Tag: question

Work till we drop

Posted on by philipdodson

Work till we drop.

We could do that, in fact, many will do that all their lives and retire exhausted.

Working hard has this almost macho attachment to it, like you’re a real woman or man if you work hard, your tough, what a hero, working all hours, constantly busy…you get the picture.

Perhaps, instead of working until we drop, let’s drop work.

Madness, perhaps.

But what is work for? Do we ever question that?

Why do you work?

Is there a way of rethinking the whole programme?

Perhaps a reboot. A new operating system.

Maybe life could be the priority and we work as little as needed to have enough to do things that matter, not work to consume stuff that does not matter.

I think that if we paused for a few moments and looked deeply at what we do on a daily basis, in exchange for money, we might consider is this enriching my life? Is what I use my income for enriching my life? Could I rearrange my priorities in life and work less or differently?

After all, I can’t believe there will be a single one of us who will get to the end of our lives and wish we had worked harder and longer.

School and work, two institutions of the modern world that no one ever really questions what they are for.

Just maybe we could and just maybe we would want to do something different.

Half the picture

Posted on by philipdodson

Sometimes I have, and still do, make decisions with only half the picture. In fact, in the past almost all of the time.

Why? Simply because I told myself, I already know how to do that or I have experienced that before. Sure, many situations are the same and therefore learning is gained through experience. But, I thought I know, I don’t need to find out everything.

However, not all situations are the same and maybe I believe that I have handled the best I can because it worked last time.

But I was kidding myself and not stretching myself. I am accepting ‘just good enough’ and I am not taking all the elements into account. I was dismissing others experience and knowledge, thinking ‘I know best’.

I have now started to try and see the full picture, ask more questions, listen more, talk less. Shit, that is hard.

What have I noticed? Well, a great deal more than before. I am seeing things from others perspective and that has been enlightening. I am realising that I do not own the exclusive rights to be right about everything and knowing always what is best.

Not every decision has to be taken with such great care, but for the ones that matter, I am learning to make even better ones.

Like all things in my life, it is a work in progress, but the clearer the picture, the better the chance of making a better decision. Just another step in journey.