along the way the spark of determination turns into desperation. We start to compare our career achievements to people around us not knowing there is never a positive way to compare progress. As a result the frustration of not being ´where we should be ´at the ´right age ´ with the ´dream company´ working in our ´dream job´ starts to set in . We become resentful of the jobs we have and move from one job to another, trying to fill the void of the perceived lack of success. This is true for many people and it was true for me for many years .It was not until I had an honest conversation with my mentor about the feelings I had towards my work , that I started to own the story I was telling myself about my job .
“I can't wait to start my business one day “I exclaimed to my mentor, on a rainy Friday afternoon. He was a self made man, who had risen through the corporate ranks to become a force to be reckoned with . I was so confident I had made an expressed my sense of ambition when I made the comment . But after a moment of silence , which seemed like hours as I watched the drops of rain fall on the boardroom windows, a soft but stern voice replied “Why are you wasting your time and your employers time? Why not quit now? “. I was shocked by his response. He took the time to elaborate on his feedback. He explained that throughout his career, some of his most challenging periods, was when he worked with people who were not fully present in their jobs. Individuals withholding their skills and talents not realizing that the opportunity to be great is in the jobs they had. Occupying a place that could be filled by another qualified person with the same skills and the right attitude
He followed up with a question. “Are you in a job or a career path?”. Again I was startled. I was certain I had made it clear on our first meeting that I was on a career path. ´Trick question ‘I thought to myself. There was a moment of silence again. All I could hear was his secretary typing away in the background. He asked me to listen carefully , to think about what he was about to say , because it would be the only way our relationship would be valuable to both of us. He went on to explain that the difference between a job and a career. That getting a job solely for the money without thinking how I am developing my skills will not advance me to great heights. That I have to think strategically about my next move. To take time and decide if I want to build a career as an entrepreneur or in corporate. Because the roles I occupy from hereon , the wisdom I gain and the supporting training I receive to hone my skills, need to make sense to my future goals. Everything related to my profession has to fit together like a step ladder, each job helping me get closer to the top by adding a new skill or knowledge.
My mindset shifted.
It is then I realized that the mindset I had about the situation I was in could make or break me. I had to assess the thinking patterns that drive the decisions I was making from that point going forward. Nothing was stopping me or any employee, from adopting an entrepreneurial mindset whilst working a nine-to-five job to advance the career and negotiate a better salary.
Common lazy pitfalls
It is true that one of the major reasons people believe formal employment is laziness it is because most employees get into a ´comfort zone´. They work for the same company in the same position for years and only shift if their manager promotes them. Keeping their thinking inside the box´ by doing what they are supposed to do day -in -day out without skipping a beat. They don’t dare to leave the safe box, test new ideas, take calculated risks or venture into new territories. Lacking the courage and a thick skin to keep going despite skepticism or rejection. Regularly entertaining a lot of excuses on why things can’t be done well or on time, often resulting in poor performance and lack of growth.
Another common reason they feel as though they are compromising their dreams, happens when they stay in jobs they detest. Jobs they hate to do but enjoy the salary. Most times, it is best to start somewhere to learn and understand the basic details of the job , but there is no reason to stay in the same job or company if it is not fulfilling or meaningful to you. When you love your work you do not mind to put in long hours and the effort required to achieve great results .
The ideal situation is when someone receives and express freedom in their jobs .This is often possible when running their own business .Whereas that same freedom has to be earned over several years when you work for a company. You need a lot of patience and hard work to earn you the credibility to ´run the show´. There are no shortcuts to career success whether you are employed or running your own business. There is no instant gratification in your career, it is a journey that requires persistence, planning and patience.
knowing there is no competition between being an employee and being an entrepreneur is important. Each career path has its own difficulties, but it would not be true to overlook all the benefits that the corporate career offers. Some people thrive on successfully executing an existing strategy. They enjoy the camaraderie that develops when working with marketing and sales teams. They come alive at the prospect of handling projects bigger than what they could fund on their own . They are masters at balancing passion and responsibility . They work ´on´ the business or projects rather than working ´in´ the company. They successfully execute because the focus is on the results which gives meaning to their personal goals.
