Looking at any calendar and noting the progression of the days would have prepared me for the fact that today is June 1. It’s not a behavior I make a habit of avoiding, this whole checking-the-calendar thing. It’s just that time has been passing at a rate so incredibly fast that I’ve been unable to keep up with it, and so when I finally looked up and saw that we’re on month six of this year already, a paralyzing shock ran through my body and I was unable to blink or move for a few minutes.
So, yes. June 1. Hello.
Part of my surprise at realizing the date is that I seem to be doing a lot of nothing and everything at the same time these days. Things that fall into the everything category are those that yield some form of payment and career-advancing results; things that fall into the nothing category are those to which I devote time and gain zero benefit from—not even a sense of accomplishment or personal satisfaction, to say nothing of a paycheck. When I’m done with the real work, I move on to the play work, and that’s the point when I start swimming in circles, following the same path that never progresses. When I’m done, I’ll realize I’ve played a part in helping someone else reach their goal, yet I’ve made no progress of my own.
Obviously that needs to change, and I know it’s going to be hard. I like to help people, and I’ve never turned down a friend who needs my professional eye or advice. I’ve volunteered quite a bit of my time to helping people build up their own initiatives, whether it’s been a blog or website or book. Some of these ventures have been resume builders, some have not. I’ve helped out because I like being able to say I played a part in making x,y,z come to fruition. In the end, though, these ventures have not been my own. I’ve helped fill in a piece of the puzzle for the owners, and as they continue fitting the rest of the pieces together, they are the ones who will ultimately see the benefit of my work.
As much fun as that’s been, I’d be doing myself a disservice continuing to work that way. So no more taking on projects that are not mutually beneficial. If I can’t make a noteworthy contribution or take away something valuable from the experience, it’s off limits. Starting today.
Tags: facts of life, resolutions, work
