8 Life Lessons From a Place I Hated Working

Miracles don’t just happen in movies or stories; they exist in reality too.

To work for something you love is soul-pleasing, but to get paid to do what you love is a miracle.

I am doing something I love while getting paid for it. Only a handful of people are satisfied with their jobs. There was a time when I used to work at something I hated, in a place I disliked. But I have learned a lot from the company. I won’t name the business or people who helped me become a better person, but surely you’ll learn some good things along the way.

1. Your education won’t help you on the job; skills will

As soon as I started working as a database intern, I realized whatever I learned at the university had nothing to do with what I was working on.

Education teaches us the theory, and the practical work we do is obsolete. So, education doesn’t help you at all when you get to work.

“Every skill you acquire doubles your odds of success.” ~Scott Adams

To survive at work, you must develop skills. Learn as many skills as you can. Watch YouTube videos. Attend workshops. Learn a course on Udemy or Skillshare. Take as much time as you can to learn and polish your skills.

2. Every failure makes you strong

People fear failure. Yet failure brings growth.

When you start working, every day you’ll face problems, and when you try to solve these problems, you might fail a lot.

“It is impossible to live without failing at something unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all, in which case you have failed by default.” ~J.K. Rowling

You must understand failure means the strategy you applied didn’t work. Now, try another strategy. Fail again. You’ve learned that two approaches are not working. You need to figure out ONE right strategy to succeed. And until you find it, keep trying.

Treat every failure as an opportunity to learn.

3. Do what you can with whatever you have

In life, you don’t get everything. There is no guide map. It would help if you paved your way to success with whatever tools.

Life isn’t fair. The earlier you realize it, the better it is to navigate life. You won’t be given cards of your choice. You have limited resources, limited technology, and may be limited skills. But what you can do is utilize the most of whatever is given to you.

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” ~Arthur Ashe

Learn to navigate life with whatever cards have. As you age, you learn how to deal with things/people. Treat every day as a learning opportunity. Try to find good in everything that happens to you.

4. Praise people for their effort

My managers were demanding. They rarely praised people. But there was this department whose manager praised their employees even for their efforts, regardless of the outcome. I always loved the man, and to date, we’re good friends.

People are hungry for appreciation. Don’t disappoint them.

“Praise works best at the start, before the miracle, before the breakthrough, before the restoration.” ~Brian Houston

Everyone has their weakness and strengths. You don’t know what demons the person in front of you is dealing with while masking a smile on their face.

Don’t wait for miracles to praise people. Praise the effort of people around you. Some kind words can uplift people phenomenally.

5. Be grateful

One of the most amazing habits I acquired from the company and its people was gratitude. Before, I was always worried about things and the people around me. But at the company, the higher management was always grateful, resulting in more work and money.

“When we focus on our gratitude, the tide of disappointment goes out and the tide of love rushes in.” ~ Kristin Armstrong

I added this habit to my personal life, which changed how I live today. From opening my eyes to retiring to bed at night, I began counting the little moments that make life beautiful. From a healthy body to my skillset and even the people I work with. I was able to see ings from a different perspective. A clear lens helped me see the beauty even in chaos.

6. Teamwork matters

I had one skill with which I could perform specific duties. But when I started working in a team, we could finish things in half the time. That’s the power of teamwork.

“Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.” ~Michael Jordan

Whether it’s your personal or professional work, try to work in teams. Collaborate. Invent. Engage. Have fun. That is what teams are supposed to do.

7. Learning to negotiate

Almost every month, I sat with HR to negotiate terms and issues. Only a few of the terms were met, or requests were heard. But during the whole process, I learned how to deal with people. From observing their facial expressions to the tonality of their voice. I was able to predict what HR would say.

“The worst thing you can say is ‘I want $X for this job,’ leaving no opening for negotiation by the other side. Better language is ‘I hope to earn between $X and $X.’ That gives the other party more flexibility.” ~Bill Coleman

You live in a world where everything needs to be negotiated. One of the best books I recommend is?Never Split the Difference ?by Chris Voss — a former FBI negotiation specialist.

8. Responding instead of reacting

In normal circumstances, when something happens, we react to it instantly. But during my one-year internship, I learned how to respond to things instead of reacting.

For instance, when a colleague uses abusive words, you can quickly reply with the same tone. Instead, could you think of what outcome you are willing to create? If you want to create a hostile atmosphere, then go ahead and reply with an abusive word, but if you want to end on a good note or ignore the conversation, you will think about your response and deliver it.

“Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond to it.” ~Lou Holtz

In life, you’ll face similar instances where you feel eager to respond, but instead, move back a little bit and think about how you want it to end. With clarity, your response will change.

Closing note

Life is not easy, but with the right mindset, you can achieve the impossible. Begin each day with gratitude. Work smart towards the things that you love the most. Spend time with family. Take time out for yourself. And have faith in GOD. Whatever happens, happens for a reason, even when you’re not able to comprehend the reason behind it.