Do you have a hobby? Do you ever reluctantly get up in the morning or come home from work and say to yourself, ‘Oh man, here’s another day of working on my hobby. Man, I wish I could just not do this today?' I’m guessing not. Or if you do, it’s only on a very rare occasion. If not, perhaps you should consider letting that hobby go…

I’m not going to get into the possibility of making your hobby a job. (That’s a valid topic, but outside the scope of this article, and it’s also covered in many other books out there). What I’d like you to think about, however, is applying the attitude of your hobby towards your job. Imagine what your day would be like if you got ready to go to work with the same mentality that you prepare to work on your hobby. The only real difference is that if you don’t feel like working on your hobby, you can take a day off, and with work, that option’s really not there.

What is your current approach to your job? Are you working just well enough to not get fired? Are you doing well because others expect it of you? This is one way of getting through your work days, but they won’t be all that fulfilling. Now think about how you approach your hobbies and leisure activities. Do you do those for other people’s approval, or to just do it well enough? I’m guessing that you do it as well as you can because that makes you happy.

When I use the term fun, it doesn’t mean that you have to make jokes and be a clown all day at work. If it helps, think about the term ‘enjoyable.’ I enjoyed computer programming (a computer programming comedian – now there’s a niche market if I ever heard one!), and I had fun doing it. When I worked as a programmer, my days were enjoyable and my energy was up. I hated being a computer support person. When I worked as one, my days were long, stress filled, and depressing. And that’s not just at work. I taught karate after work, and I loved it, but after leaving a job that I did not enjoy my verve for teaching was very low. All I really wanted to do was go home and do nothing.

Fun is also subjective. I know many people who would not enjoy computer programming all day. I have a friend who works in animation. He spends his days meticulously creating frame after frame. After hours upon hours of work, he may end up with twenty seconds of animation. I would run screaming from the drawing table after two hours of that kind of work, but he loves it. To each their own, and to you, your own. Just make sure you have an idea what your idea of fun is, and see if you are having any in your work.

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Avish Parashar
http://www.AvishParashar.com