Would you be proud of what you were doing?
How you were doing it?
Who you were doing it for?
Mindfulness in each task leads to mindfulness in all things.
Tag / zen
Wash dishes. Fold laundry.
It’s the modern-day equivalent to “Chop Wood, Carry Water”. A way to find Zen in the mindless, repetitive tasks we must do each day.
Over and over again with no end in sight.
(There’s never an empty sink or laundry basket in my house. Ever.)
But I take them to be signs of life—a family going through the motions of good living.
Dirty dishes mean home-cooked meals and conversations at the dinner table.
Smelly laundry means people played outside, moved their bodies, and had fun.
And if finding Zen in those chores isn’t your thing, you can look at them as a chance to do something else.
Like connect with your kids over the dishwasher.
Or listen to your favorite album.
Or stay abreast of new developments in your industry.
Or practice your Spanish.
Wash dishes. Fold laundry.
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Do What You Love… or Love What You Do?
Two quotes came to mind while I was walking and thinking this morning:
“It’s easier to love what you do than it is to do what you love.”
—Seth Godin
Then, of course, my brain went to Dan Miller:
“Passion is more developed than discovered.”
—Dan Miller
Happiness is easier to achieve when we enjoy what we do.
But it’s not always easy to create an income doing something we already enjoy.
It’s easier to find a reason to like what you’re already making a living doing than to try to create a business around a passion or hobby.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try—I’ve done it with lots of my passions.
Music…
History…
Personal development…
Philosophy…
But in nearly every case, depending on that passion to pay the bills robbed me of the very same enjoyment that drew me to it in the first place.
If you’re doing work that’s mind-numbing, agonizing, and completely without joy or merit, please find something else to do. This bundle will help you in your search.
But for many of us, we’re just spinning our wheels, trying to find ways to monetize a hobby. We’re telling ourselves we’ll never be happy until we’re working in this passion or that one.
If you think you can, try to find enjoyment in what you’re already doing. That’s one of the tenets of Zen, and it’s also a path to true happiness and contentment.
If you’ve read this and still feel it’s time to make a change in your career, I highly recommend you check out this career search bundle my coach Dan Miller created. It has everything you need to:
- Discover your skills, passions, personality traits, and values
- Learn a proven job hunt method guaranteed to land a better job with higher pay
- Start your own business if that’s your path
- Find a community of like-minded supporters to help you every step of the way
If it’s time for a change, Dan Miller can help you make it.
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