Forget orange! Happiness is the new black...
John Lechner
Nurturing healthy and happy workplaces through nature | Office Art - Sydney, Newcastle, Melbourne, Brisbane
Every week there is a new trend, something you should do to reach optimal life, something to acquire to keep up with the trends but you know what. Most of that is complete bullshit!
We spend far too much of our lives chasing meaningless goals, spending tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars on stuff, a bigger house, a faster car, the shiny new iPhone.
The reality is that this is NOT the way to find happiness, to live a better life.
Recently I was listening to my favourite podcast - Conversations with Richard Fidler from Australia's ABC. Each weekday Richard has a real conversation with one person for about 55 mins. I love it.
But this recent episode was with Lisa-Ann Gershwin and Lisa-Ann said one of the most profound things I have ever heard. When referring to getting a job and an education, people that love us tend to point us in the direction of the safe, usually boring and sometimes soul destroying options.
Lisa-Ann stopped me in my tracks with this:
"What they don't tell you is that if you love it so much that it's like air or water, like you need it for your mental health, you need it.
And
You don't need a job that pays really well because you only need all that money to buy things to entertain you because you don't like your job.
If you like your job you don't have to have all those other things to entertain you because you are way too interested in what you're doing."
Lisa-Ann Gershwin - ABC Conversations
Sadly too few people enjoy their jobs. And this doesn't mean you need to quit a career and change to something completely different. Unless that is what you need.
But perhaps it means finding a new workplace or employer, one that understands that your happiness, you wellbeing is front and centre in the culture of the organisation from the CEO down.
Great organisations focus on their people as the most important asset in their business.
If you work in a business with a toxic culture, I only have one piece of advice, leave, find a new job quickly. Life is short.
If you own or run a business with a bad culture then you need to start making changes today. You are on a path to destruction that is bad for you, your team and your customers.
If you want help, I can help you begin the change and point you in the direction of some great people that can help you make the changes you need to. Start today by getting in touch and booking a one to one consultation - we call it the Profitable and Productive Office Review.
John Lechner