Remember when you first heard the phrase “climb every mountain”? My school teachers used it to teach us that every opportunity was worth exploring and that every obstacle or challenge was worth confronting. Excuse me, teacher, but these days, there just isn’t enough time to climb every mountain, so we need to be very careful about choosing the activities that we want to invest in.
“Climb every mountain” conditioned us to jump through any hoop to reach our goal; that it was our duty, and that if you didn’t, you were a bit of a loser. As youngsters, we threw ourselves at ‘A’ level maths, waiting tables, even tutoring—never mind that it had nothing to do with our still-hazy goals—just to satisfy ourselves that we tried whatever came our way.
In the process, we learned that some mountains are tough but worth it, some fun but pointless and others simply a dismal waste of time—like the time I went from door to door selling encyclopedias when Day One convinced me that I was no salesperson.
Although there are valuable lessons to be learned from exposing yourself to variety, the opportunity cost may be too high in that you could be doing work that could prove far more important to your future happiness.
Adults I know who are old enough to ponder retirement look at their receding career with some disappointment. The cowpats of regret: the opportunities they missed, the chances they didn’t take, in short, all the mountains they didn’t climb. Failed, more often by unrealistic goals or unfeasible career plans than by lack of effort, it is easy to feel disillusioned, “less than” everything you could have become. Being optimistic and dreaming big is one thing, but reaching beyond what is rationally possible, within your financial means and within sensible time frames is a good recipe for making yourself miserable.
Important questions
If you are getting confused about where you are headed, or beginning to feel disappointed with your life, you may need to step back and regroup. You may be climbing the wrong mountains.
What if someone, very early in your life, taught you not to climb every mountain but to choose the ones that might deliver the greatest rewards? What if teacher had said “choose your mountain”? And taught you how to single out the type of rewards that were worth striving for instead of wasting time chasing after cheap prizes that don’t bring lasting satisfaction or fulfillment?
Ask yourself some important questions such as: Have I set my goals too high? Nothing wrong with having high aspirations but consider what you might have to sacrifice. Can you realistically achieve these goals without harming your health, finances or spiritual self? What Worklife coaches call the Wheel of Success is made up of spokes representing the following: Finance, Career, Leisure, Family, Spirituality (or Religion), Community, Continuous Education, and Others. Think carefully about how these parts of your life are faring under your current career plan, and what you can do to accord more—or less—importance to one or another.
For example, you may be spending too much time on making money and not enough on building a career, or too much money on your career and not enough on your family. Working mums are especially conflicted about dividing their attention between work and home. Ensuring that all the different areas of your life communicate harmoniously is one of life’s most satisfying achievements.
Have you set interim goals that will bring you satisfaction when you reach them? Some people are prepared to delay their gratification, preferring to wait till the “end” for their reward. While they may be prepared to settle for so-so jobs or work with the Homer Simpsons of the world while they wait, remember that life without it’s daily component of satisfaction or happiness—if not from the work itself than at least from workmates—can be emotionally draining.
Don’t wait to enjoy
You don’t have to wait to enjoy your life—do things that you can enjoy now, especially your job, and let that satisfaction and feeling of well-being drive you towards greater achievements. Being a miserable arse in the office will not get you that promotion. Give yourself little rewards and celebrate all your victories so that the career journey seems worthwhile, and not just another mountain to climb.
Do I have a social life? Do I have a support system? Even people in relationships have trouble with this one. A support system does not have to revolve around a significant other (husband, wife, or partner). While it helps to have a partner to share and believe in your dreams, you do still need a wider circle of friends you can rely on to sound off on the things you may not want to worry your partner with. They are also there to have fun with so start networking and form your own life support system—you’ll need it!
Do I have a hobby that I thoroughly enjoy? No matter now old we are, we still need to play. Hobbies keep our minds sharp and our hearts youthful, so whether it’s golf or wines or stamp collecting, feed your interests and share them. They will be welcome distractions from the stresses of work so don’t give up on them.
You don’t have to climb the mountains you don’t want to, or have to. There are two ways of going about it: you could be pragmatic and tread your career path carefully and smoothly, or you could rush around grasping greedily at everything, and not getting anywhere in the end.
