2-3-4 Friday

‘Seeking to spark the most potential within you per word of any online newsletter’

1 thought

Ever felt like people were wasting your time?

You may be ambitious and driven, wanting to move change where you are.

But around you, you find people who aren’t equally motivated. They seem to be more interested in just getting home, and discussing the latest Netflix show, than talking to you about work, and what can be done to improve the lives of others.

You may be disappointed. But don’t be.

I was recently watching a podcast by Shane Melaugh, the founder of Thrive Themes, when he nailed it.

Sheeple. NPCs, or non-player characters.

You differentiate yourself from what is normal.

Basically you’re saying normal is bad.

You want to do great things, and these people are more interested in coasting and enjoying life as it is.

It doesn’t mean they are happier. You will probably find them griping about the boss, or the photocopier that broke down, or the bonus they didn’t get.

My encouragement?

It’s okay not to fit in. It’s okay to be driven and ambitious.

I may be wrong. But what I’ve observed over the 3 years in the social services is that if you’re driven, ambitious and want change, you’re not going to fit into the social services. As much as they’re about doing good and wanting change, your speed, drive and ambition will be seen as extremely deviant within the social services.

2 reasons.

The first is because social services are often run by charities, where resources are tight. There’s a deep mentality of ‘lack’ in charities. This results in risk aversion, to protect the limited resources they have.

Secondly, and most unfortunately, because charities pay badly, you may not find the best talent gravitating there. After all, why would the best play in a field where you’re paid poorly, and where, at least here in Singapore, it’s how long you’ve been there, rather than how good you are, that counts?

What can you do?

Find allies.

1 talk

In a world where the average person is not thriving, being a non-conformist is probably a good idea.

Shane Melaugh, the co-founder of Thrive Themes

1 tip

As harsh as this sounds, stop mixing with sheeple.

They will only keep you limited in your beliefs about what’s possible with life. You will find them preaching safety over success, fear over faith, and comfort, over challenge.

The scariest thing is that they will make it seem as if you’re the problem.

I’ve had nice sounding friends telling me when I quitted my job to start a business,

How long can you last?

How are you going to fund your retirement?

Sure, I may not know. But I know that the life where you’re hustling, pushing, fighting for the cause you want, how you want it, is much better than just bearing with a horrid boss, or that toxic colleague, or an organisation that’s not aligned to how you see change - just for that paycheck.

What kind of life do you want to live?

The kind where you collect a nice salary, that keeps you enslaved to your creature comforts, chained to your mortgage, coasting on the sofa in front of Netflix… or the one where you’re going through immense struggle, but knowing deep down that you’re producing deep change in the lives of others?

I’m not saying that a house, Netflix or salaries are not good. But I’m saying that there can be more to life than what we’ve come to expect. There is. There’s more to life than just waking up, going to work, coming home. Rinse and repeat.

There is a life where you are scared about the hairy situation you’re in. But you know that no matter how painful it is, you’re doing something you really want to do.

P.S. Want to think differently about a problem you're facing? Let’s chat (and no worries, there's no fee!)

John

Live Young, Live Well - Work Your Love