Are You Playing By Someone Else’s Rules?

By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter

When I sat down at my desk at PS 90 in The Bronx as a new kindergartener, I remember looking up at my teacher and my mom, each looking at me with that look of adoration that adults have for little children. My mom told me that she would be back for me later and that I should listen to my teacher.

But it didn’t take long for me to realize that in addition to being able to read, do math and write, I was being taught to “Be quiet. Do what you are told when we tell you to do it, or else you will get bad grades.” As I got older, the threat became, “Or else you won’t get into college.” Once in college, the threat became, “Or else, you won’t get a good job.” Once working, the threat escalated to “Or else, we’ll fire you.”

There are many other examples of “the conveyor belt of life,” but my question for you is, how happy are you today with what you do professionally? At the end of each day, do you feel exhausted by being in the game or exhilarated by it? Are you part of a working environment that commoditizes you and your work while spouting platitudes about how employees are their most important asset? Are you actively engaged with your work in ways that you feel delighted or fighting with quicksand that eventually devour you or force you to flee?