Are you passionate about your job? Do you get excited every morning about going to work? No matter what you do for a living there are a few simple things you can do to work with passion and have fun at work.
When I was a small kid, I would watch my stepdad go to work everyday and come home exhausted. He'd walk in the door and have nothing left, no happiness nor joy.
Every day, he had to wake up in the morning to fight through traffic jams and get to the office.There, he had to take on everyone's problems, and absorb all of the stress.
I remember thinking, 'will this be my life too?' Going to school every day was already a chore! Will adult life be even worse?
There was a moment in my life when I decided that no, my life would not be a chore.That no matter what I was doing, I would make it fun.The decision was simple.
I said to myself "Right, today I'm not going to 'work,' I'm going to play." I went to university, and felt like I was playing all day.When I opened my text books, when I talked to my professors, I was playing. Learning was a game, not a chore. Suddenly, everything was much easier, all because of this change in attitude.
My first job was an independent job because I opened my own company. I also decided that I would be playing. I didn't wake up every day at 6 a.m. because most of my clients were coaching clients, so I didn't need to. I could wake up at 9 a.m. and I still had time for my first clients. It took me a while though to really stop thinking about my work from a position of a 'duty' and 'earning a living' and find a system for myself to reconnect with my passion in daily activities.
So how do you apply this to your work?
Secret 1: Have the right mindset.
When I was thinking from the mindset of playing, it took away all the hardship of working.When you go to play, you take on the mindset of a freshman, or a child. You are open, you are spontaneous, you are creative. Ask yourself:
How are you going to play instead of going to work?
How would this change your life if you did?
How will it feel, when from now on you treat everyday like a game? When you start to work, you also start to play.
Secret 2: Rename the duties you dislike.
There are always going to be things that aren't fun, like paying the bills or dealing with your crazy neighbors.Changing mindset here can make it more fun too.Instead of 'doing the accounts' or 'paying the bills' call it something fun like 'feeding the monkeys.' This will help you keep the playing attitude no matter what you do.Your colleagues will see the new passion you find in what you do, and your new attitude will catch on.
Secret 3: Change your attitude.
For those duties that are still not fun, you can also have the attitude that you're just preparing to play.When children play, sometimes they have to carry something very heavy or they have to go up the hill to be able to slide down. Even if one particular task is not fun, it's within the context of playing and the fun will follow.
It's true that not everything is fun, but it can lead to it.
Secret 4: Stay connected with yourself and what you do
I believe that what you do and who you are is interconnected. When you are working, you are putting your heart and your soul in your work.
If you feel that you have to disconnect from your work, it means there's something about your legacy, about your vision and mission that is not connected with yourself.
You are not going to be satisfied with the results of your work when you are disconnected. You can not disconnect yourself from different areas of your life, because everything is one. Treat everything as a whole.This includes what you eat, who you hang out with, and how you are with your family at home.
You're a grown up now, but this doesn't mean you can't have fun and love your life.When you wake up in the morning, it's you who decides how you will approach your day. Choose to approach it with this attitude of play, and you will work with passion.
Playing everyday is a wonderful life, and soon you'll be as happy as my little son Thomas!
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.