My mentor encouraged me to know my strength and how it relates to my career. He pointed out that not everyone will start & run their our own companies from inception or invent the next greatest technology or be the next Richard Branson, Reginald Mgeni, Prince Kofi Amoabeng, Ndaba Ntsele or Reginald Mgeni to name a few . It does not mean we are not gifted with other skills and talents that enable great innovations to exists and be made available to the rest of the world. Great project leaders, CEO´s , people managers and change agents are necessary in these big corporations to be profitable. He called them ´corporate entrepreneurs´- people gifted to build models, frameworks and processes that make it possible for companies to get them into the hands of millions of people all around the world. He would often say “If like me, you are one of the people who needs to be involved in work that is purposeful and helps to solve current challenges, especially when the company operates in my community. Then it will be beneficial for you to understand how your current environment and skill set can help you build a fulfilling meaningful career. "
Chasing the Dream
Its striking how many people, young and old, romanticize the idea of owning their own businesses. We all know at least one . That person who only talks about living a nomadic lifestyle with thousands of dollars pouring into their bank accounts. They dwell on the euphoria of setting up a business in their heads, being the CEO and calling the shots. They have an underlying resentment towards formal employment as if it is keeping them away from living their passions. As a result they spend many years in bitterness, unfulfilled in their jobs dreaming of the day they will one day ´run their own show´. All the while performing at an average pace in their existing job. These individuals…the critics, are the people who continually tell everyone that having a job is being ´lazy and working for yourself is more courageous´. But when you take a closer look at their work ethic, it is them who are being lazy. Who could do a lot more with what they have but choose not to.
Having dreams of being a full time entrepreneur is not a bad thing, it has resulted in a lot of innovative services and products for those who have taken that route. It requires as much curiosity and hard work like any formal employment. A good work ethic is not a choice it is a necessity in whatever path we pursue.
I, like many other people are growing up in a culture of instant gratification, we want it all and we want it now. The need to experience immediate fulfilment has become the main motivation for doing anything. From doing ten day Masters Program instead of two years , to getting a date instantaneously on your fingertips via Tinder instead of going out on many dates with someone who’s interests, location, sexuality, religion, hobbies is unknown. The downside is that when people don’t get what they want, they experience anxiety and a sense of failure because of lack of patience . Lack of patience is acceptable in some areas , but when building a career , there is definitely no way around the slow and fulfilling periods of growth .
Take, for example, a recent college graduate who just got their first internship or full time job . Their tendency to expect an accelerated climb to the top management positions will lead to feelings of disappointments and a struggle to stay motivated . The graduate will then become frustrated and unmotivated not realizing that certain accomplishments take time and the value of patience .
Unfortunately statements such as
“Every person must aspire to start their own business…….”
“Finding a job is selling yourself into slavery…..”
“you must detest a pay cheque…….”
“Strive for entrepreneurship………..”
“A job must be a last resort……….” have become common in everyday conversations. Many of these statements are expressed with passion when frustration with slow progress or unsatisfactory salary conditions exist. The frustration of not seeing a way to progress out of the frustrating job cycle.
It is not true .You are not being lazy by working in a corporate environment, nor are you underestimating your potential or neglecting your dreams. An office environment can offer resources and camaraderie that can also be beneficial to a person’s financial and personal growth .Entrepreneurship is not the right choice for everyone , just like being a professional athlete is not suited for everyone. Somehow most people seem to think the entrepreneurship route is a ‘one size fits all’ , forgetting that a working environment has the potential to expose diverse skills and opportunities that may not be readily available in an entrepreneurship environment .
“Don't be upset by the results you didn't get with the work you didn't do” ...anonymous
Focusing on the vision you have for your career, which we will cover later in the series, can help ease the emotions of unfulfilment on a job. It is easy to get lost in the weeds of work and romanticize options outside your current situation. But often we don’t take time to reflect and think on what we are working on and how it fits into the big picture. Unpacking the larger plan into smaller actionable goals can keep frustration at bay.
TIPS TO OVERCOME THE LAZY TRAP:
· Embrace humble beginnings
· Read about people who have successfully built their careers
· Determine what your career path will look like
· Mentor : Start the process of identifying a mentor
