Tag Archives: satisfaction

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Satisfaction Guaranteed

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Does the fulfillment of one’s wishes, expectations, or needs and the associated pleasure you derive from achieving what you seek depend on other people and events?

That is, are you able to personally guarantee living a satisfying life?  Is satisfaction within your control or is it dictated by others?  The simple answer is you have absolute control, unfortunately though it is probably a bit more complex.

Freedom to Interpret

No doubt your own thoughts and perceptions are influenced by external factors like the behaviour of others and events outside your control like the weather.

How you view the impact of those external factors can be completely within your conscious thinking abilities to decide.  Are the external occurrences satisfying and what can be done to make them satisfactory?   The answer, your reaction, is yours to control?

Fulfillment

Simply deciding your life events are fulfilling does not make it so.  This probably seems like an unrealistic approach, after all shit  does happen and pretending it does not is a bit myopic.

Well it is true our lives are varied and full of happenings outside our direct prevue, some things distasteful and unsatisfying to us, when taken as a whole can be perceived in a way satisfactory to ourselves.  It is a personal choice.

Two Worlds

In 1968 the band Sweetwater released a song titled “Two Worlds” which highlighted for me some of the thoughts expressed here.

The chorus lines “I can’t stop livin, I never get tired” epitomize the   positive attitude, that when undertake,  guarantees  a full and satisfying life.   It is your choice.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Friday Yet?

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Many of us work for others and receive compensation for doing so.   A common full time work schedule is Monday to Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

There are of course multitudinous variations to that schedule and variances in employment types from part-time, contract to seasonal only.  This post focuses on the common but applies to all the situations.

Working for the Weekend

Throughout my working career I would occasionally run into those who asked on Monday; Is it Friday yet?  Or of course, I oft encountered those who practiced the mantra TGIF (Thank god it’s Friday).

For the majority of people working for fiscal compensation whether derived from others or directly from your own efforts is standard practice.

Don’t Waste It

Work (in this context)  usually takes up a large percentage of our waking hours (40% to 50% for most) and goes on usually from your early twenties to mid to late sixties.  (65% to 70% of your life).

Given the majority of our lives are spent working we are far better off to both enjoy and derive pleasure from it.  To do otherwise draws into question (at least for me) what our life goals or purpose is.

To detest the work we have chosen to do such that we are just working for the weekend (analogous to working for time-off) and for the money deserves a real wake-up call.  You need to get out and make a change.

There is no excuse for not enjoying what you spend most of your time on, it is a choice.  At the most basic level choose to enjoy what you are doing.  It is totally within your capability to do so.

OR

Make a change to doing something you enjoy doing, life is too short to do otherwise.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Empowerment

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The term empowerment can be used to refer to the process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one’s life and claiming one’s rights.

Or in the corporate world, it is more commonly viewed as a component of the culture set by leadership.  In this case it is more about granted power, that is the limits of authority or power given to someone to do something.

Contradictory but Related

In one context empowerment is granted and in the other, it is just taken.  In reality, your personal empowerment is a balanced mix between these two approaches.

How much authority you earn or take on to make yourself stronger and more confident contains some risks.  You may end up suffering consequences from overstepping your granted authority (for example termination) or you may receive a great reward (for example promotion).

Own It

Seeking to become stronger and more confident by taking control of your destiny is not in direct opposition to working within granted authority limits but rather must be used with care to avoid backfiring with unpleasant results.

Ultimately though, your success and aassociated happiness is linked to taking ownership and accountability.  Push the bar, not to far but enough to enable achievement of real personal growth, without consequences.

As you move through life’s experiences seeking and executing that balance is is critical to growing your self satisfaction.  Take control learn from it and  become better for it.

Finding the optimal balance of self empowerment can  bring you great joy.

 

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Escape

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Many of us our trapped in daily activities that don’t give us maximum pleasure. For example a job you don’t like or a leisure activity that is repetitive and boring, or many other things you wonder why you are doing regularly

Escape is only a choice away. You are in control of your destiny and accepting a fate that is not meeting your expectations is a choice. Sometimes we believe and easier choice than breaking out which is why we accept our circumstances.

It’s up to you!

This probably sounds like the advice your parents gave you, or maybe the army, but choosing to “be all you can be” is one-hundred percent up to you.

You may win a lottery or be given a dream job or find the house of your dreams for half price, it is possible, but don’t count on it. The best goals are the ones you define and achieve yourself.

The most satisfying approach to achievement is when we exercise accountability. Others may guide, consult and assist, but it honesty feels best when we can include ourselfs as a key factor in the win.

It’s Hard

My Dad used to always say it is not about the effort (hard or easy) it is more important to be clear about what you want and then get it, as long as its not at the expense of others.

So whether you think it will be hard or easy, focus on the result, what is wrong with getting what you desire. Nothing.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Facilitation

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Completing a task can be a rewarding experience.  For example, after you mow the lawn, sitting in the yard drinking a beer, you happily ponder the results of your work thinking “What a great looking lawn.”

You are proud of the accomplishment, it feels good.  What about the cases where you do not participate in the activity directly but are a key catalyst in getting the reaction started.

When the work you do focuses on helping other people deal with a process or reach an agreement or solution without being directly involved in the task, you are facilitating.

Making it Happen

Achieving a goal, particularly through the use of teamwork (i.e., collaboration) can sometimes require independent assistance.  That is,  help to focus on the goal from someone who is not invested in how the results are achieved, but rather focused on their achievement.

This is the role of a facilitator.  Facilitators do not actually have the rewarding feeling of personally completing a task, however, in many cases without facilitation the task will not be completed.

Like the catalyst that initiates a reaction without actually participating the facilitator enables others to get the job done.   A job that could (even would) fail otherwise.

Observe, Facilitate

Everyone can and should act as a facilitator when it is needed.  This a a great way for groups to get things done.  It is an attribute of high performing teams, any team member steps in to facilitate (seemlessly) when it’s apparent a liitle help is in order.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Discontent

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Oscar Wilde (Irish poet and playwright) wrote “Discontent is the first step of progress of a man or a nation.”   This could lead to a conclusion the contentent equates to stagnation.

In all probability dissatisfaction with ones circumstances can motivate action.  This action can be foundational to progress on a larger scale.

Consider the invention of the wheel.  Prior to the wheel transportation consisted of walking.  Walking is tiring and can be a slow way to cover a great distance.

I need a better way

Some poor sole with aching feet, late for an appointment considers their plight.  There must be a better way to travel.  The discontent with walking leads to the invention of another way to travel great distances without inconveniencing the feet.

Not an Absolute

Discontent certainly can be one of the factors driving progess but it is by no means singular nor uniquely responsible for  human advancement.

If contentment reigned would progress be stifled.  I believe that is a real possibility the rate of progress might be diminished,  but certainly other motivating factors like ambition and the quest for answers would come into play.

Seeking improvement is not only motivated by a desire to resolve unsatisfying circumstances but undoubtedly it plays a role.  So, to Osacar Wilde I say perhaps the addition of “sometimes” ,in front of discontent, would make your statement more accurate.

Still an interesting thought even if not universally applicable.