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My job is to write words that inspire and educate. Words that light a spark of inspiration or illuminate a new viewpoint.
My job isn’t to respond to emails within minutes of receiving them.
My job is to have ideas about how to uncover new understanding of the world. My job is to take those ideas and guide them through the gauntlet of good scientific research.
My job isn’t to make sure my Twitter feed stays refreshed and read.
My job is to coach people as they work through difficulties and come to realizations about what they can do. My job is to ask questions that make my clients think about their situation in new ways and come to a new understanding.
My job isn’t to read every new article published by every website I find interesting.
If I’m doing my job right I should feel uncomfortable. Good work is done at the boundaries of ability and inability. If I’m not pushing myself to the edge of my capabilities then I’m probably doing what hundreds, thousands, even millions of people have already done.
If I’m not doing my job right I feel insulated and sluggish. I feel like I’m walking the path that has been tread before. I feel like I’m sitting in a bubble of neither comfort nor discomfort.
Sometimes I have to remind myself what my job actually is because the world is not interested in arranging itself to make my work easier to do. The easy choice is rarely the right choice. I have to structure my thoughts and behaviors to continually chip away at the block of stone that looks like nothing more than a misshapen lump right now — but is slowly transforming into the masterpiece (which is never actually finished) I have in my mind.
What is your job today?
And, perhaps more importantly, what isn't your job today?
Top image from Imgembed.
This is a cross-post from Sam Spurlin.
Sam Spurlin is a PhD student and personal coach fascinated with the nature of work. He writes about positive psychology, personal development, and conscious living at SamSpurlin.com.