Smallsteps has been ill for almost a week now, home from school and has missed a couple things she wanted to participate in, but we are saving her energy for key events, like today's dancing show. She has been practicing all autumn in a new dance class and she was very much looking forward to participating - which she did. And, she did better than I thought she would, which sounds bad as her parent, but while she enjoys it, she also isn't as keen to practice the dance moves at home like she does the piano. However, compared to the other kids on stage, she held her own.
There can be a big difference between what we enjoy, and what we are good at or suited for. However, often these days, I am noticing that people are either choosing or are thrown into work situations that they are not really cut out for. Over the last year and a half or so, I have been in this position myself, as the job "changed" from what it was when I took the position, to something where 70% of the time, I was doing what I am not really that great at. I did it, but I didn't shine. This is a big part of the reason that I was planning on moving to another part of the organization, because there I would have been able to add far more value, doing what I am good at instead.
It obviously wasn't to be.
Of course, many people choose roles that they aren't cut out for, because it offers something that they want, like money or status. For instance, I know someone who applied for five years to get into medical school, finally got in, did her studies, and then spent less than two years as a practicing doctor before realizing, it isn't her thing. Another studied a double degree so she would get paid more as a teacher, but only lasted three years before quitting.
Perhaps we expect too much from our jobs.
I was talking with a colleague a couple weeks ago about this, where most people seem to believe that a job should be fulfilling, that it should offer more than just a salary. But while I do think ultimately that would be good, I question this as a relatively new development in our culture, because the math just doesn't add up for it. Imagine if everyone had a job that they were fulfilled by due to the job itself - how many jobs would go undone?
There are a lot of crappy jobs out there.
Everyone wants meaning of some kind in their life, I assume. Yet, I am sceptical as to how much of that meaning should come from the work we do, and how much could come from other aspects of our lives. Parents tend to get added meaning from their children, and I think that some get it from other places like volunteer work, or their various religious pursuits, but is it the job of the workplace to provide meaning for employees? After all, I think we can all agree that the underlying desire of business is to make profits, which means that the feelings of employees really only come into the equation only to the extent necessary to make money.
I hope that when the time comes, Smallsteps will find a place in the economy for herself where she feels she can add value and she is rewarded well for it. With the speed at which the employment landscape is changing, I don't know what that job might look like at this point. However, I don't think I want her to rely on her job to provide too much meaning, because I would rather her spend time deriving meaning from personal interaction and relationships she has. Jobs come and go, and industries change, but human connection always has value.
She will find her own way though,
no matter what I thoughts I might have on the matter.
Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ]
