People need to have access to the basic materials for life. They can then make choices about they shape their future lives. They may take one of the following approaches.
People may aim to enjoy things, endure things or enjoy things while also enduring things. Different people follow these approaches in different ways. Let’s explore these themes.
The Enjoying Things Approach
Some people follow the rule that ‘what you focus on you become’. They therefore choose to have a positive attitude, do things they enjoy and count their blessings. They may also enjoy encouraging people.
Such people are often lifetime learners and gain strength from doing things they enjoy. They like to set specific goals, do satisfying work and achieve success.
They may also be resourceful and resilient. They may enjoy finding creative solutions to certain challenges. This enables them to expand their repertoire of skills for shaping a positive future.
Some people follow this approach in their personal lives and do things that give them positive energy. They may enjoy being with their children, walking, playing music, pursuing creative projects or doing other activities.
Some people follow this approach in their professional lives. They aim to build on their strengths, do satisfying work and achieve success. Sometimes this can involve making decisions.
One senior leader, for example, decided give up their seat in the C-suite. They chose: a) to work with the customers with whom they worked best: b) to do stimulating projects in their personal life.
Some people do what they enjoy when encountering things that could sap their energy. One person took this approach during election times in their country. They expressed this in the following way.
“I chose to spend my days focusing on positive things rather than listening to politicians arguing. This helped me to appreciate life, stay healthy and keep developing.”
Many people gain strength from doing what they enjoy. Let’s look at another approach it is possible to take.
The Enduring Things Approach
Some people seem to endure life. They may feel down about their relationships, work or because of other factors. They may find it difficult to develop a positive attitude or find ways to appreciate life.
Sometimes this may be down to circumstances. As mentioned earlier, people need to have access to the basic materials for life. They need food, shelter, encouragement and the chance to do satisfying work.
People who don’t have these physical things may feel that life is an endurance battle. They need to make it to the next pay day to feed the family.
Some people may have the basic materials but put themselves into situations that are sapping. They may spend time with negative people, be in exhausting relationships or spend their days working in a toxic culture.
Such people may choose to endure things because they focus on the possible long-term benefits. They may stay in an unsatisfying job, for example, because leaving it would mean taking a pay cut.
People who take this approach may experience side-effects. They may lose energy, get illnesses or believe everything will be better when they can be free. Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn’t. Let’s look at another approach for managing these situations.
The Enjoying Things While
Enduring Things Approach
Some people aim to do enjoyable things on a journey that calls for endurance. Taking this approach gives them energy and strength to work towards a potential goal.
Such people do not kid themselves. They recognise it is vital to build on the positive things whilst also dealing with any negative aspects in their daily lives and work.
Looking at my own life, for example, I took this approach when working on machines in a factory for six years. I was no good at the job but kept going by focusing on several things.
First, my dream of finding a work where I could help people. Second, continuing to read and learn. Third, travelling around the country watching football. Eventually I managed to find a full-time role doing social work.
Some people other ways to enjoy things on a difficult journey. This has been the subject of many films, such as The Shawshank Redemption.
Alexander Solzhenitsyn highlighted these themes in his book One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. He describes how Ivan Denisovich Shukhov, who is serving a ten-year sentence in the Gulag, takes pride in his daily work. This is how several commentators described Shukov’s approach.
He acts under a moral code that allows him to continue to respect himself. He no longer thinks much of home or freedom but instead thinks about that day, taking pride in his work as a mason.
In working hard at his masonry and taking pride in building a good, strong, straight wall, he is in effect subverting the prison authorities who seek to punish him by making him work.
Let’s return to your own life and work. Looking ahead, can you think of a situation where you may want to follow elements of the enjoying things approach? This could be in your personal or professional life.
How can you do things you enjoy? If appropriate, how can you do these to help you manage a journey that you may need to endure? What may happen as a result of taking these steps?
If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme. This invites you to complete the following sentences.
Leave a Reply