Today as I left the office for lunch, I noticed a lot of people walking around outside. I work in a suburban area that is filled with office parks. I wouldn’t really describe them as parks, but that’s the term you hear most often. Anyway, many people who work in these office buildings spend part of their lunch time walking around in the parking lots for exercise, sunlight, fresh air, etc.

What I was noticing today was how many people wander about alone in these parking lots. Sure, there are a number who walk in groups, but so many are out there alone. There’s nothing wrong with that, but many of them were walking like zombies. They seemed to stagger alone grimly with furrowed brows and tense shoulders. They didn’t look happy at all.

So, when am I going to talk about change? Now. What occurred to me was that these people were dying for change. I would bet that they would have given a lot to get out of their current employment situation. It could be that they were having other problems in their lives, but my first thought was that they hated their jobs.

Making a change would save them, right? It would change their lives, their sense of happiness and self-worth. Everything would be better, wouldn’t it? No.

At first, everything probably would be better for them. They would wake up each day with the thrill of starting something new and go through the workday with the passion and energy of a new lease on life. How is this bad? It’s not bad. It’s just an illusion.

This is the grass is greener mentality that keeps most of us shuffling from one unhappy situation to another throughout our lives. I don’t mean that the grass isn’t greener. It most certainly is greener in some places than in others.

The real problem is that when most of us make a change in our lives, it’s quite often just a matter of degree of difference. We leave one crappy job with a boss we don’t like for another one in the same industry requiring the same skills and where we do something very similar while reporting to someone who, after a while, we come to dislike as much as the last one. WTF?

Really, there’s something to be said for changing jobs and staying the same field, moving up in responsibility and advancing your career. That’s a great idea if that’s your plan. However, if you’re going from one dead end job to another because you’re dying for a change, why are you repeating the same mistake over and over again?

Of course, the same can be said of other changes in life. You could be talking about relationships, houses, social clubs, hair stylists. You name it.

The bottom line is this: if you’re going to make a change, make it count! Make this change one that really changes your life for the better. Take a risk and go for something that really excites you. Don’t turn into another parking lot zombie.

This has honestly always bothered me. I’ve worked hard to build up habits that will get me where I need to be on time and to drop those bad habits that get in the way of timeliness. I’ve met with some success over the years, but the underlying issue of tardiness has stuck with me.

I’m getting a little introspective here, but I believe all this may be due to some inner rebellion against society. Call it my own little revolution against the man. I just want to do my own thing without having to worry about some arbitrary set of rules imposed by someone else.

This sounds a bit childish, I’m sure. Like most people, I definitely see the value in being on time. It’s essential to be on time or early to a job interview. There are also other situations where it’s vital to be on time (like, catching a plane). Being habitually late is generally considered a sign that a person isn’t dependable, too. This can be a difficult label to overcome once it’s applied.

There is also a bright side to being late, though. It occurred to me recently that many times when I’ve been late, there has definitely been a reason. I’m almost always doing something that is valuable to me, something that is, in that moment, far more important than whatever it is I might be rushing out to do. In fact, there’s a huge opportunity cost in stressing yourself to always be on time.

Thinking back, there have been many times I’ve taken just a few extra moments to enjoy that last sip of excellent coffee, a few more words of conversation with a loved one or a good friend, another long hug and “I love you” from one of my children, or a few minutes more of closeness with someone I love. How can you place a value on these precious moments?

These are the times that will be most important to you when you look back on your life. No one is going to eulogize you and say how great you were because you were always on time. No one will wipe away a tear and comment on your excellent punctuality. However, many will remember those precious few moments that you spent with them, doing something you love with someone you love.

I have to admit, though, that there are some things I don’t care for at my new job. Some of these are pretty minor and easily overlooked. Others are potentially cause for greater concern. The question here is how much can you really change about your job?

I’ve blogged about how to know when it’s time to change jobs, but how about making changes to your current job to make it more suitable, more palatable on a daily basis? Is this really a valid option?

I think this is an important question for many people who are dissatisfied with at least some aspect of their employment situation. We spend so much time at work, going to and from work, and thinking about work that any positive improvement will have a great impact on our overall well being.

My own sense of the answer to this question is pretty straightforward: it’s been my experience that things are not likely to change much for the better if you start making complaints at work. Many employers have a hard time dealing with the idea that their company or their management style isn’t unanimously viewed as perfect.

Sure, some managers are certainly reasonable people who are open to suggestions. However, there is usually more to creating a substantial change in the workplace than just changing the mind of one person. Most companies have set policies that tend to be fairly rigid due to employment regulations and in order to minimize the potential for litigation.

This all tends to provide a very large barrier to any meaningful change at work. Often the person making a complaint is thereafter viewed with suspicion and branded as disloyal. After this point has been reached, there is really no other option for the employee than to find another job.

I know I’m sounding pretty jaded here, but I do think there are some instances where you can change things at work for the better. These changes have to come from you, the employee, though. If you can change the way you work or change the way you think about work, then this can have a tremendous positive effect on your working environment and will most likely change the way others in the workplace view you, and ultimately, how they treat you.

