Labor of Love

If you asked me to describe success at work, I’d pick three words:

Labor of Love!

I recently heard Deepak Chopra site a Gallup poll that Nigeria is the #1 country in the world on the “happiness” scale. Mexico, Puerto Rico and Cuba are near the top.

In happiness, Americans are 16th out of 25 countries surveyed.
In health, Americans are 37th in the world.

How is it that so many of us who live in the “wealthiest” country in the history of humankind are unhappy and unhealthy?

These two quiet epidemics are serious business.

And because what happens in America rumbles through the world like rolling thunder, our challenge is your challenge, wherever on this spinning orb you are reading this.

Is it possible that health and happiness can be inversely related to wealth?

How is it that most of the “happy” people live in countries with lower incomes and standards of living?

Is it possible the cost to win the money game is to sacrifice health and happiness?

America’s “worker satisfaction” numbers say so. An estimated 70% of employed people say they want to leave their jobs. They are:

* Not fulfilled nor challenged.
* Not doing what they like.
* Not earning what they think they are worth.

They are not willing to scale back consumption or downsize their lifestyle to do work that would be more enjoyable but might pay less.

They feel stuck.

This conflict causes major stress. Stress breaks down mind and body, and weakens the immune system. A weakened immune system leads to illness and disease [“dis-ease”].

I am sad when I see someone trudge through life like it’s a sentence to be endured rather than a journey to be enjoyed.

If you live in a modern country with the opportunity to work and improve your lot in life, you are fortunate indeed. If you are doing work you don’t like, you have the free will to choose something different.

There may be a trade off.

You may have to go backwards or sideways to do something you like.

Life is not a straight line.

Success is living the experience and enjoying the journey more than simply reaching the destination.

A GOAL is just another port of call.

Your ROLE deserves more of your attention.

How to direct your energy (attention) and invest your life force (time) are the most important choices you make every day.

Choose wisely.

Make today a labor of love.