Do you love your job?
Unfortunately, although some people take pride in what they do, many people hate their work, whether it’s because they are at risk of automation or have a boss from hell. It’s no wonder so many turn to dishonest ways to get ahead or else just want to escape, much like Enrest Hemingway writes in The Sun Also Rises (also available on Audible):
It is awfully easy to be hardboiled about everything in the daytime, but at night it is another thing.
Over the last year, I’ve written extensively about building your career at every stage of your life, including tips on developing new skills, applying for a job, starting a position, succeeding in your role, and ‘retiring’ in Spain (like I’m doing right now). In this post, I’ll share my favourite Seth Godin quotes from his 2021 posts, together with a recommended title from Blinkist.
In consistent times, there’s leverage to be found in investing in the status quo. But when we’re unsure about where the next shift is going to come from, perhaps investing in flexibility makes a bit more sense. ~ Toward nimble
Learn more: Flexible Working
Hacking your way through something “for now” belies your commitment to your work and your posture as a professional. Get the flow right, as if you were hauling bricks. ~ The weight of repetitive tasks
Learn more: Bullshit Jobs
People who live with drama at work will almost certainly invent new drama (of any scale) if the existing drama fades away. ~ The things we go back to
Learn more: Jerks at Work
When we adopt the posture of commitment, something extraordinary happens: The lessons get more profound and useful. The questions asked get more specific and urgent. The connections that are made get deeper. ~ “I’m just browsing”
Learn more: Joy at Work
Either you approach the world as a widely dispersed bunch of opportunities where you’re never specific or on the hook. Or you realise that finding a very focused place to do your work rewards you many times over. ~ The fish, the sea and the barrel
Learn more: The Long View
Show your work. Earn attention and build trust. Every day. Too much spin simply makes us dizzy. ~ No fooling
Learn more: Show Your Work!
If all you’re doing is the jobs you used to do, you’re certainly missing out on the contributions you’re capable of. ~ Jobs to be done
Learn more: Great Work
Now that it’s clear that the nature of work and meetings has changed forever, perhaps this is a good moment to embrace what’s possible. ~ Fixing Zoom calls: Looking better and feeling better
Learn more: How to Thrive in the Virtual Workplace
A team’s awareness and focus on the hard parts dramatically shifts the prospects for the project. ~ “What’s the hard part?”
Learn more: Work Simply
Perfectionism is a way to berate others for not meeting imaginary standards. Or berating yourself as a way to avoid shipping the work. ~ Perfect is not the same as perfectionism
Learn more: So Good They Can’t Ignore You
Who we are isn’t the same thing as what we do. But sometimes, what we do can change who we are. ~ Confusing identity with strategy
Learn more: Best Job Ever
As we enter a post-industrial economy where good jobs are going to continue to get more scarce, creating a positive cultural dynamic-one in which the social contract can deliver meaning-is more urgent than ever. ~ Shortages, momentum and the search for meaning
Learn more: The Robots Are Coming!
Modern organisations are discovering that all of us know more than any of us, and that engaged individuals ready to not only speak up but to eagerly take responsibility for the work they do is an effective, resilient and equitable way to show up in the world. ~ Monarchists
Learn more: Mastering Communication at Work
Go through your day oblivious to the idea that reciprocity might be a thing that other people feel compelled to act on. Simply show up with good intent to do work that you’re proud of. ~ The reciprocity hustle
Learn more: Mastering the Game
Instead of calling it “taking initiative” perhaps it would be more accurate to say “giving initiative.” Because it’s in short supply and we need more. ~ Initiative takes effort
Learn more: Own It. Love It. Make It Work.
Companies aren’t going to trust you because you asked them to. They’ll do it when they believe that you are one of the few people who can lean outside of the comfort zone and bring back something extraordinary. ~ A return to cottage work
Learn more: Talent is Overrated
As social creatures, many people very much need a place to go, a community to be part of, a sense of belonging and meaning. But it’s not at all clear that the 1957 office building is the best way to solve those problems. ~ The end of the office
Learn more: Out of Office
We have the opportunity to do work that is unexpected, generous and original. It won’t be perfect, it won’t be the cheapest, but it will matter. ~ Variability, industrialization and hating your job
Learn more: The 80/20 Principle
Even though it’s more fun (and feels safe, in some way) to make a point, if we really care, we’ll do the hard work to make a difference instead. ~ Making a difference (making a point)
Learn more: No Hard Feelings
The real challenge of remote work isn’t that it somehow erases the mysterious serendipity of magical office collisions. The problem is that making connections digitally requires enrollment and effort. If we do it with intent, it actually works better. ~ Intentional connection in the digital office
Learn more: Remote
Perfectionism is a false hope and a place to hide. Effort, on the other hand, is our best chance to do work that matters. ~ Effort
Learn more: Turning Pro
When we go to work, most of us simply go to work. We do our jobs, respond to the incoming, hone our craft, make some sales. The decisions get put off or ignored altogether. And yet it’s the strategic decisions that can change the arc of our career and our job satisfaction as well. ~ The CEO of you
Learn more: Win at Work and Succeed at Life
Don’t wait for someone else to take responsibility. Don’t wait for perfect. Don’t wait to find this exact situation in the manual or in history. Use your best judgement. ~ UYBJ
Learn more: The Evolved Executive
Managers have to wait for permission, because management requires authority. But in every area of our lives, if we choose to lead, we can lead. Simply by beginning. ~ Lead by leading
Learn more: Dare to Lead
One sort of job requires people to follow a recipe. Another, better sort of job requires people to understand the recipe. If you understand it, that means you can change it. You have resilience and insight and the leverage to make it better. ~ Recipes
Learn more: How to Enjoy Your Life and Your Job
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