This isn’t to say that changes can’t be made by speaking to the appropriate person in charge. I do think this is possible in some cases, but it has to be approached in such a delicate, diplomatic way that it’s often too dangerous to even attempt.

I’d love to hear what any of you have to say about making changes in your workplace. Feel free to leave a comment with any insights or stories you may have.

1. Your skills are not respected. If you feel that your employer doesn’t recognize your value to the company, then it may be time for a change. Do you find that your opinions are taken for granted or that your judgment isn’t taken seriously? If you’re always wrong in the eyes of your employer, then there is definitely a problem.

Take the time to examine yourself, though. Are you really contributing as much as you can? Are you proving your value in your work assignments? If not, it may be worthwhile talking with your supervisor and asking for more challenging or interesting work. If this isn’t an option, then it’s time to start looking.

2. You’re stuck. If you’ve been in the same position, doing the same things, for nearly the same pay, for a long time, it’s time to shake things up. Has your job title been the same for five years? Do you have the same level of responsibility you had three years ago? Is your pay increasing at a snail’s pace with cost of living type raises? Enough is enough.

Again, look at your situation from an outside perspective before making final decisions. It’s true that you’re much more likely these days to make significant gains in salary and benefits by changing jobs than you are by staying at a job for a long time. However, if you’re content with what you’re making and/or the market won’t support paying much more for the work you do, then the scenario may be a little different. You may want to communicate to your supervisor that you’re ready for more responsibilities. It’s also possible that there may be another role in the same organization that can be more satisfying and more lucrative for you.

3. You’re bored! If you simply can’t get into what you’re doing right now, then it may be time to leave. There is some evidence that the human mind needs change in order to defeat boredom and depression. Many of us spend the greater part of our lives, more than 40 hours per week, working. This is a lot of time to be spending performing tasks that aren’t stimulating our brains in the ways that they need in order to thrive.

You have to be careful, though, that you’re focusing on the right parts of your life that need change or improvement. It could be that more outside activities will liven up your life. Perhaps meeting new people is what you need rather than switching jobs. Try expanding your social and activity circle to see if it makes life more interesting and enjoyable for you. If your work situation doesn’t improve after making some changes in your outside activities, then it may be time for you to move on.

Being unhappy in your employment has a profound effect on your life. When your job no longer is satisfying, you often begin thinking all sorts of negative thoughts about yourself. You start thinking that you’re not good at what you do, so maybe you should choose another career. You may think you’re just a bad employee, lazy, sloppy, or unintelligent. These thoughts are self-defeating and self-destructive. Instead of beating yourself up, take some time to make some changes to make your life and work more interesting, challenging, and enjoyable.

I’m going to be writing some articles about employment issues, including searching for a new job, coping with your current one, and being more happy and productive wherever you may be working. There are so many people out there who are dissatisfied with their lives and a large part of that is due to their work situation or their perspective on their own employment. These are factors that can be changed and the realization of that is the first step toward a better, more positive life.

I have a lot of ideas already, but if you would like to suggest some topics to be included or offer your own perspective on the current job market as well as employment issues or searching for a job, please leave a comment or use my contact form.

In the past months I’ve transitioned from married to single, from a big house in the suburbs to a small apartment near the highway, and from a long term steady job to a new one with lots of potential. Each change has caused me to go through a period of introspection, of soul-searching to figure things out. Though there are helpful resources out there, and I’ve had a lot of support from family and friends, there is no instruction book for life.

It’s been a difficult year of adjustment. There have been many ups and downs during this time, but the general trend has always been upward. I feel more positive about my life and where I’m going now than I have in many years.

I want to continue to share with you some of the things I’ve been learning. These things may be about life in general, about making money, and about blogging. I won’t promise not to write about other topics, though, as they come up. I’ve spent so much time learning and experiencing new things lately that have offered valuable lessons to me. I feel that some of these will also be equally valuable to many of you.

This is an exciting time for me in my life, yet there are many fears that I’m dealing with along the way. It’s definitely not easy letting go of the safety of a long term relationship or a long term job. Change can be a scary thing, but it can also be a necessary motivator for taking action and taking control of your life. This is an idea that I’ve found to be valuable to remember during the difficult times. Change is often good even though it’s often frightening and uncomfortable.

I may not be posting every day, but I will continue to write on this blog. I think the FreshBlogger name is even more apropos now as my life feels fresh and new. In the coming months I hope to share even more of these fresh ideas with you. Thanks for continuing to come back and read these pages and a special thanks for those of you who have offered your time and support in the last months. You’ve helped me to keep going in the right direction.

In the post JD describes a recent situation of having to fire an employee who was not performing well. Actually, it was a lot more than just not performing well, but you’ll have to read the article to get the whole story. I’ll just note that I found the whole post to be incredibly profound. One line stuck out for me in particular, though:

“…the things that are priorities in our lives are the things we actually do.”

