Subject: Burn Out... or Not.
You are getting this e-mail because you subscribed to it on www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com. If you don't want to receive these e-mails any longer, go to the bottom of this message and click on "unsubscribe." Hey there Friend, Better to burn out than fade away... - Def LeppardHow do you recharge when you are feeling completely empty, drained of your energy? With most of us doing jobs we don't necessarily enjoy or are fulfilled in (have you sen the 2013 Gallup poll showing 70 percent of us are either "merely present" or actively disengaged?), it's more important today than ever before to look for and find something that gives you personal satisfaction. Most of us settle for a hobby that gives us some sense of fulfillment, but do we need to simply settle? I don't think so. I must confess. I'm in the "actively disengaged" category when it comes to the job I do. While I'm actually pretty good at the work (I'm a systems administrator/engineer), the job is merely something I have to endure every day so I can support the lifestyle my family has become accustomed to living. Sort of like a rat in a gilded cage... It wasn't always like this. There was a time when the work was engaging and I woke up with a feeling I was doing something that was at least helping someone accomplish a goal. I felt like what I was doing had potential to make things better for my employer, that my work was important. Unfortunately, after a while the work routine becomes stale and mundane when there is no active involvement with projects that can make a difference. We go into maintenance mode, having little energy to do more than the tasks that keep us in the middle... waking up, going to work, coming home and going to bed. For the majority of us, the work culture we're living in is broken. This intertwines with the current educational system. Growing up the things we're taught in school do very little to prepare us for real life. We get less and less exposure to broad areas of interest so we have no idea of the different vocational opportunities that are available to us. Music and art programs are being wiped out. School guidance counselors spend most of their time with children that are struggling rather than guiding kids to rewarding careers based on interests. While I don't want to get into a rant about it being a lack of selfless leadership and direction, I do think that if schools, companies, educators and managers spent more time focused on actively developing their people, and less time on throwing money, time and energy at tools, tricks, and policies, everyone would see their lives improve. Our culture doesn't encourage people to follow their dreams and interests, only to follow money. Get a career that will give you a steady paycheck, forget about doing that thing you love to do - it'll never pay. We hear it at home, we hear it at school, and we hear it at work. The problem with that line of thinking is the game has changed. It is a different world than it was twenty years ago. But the systems have not changed with the world. We are not bound by geography any more. We have the ability to connect with billions of people around the world. Why should we limit ourselves to doing something we merely tolerate when there are people all over the world that will gladly support us for our talents - the things we do that are unique and add value to peoples lives. We don't have to re-invent toothpaste or come up with some original idea. We can do things we enjoy doing and carve out a small niche that only we can supply. Because there are no two people alike, every person, with their unique abilities, can find like minded people to help out. Just like songwriting, taking two unoriginal thoughts and having them meet in a different environment is enough to create something completely original. Every chord progression imaginable has been played before, but match that up with a beat, or lyric or strum pattern and you have created something new. What To Do? If everyone did work they love, how would that change the world? Today, where many of us are finding that our lives are wasted by jobs that do nothing to better us or the world around us, it's important to first realize that our jobs are not who we are. Yeah, I know when we meet someone for the first time, we introduce ourselves as our profession - "I'm a systems administrator," or "I'm a manager." NOTE: If you already love what you do as a profession, congratulations! I know there are people that love being accountants, carpenters, postal workers and cooks. If that's you, I applaud you. You are doing something that gives you fulfillment, and that is more important than any other metric. If we all had found our niche as we were growing up, the world would see signification shifts in productivity and happiness. What if you told them "I'm a guitar player," or a chef or whatever it is that gives you joy? That's a lot more interesting than saying "I'm a manager," unless of course you are managing a band, or you truly love guiding and developing people (as opposed to herding them). Here's what I'm getting at. Creativity is stifled by jobs that sap off energy we could be using to do the things we enjoy and excel at. If the work you do is merely a job, you need to figure out the quickest way to change your direction. To actively combat burnout, you must get back to the things you enjoy doing most. It is probably something you enjoyed doing when you were young. You must give it time to take root and expand. You must actively develop the talents and skills you have so you can be proficient. The more enjoyment you gain from this activity, the easier it will be to transition to it as your life work. And there are ways you can support yourself with this work, even if you don't think there is a demand for the thing you enjoy doing. It might not be a large market, but trust me, there are other people out there that like the same things you do. I'm not just standing on a soapbox here. I am actively making changes in my life to exit "systems administration" and enter into music and writing as my life work. Admittedly, it has been a slow process, but I've never been accused of being overly aggressive. Peace~ Dave Dave "Eddie" Vance is a rock guitar enthusiast and gear nut. He has been playing guitar for over 30 years and enjoys tormenting the neighbors every chance he gets. When he's not slaving for the man, you can find him rocking out with his B.C. Rich Bich guitar, a cold beer and some sweet tunes. He also runs Learn-To-Play-Rock-Guitar.com, but you knew that already! Follow Learn To Play Rock Guitar:I welcome your feedback! Did you like today's message? What other topics would you like to see covered in my e-mails? Please let me know at: dave@learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com As always, please feel free to forward this email to a friend! I review products before recommending them. If you buy a product based on my recommendation, I will receive a commission. However, my emails also contain links that don’t require any investment on your part and are jam-packed with "juicy, guitar learnin' tastiness". We don't rent or share your name with anybody. Feel free to forward this issue to any friends you think would enjoy its contents. They will thank you. So will I.
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