I recently did this for “career” specifically and I’d like to share it. It’s not well written but that’s not a problem. If I applied a critical lens I’d lose a lot. My next domain is friendships: What kind of friend do I want to be?
Anyone else care to share their equivalent for work? I find it does help me to hear how others phrase their values and understand meaning in their life.
I want my work to be important and the things I do on a daily basis to contribute to a goal. I want to work for a business that I respect and that is a positive contribution to society. I want work that is intellectually stimulating.
a. I want to work in an environment that rewards hard work and where there is room to grow, both personally and professionally. I would like to work in a job where continued education and learning pays off.
b I would like to work in a place that treats its employees fairly and like adults, values results, and doesn’t breathe down my neck.
I would like to work in a cooperative environment. I want to learn from my coworkers. I want to be respectful and professional when needed but share parts of my life with my coworkers.
At work I would like to do my fair share as well as help others when they need it. I want to be reliable. I want to be willing to admit when I’ve made a mistake so accomplishing goals is the highest priority. I want to take pride in my work and work efficiently. I want work that is something that I am good at.
I’m on board but frame it differently.
Here’s my frame:
That twinge is something like anxiety. Consider this: for some the same task could be fun that for others is working. Why do you feel a twinge for a particular task? Because there’s something at stake. So there’s fear. And what’s funny is the task itself doesn’t even have to be the one you fear. It only has to be associatively related. For example, I might avoid the usually fun task of checking my e-mail because of a difficult one I keep putting off writing. (This is called Relational Frame Theory.) Or, put off an only slightly uncomfortable work task because it connects to a larger one that scares me.
“Reading internet articles” is avoidance.
There are many tricks. Fear is is a wall 1000 miles wide and a mile high, but only tissue paper thin. A la Harry Potter running through the brick wall to the train station.
The trouble can be even recognizing that you’re doing it—avoiding. Mindfulness & meditation have been helpful for me, but a lot of things can do it. Beating yourself up, making lists, and dopamine-fueled planning seem reasonable until they don’t work for the 1000th time.