This is the gospel truth, friends. I never really thought of it in quite this way before, but it’s one of those obvious points that we all know, but probably never think about with any specificity. The things we are spending our time on right now are our priorities.

Like the unfortunate young man JD had to fire, many of us think things are our top priorities when clearly by this definition they are not. This guy said his job was his top priority and probably really believed that, but the truth was that other things in his life took top billing instead.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, though. For this 21 year old guy, realizing that the job wasn’t his first priority should have told him something. This isn’t to say that his job should have been his first priority, but if it was important to him it should have held a higher position on his ladder of priorities. The fact that it didn’t may mean that it was a good thing for him to get fired. He didn’t care enough about the job to want to keep it.

Of course I want to talk about the lesson in this now. Think about the choices you make every day. What do you spend your time doing? What are the priorities you think you have? Compare those to the priorities you appear to have based on the time you spend on those activities. Is there a big discrepancy? Perhaps the lesson here is that our priorities should be in line with our goals and values. If you feel that something is wrong in your life, maybe this is it. Take some time to review your priorities. Believe me, I’m going to do the same thing.

This quote is a really good one to think about:

When you find yourself at a place where the sound of your cell phone ring stresses you out, the overwrought signature of a co-worker really annoys you, or the thought of your company’s widgets makes you want to scream, you know a change is needed.

Sounds a lot like what I was talking about in Emotional Feedback and Discomfort Is A Call To Action. It’s a message that we could stand to be reminded of more often and Chuck makes the point very well with his characteristic sense of humor. Check out his post and see if there are some things in your life that are telling you that change is needed.

Pursue the Passion is a project started by three recent college graduates who realized that they didn’t know anything about the business world. That is, they had learned plenty in college, but hadn’t gotten much real world experience. They wanted to find careers that they could really get into, that they could put their passions into.

This is, of course, a common interest amongst not just college graduates, but also many people already out in the business world. The problem lies in the fact that so many are unsatisfied with their careers and are not feeling this passion in their professional lives. So, what’s the secret?

This is what Pursue the Passion is all about. James, Brett, and Noah toured the country last year and interviewed professionals about their careers in the hopes of finding the answers. On their first tour, they interviewed 75 people who were passionate about their jobs and posted the interviews to their website so that others could benefit.

They are now touring again and posting the interviews to their web page once again. The interviews provide some fascinating insights into what makes them passionate in their careers. If you’re interested in some ideas about how to find a career you love or how to start feeling passion for the one you have now, check out their website.

I’m normally not much of an impulse buyer, but I jumped right on to Amazon and ordered the book. I did check out Tim’s website and blog first and found some good information on other topics, too, like bodybuilding and nutrition, of all things. This and the other articles related to the content of the book sold me on making the purchase.

I started reading right away and found Tim’s conversational style of writing to be refreshing and accessible. There isn’t a whole lot of technical jargon to bog you down. This book is a quick and relatively easy read. I say relatively because there are exercises at the end of most chapters that are intended to help the reader change his or her mindset over to one that will be more conducive to attaining the goals of the book.

So, what are the goals of this book? Tim’s whole philosophy centers around freeing yourself from the wage slave life so that you can fill your life with excitement. Sounds great, huh? It’s not as shallow a concept as it may seem at first. He talks about the stress and boredom of the average 9-5er and how many people spend 30 or 40 or even more years living this lifestyle in the hopes of someday being able to enjoy life.

This idea really resonated with me. Tim relates his fears of becoming the bald, fat guy in the red BMW convertible. As soon as I read this, I knew exactly what he was talking about. Since I was a teenager, I noticed how many of the really nice cars I saw on the road were driven by old guys. I shuddered at the thought of spending my whole life in drudgery to get to the point of driving that beautiful yellow convertible Corvette and then getting out with a cane or a walker. You get the idea, right?

Tim starts off talking about why you should want to change your life and join what he calls the New Rich. His points are simple and direct and will make a lot of sense to those who don’t like a bunch of fluffy nonsense. After that, he goes into the how-to of changing your life.

His ideas aren’t all new or groundbreaking but it’s the way they’re put together that makes this book worth the money. He includes many stories from his own life as well as stories of others in the New Rich who have taken a similar approach to life and changed theirs for the better. This helps the reader to see what people have done and that it really is possible.

If you’re looking for a detailed, paint by numbers text, don’t bother. This book isn’t about telling you every little detail to start a business and make lots of money. That’s not what it’s all about. This book is about changing your mindset more than anything else. Once you have the proper view of life, this type of change becomes possible.

At any rate, Tim’s book is good. It’s highly motivational for those of us who are interested in changing our lives and getting out of the rat race. If you find yourself terminally bored and hating life right now, pick up The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich (aff). Even if you’re not at that state at the moment and you’re not looking to completely make over your life, this book has lots of tips that will have you wondering why you never realized that before. Pick up a copy and let me know what you think about it.