Recently, one of the executives I coach arrived at my office late for our monthly coaching session. This was uncharacteristic, and I could tell at a glance that something was going on with her. She apologized for her tardiness but said there was a good reason for it—a reason that left her unburdened and very relieved.
You see, she had just resigned from a civic group committee that she had been working on for a while. She said that the committee chairperson had been calling on her quite frequently for various things. She said the pressure just kept getting bigger and bigger, and she finally had had enough. She realized that she no longer was finding any kind of joy or fulfillment from being involved. In fact, she said she wasn’t even all that interested in the organization’s purpose anymore.
She initially had gotten involved when a friend nominated her for the organization, and she did very little thinking about the group’s purpose. She thought it was her corporate responsibility to serve and figured it would be good for the company. And she respected the person who had nominated her. However, all of that was not enough as she felt increasing pressure to work on something she wasn’t truly interested in pursuing.
I see lots of people stuck spending time and energy on things that, in the end, really don’t matter much to them. In many cases, these people are overcommitting themselves in general. It’s bad enough to get involved with things that you don’t really care about; it’s even worse when your resources and free time are stretched to make room in your life for something you don’t enjoy.
I’ve discovered that when you don’t have much interest in something, you begin to resent the time and effort you have to put forth. It’s hard to sustain this kind of involvement—especially when it gets tough or more demanding. Perhaps the most damaging thing of all is that you are not being true to yourself.
Think for a moment. Is there an organization or a civic club or church, sports or social commitments you’re involved in that bring you little joy, satisfaction or fulfillment?
If you answer “yes” (or even a thoughtful “maybe”), then consider an exit strategy. I’ve always coached that it’s better to be actively involved in one or two things that you’re passionate about than to be passively involved in four or five (or even more) things for which you have little interest.
People get noticed when they’re truly committed to something—when they care enough to do a great job. They become invisible when they rarely show up or don’t contribute when they do.
Focus on the things that you’re passionate about. Spend your time and talents there, and I’ll guarantee you’ll do what you do better.
Recent Comments