Is it Possible to be too Hardworking?

Why we keep working at jobs that are unsatisfying. 

For as long as I can remember I’ve gotten through tough times in life by putting my head down and, as my dad would say, “gutting it out.”  

I’d continue to go to a class even if I didn’t like the teacher or the subject because at some point the semester would end and it would all be over. 

I lived in a crappy apartment that my roommate had chosen because it was only a 1 year lease and if I could get through that year we could move into somewhere without upstairs neighbors who vacuumed at 2 in the morning . . . and with windows.  

I’ll even occasionally log one more painful mile jogging up a hill because eventually I’ll reach the top and that will end also. 

This was my own brand of Scarlett O'Hara optimism.  A sort of “tomorrow is another day,” philosophy that I thought was at least a little virtuous.  But recently I’ve started thinking this strategy might fail me when it comes to my career. 

I’m all for paying my dues, and I expect to have to work through a bad case, a rude customer or a boring project here or there.  Tolerating these unpleasant realities are marks of maturity and professionalism that should be applauded.  

But at some point a girl has to say "Enough is enough!"

When gutting through one work task after another that you don’t like only to find more things that don’t excite or challenge you coming across your desk, it is time to take some action.  

Unlike school, our careers aren’t divided by semesters.  If you realize that all the things you are tolerating while you wait for it to get better are, actually, the job itself – then by all means it is time to start looking for something new. 

Here are some questions to ask yourself if you suspect you may be suck in a pattern of working too hard at waiting for things to get better:

1) When this unpleasant task is over, what might the next one be? Will the next thing be better, or equally icky?

2) When is the last time that you learned something new and useful to where you want to be professionally?

3) Are you constantly starting sentences with "After this project is over I will . . . ," or "As soon as I sell [number of] dollars/widgets/accounts I can finally . . . "

4) How long does it take you to finish this sentence (with something other than "sitting on the beach with a cocktail"):  "I'd rather be . . . "

If you're finding that you've been playing the waiting game for longer than you'd like to admit, now is the time to start laying the foundation for a move.  


***Caveat: If your waiting strategy is serving a larger purpose in your life right now (you’re working toward an important financial goal, needing medical coverage for you and your family, or making connections that will vault you forward when you leave), just be sure to set your timeline long enough to reach your goal before you move on to bigger and better things. Then by all means, ditch the boring gig and chase your dreams!