Are you in a blah job, not necessarily good or bad, just meh? Meh can be draining.
1. Find a way to bring YOU to your job
They hired you for a reason. There were other candidates, other options, but they chose you. Why? Why were you a good fit for the job? Let’s identify what it was that they liked about you. You accepted the job for a reason. Why? There are lots of jobs out there; why did you choose this one? You have choices in life…why did you make this one? Now that we’ve identified why they liked you and why you liked them, let’s hope we can find the place where these two circles intersect. That’s what you can bring you to your job. Have you ever been on a train or a plane where the person doing the announcements just goes the extra mile to make it fun? I had a flight attendant once who had to be part comedian. He had us all laughing when he read through that ordinary emergency plan information. He made it his own, and he entertained us. He may have originally taken the position hoping to find that place where he could shine, where he could entertain. And he nailed it.
(originally published by Reader’s Digest, rd.com)
2. Be excellent
Excellence is its own reward. Competence is satisfying, but excellence is taking it to another level. Putting on a terrific outfit. Having a fresh manicure and haircut. Doing it right. I was recently at jury duty, and my day was made by one of the men working the desk. When it was my turn to sign in, he just had the biggest smile, a warm welcome, and he took the time to say something nice. Talk about a ho-hum job: This guy is processing hundreds of people every day who’ve been called to jury duty in Newark, NJ, right outside of job-centric New York City. It’s unlikely that he hired a career counselor to find this gig. This is a seriously cranky crowd, but this guy flips those frowns upside down instantly with his professionalism and joie de vivre. If he can do it, you can too. (Here’s how to be happier at work.) He feels good, he seems good, and he’s able to turn the mood of the room by…
