Chill!

by AJ

All this is new to me-- caring about my job, pouring energy into it, constantly brainstorming to improve things, wanting to excel. Never before have I pushed so hard to improve my job performance... risking the ire of bosses in the process. Teaching English is the first job I have loved. Its the first job Ive felt passion for.

But maybe thats a problem. My best friend recently gave this advice to me, "Chill AJ. Since when have you cared so much about a job. No one cares if you do a great job or not. Stop worrying about it. Stop being so serious about it."

Perhaps this is good advice. What, exactly, have I gained from this passion? While students have generally expressed gratitude, bosses and administrators have not. Job security comes from blending in,... doing what's normal and expected. In the end, its the administrators who determine my hours, pay, and the tranquility of my work life... not the students.

Am I mis-appropriating my energy. In the past I always focused my passions outside of work... on girlfriends, on writing, on learning, on friends, on hobbies, on travel. I gave work the bare minimum... conserved myself for more meaningful activities... activities that directly enriched my life.

I love Littky's ideas. I love teaching. I want to do a GREAT job at it... to be innovative, interesting, effective, and extraordinary. But this may be energy ill-spent. In the end, its likely to gain me nothing but frustration, criticism, and hassles.

Perhaps work is a poor beneficiary for my passion and energy.

Perhaps my friend is right...