Your Job Will Never Love You Back

*One of the greatest pieces I've read--ever--in the NYT is an essay with work advice. A correspondent has written in. That person says: "I can't tolerate coworker X, I'm thinking of quitting, etc. etc. etc."

The advice columnist could attempt pragmatic tweaks: "Have a heart-to-heart; draft a letter; focus on, and praise, positive attributes in your annoying colleague....."

Instead, the columnist says, "Many people suck, and will always suck. And guess what? You might suck, too. So consider that before you go off and try to work for yourself."

The columnist goes on to say: "Your job will never love you back. No matter how hard you try to love it. So work on the life you have outside your work. Cultivate hobbies. Pursue volunteer activities. Practice the fine art of being (patiently) bored." The columnist cites an intriguing recent book of advice: "How to Do Nothing."

The essay made my day, and I encourage you to take a look:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/24/business/your-job-will-never-love-you-back.html

*Another wonderful piece of work advice I once received, from a wise, tough person:

Begin basically every call with: "This is not an emergency." I love this with parents--because parents tend to think communication from a school must involve an emergency. But I also love it in other contexts. Because most things are *not* emergencies. Food for thought.

P.S. A line I really appreciated from the NYT piece: "One thing the world does not need from you is four flowery paragraphs on how terrible your boss is....."

P.P.S. Another great note from the NYT piece: "Are you struggling at work and you're someone who doesn't lean on friends? Change. Start leaning on friends."

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