I love music. I think there are very few things as powerful in the world as the power of music. I believe in music so much I dropped out of college, moved to Nashville, and worked 2 jobs to get to spend a few hours a day working on music “stuff” early in my career. And as I grew, had a family, had kids, I realized that the cost it would require to be the best at what I do in music was more than I was willing to pay. Other things had started to grab my attention and steal my heart. I knew I had to do something and I knew that working in a local church was becoming more of a passion for me than working on the careers of some amazing artists.
In our world today, life is crazy, and more of our life is spent working or interacting with work. Finding happiness in our work is not easy. As we labor to do our best work I think there are a few questions we should be asking ourselves and our teams that will uncover if we have joy in our jobs:
- Are you committed to being a problem solver or finding excuses? If you find more excuses than solutions this is a sign that you have lost a little of your “go”. Stop and take a breath. We need you and your solutions!
- How much time do you spend in your sweet spot? Do you get excited about what you get to do, or dread dealing with what you have to do? No job is ALL sweet spot, but the more time you are where your energy is fueled, the better you will. Thus, the more excitement and joy you will have about your job. Work to get in your sweet spot!
- Do you strive to be the absolute best at what you are doing, or are you willing to settle for good enough? Good is the enemy of great. No one wants to be good enough. When we are giving our best, and producing results, what we get the opportunity to celebrate the wins! And honestly, everyone is happy at a party, right?
- Are you passionate or complacent? Complacency is a slow road to death. If you have lost the spark, the fire, or the fizz…move on. Do it for yourself and for your team. If you can’t get back to the fire you had on day one, or close to it, find something else that can fire you up! We all have seasons we are tired, weak, or our passion is just not clicking, but as a leader you have to lead yourself back to that place…or move on.
- Even when things are hard, do you find excitement in “getting the opportunity to (insert what you do here). Life is hard kids. We GET2 figure this stuff out. The more we do the better everyone becomes.
- Do you see more problems or more possibilities? Possibility is everywhere. Optimism is contagious. Encouragement is vital. Keep your eyes on what God has called you to. He doesn’t lie. He will be faithful. Set the atmosphere and the tone. Today!
I had to answer these questions and I had to push myself to be honest about the answers. I was doing a job and doing things that I was starting to not enjoy and someone else was praying they would get the opportunity to do as a career. It was time to move over and let someone else take the wheel. Further, there was a new challenge for me to take, a challenge that when I asked these questions about I could be proud of the answers.
If you are done it is time to move on. You are hurting yourself more than anyone else. Be brave. It is scary but when you land in the middle of your next thing you will be so much more at peace about waking up each day.
