Category: Top » Career

Retirement? What for?

Tags: Craig Nathanson, The Vocational Coach, Mid lIfe, baby boomers

Is your work coherent with your life?

This is a question rarely asked before 40, but it’s so important after 40.
Most of our work lives have been about accepting the views of others and working to the plans of others. We had jobs and we were expected to meet the requirements of our jobs. While this is a good and important ego building and development part of life before 40, after 40, it destroys the soul.

What does work coherence mean?

Does your work make sense to you? Is your work an end in itself or is it just an activity to please someone else or to make money?
After 40, it becomes necessary to make our work self-directed, and it has to fit our own values. The opposite of this ideal is directed work in which we have little choice when it comes to what we work on, and how we work.

Organizations are mandated by law to maximize shareholder profit. This competes with the needs of the individual, who first and foremost, wants to maximize work happiness and meaning. Organizations are often confused about this, assuming that if everyone makes money, then everyone is happy. This thinking can be traced back to turn of the century management practices (and many HR practices), and they are in direct conflict with personal values such as independent work, creativity, and joy for workers.
Motivation vs. Meaning

Research into organizational life has been focused on how people can be motivated to work. Sadly, this has left little room for ideas about helping workers find meaning in their work — and these two ideas are very different.
You might, for example, be motivated by the promise of more money for a task well done — but in our current system, this becomes the major focus, while finding meaning in what we do takes a back seat.
After 40: Meaning craves attention and respect

While organizations focus on a person’s competence to do a job, it is more important after 40 to understand whether a person has the capacity to enjoy his or her job. Society’s view of success is often biased towards the material: accomplishments, awards, and money.
In over-40s who don’t enjoy their work, however, deeply hidden is a person desperate for the key out of their job prison.
How can over-40s recreate a richer sense of work and life?

The Buddha said, вЂ

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<h1>Retirement? What for?</h1><br />by craig<br />Is your work coherent with your life?<br /><br />This is a question rarely asked before 40, but it’s so important after 40.<br />Most of our work lives have been about accepting the views of others and working to the plans of others. We had jobs and we were expected to meet the requirements of our jobs. While this is a good and important ego building and development part of life before 40, after 40, it destroys the soul.<br /><br />What does work coherence mean?<br /><br />Does your work make sense to you? Is your work an end in itself or is it just an activity to please someone else or to make money?<br />After 40, it becomes necessary to make our work self-directed, and it has to fit our own values. The opposite of this ideal is directed work in which we have little choice when it comes to what we work on, and how we work.<br /><br />Organizations are mandated by law to maximize shareholder profit. This competes with the needs of the individual, who first and foremost, wants to maximize work happiness and meaning. Organizations are often confused about this, assuming that if everyone makes money, then everyone is happy. This thinking can be traced back to turn of the century management practices (and many HR practices), and they are in direct conflict with personal values such as independent work, creativity, and joy for workers.<br />Motivation vs. Meaning<br /><br />Research into organizational life has been focused on how people can be motivated to work. Sadly, this has left little room for ideas about helping workers find meaning in their work — and these two ideas are very different.<br />You might, for example, be motivated by the promise of more money for a task well done — but in our current system, this becomes the major focus, while finding meaning in what we do takes a back seat.<br />After 40: Meaning craves attention and respect<br /><br />While organizations focus on a person’s competence to do a job, it is more important after 40 to understand whether a person has the capacity to enjoy his or her job. Society’s view of success is often biased towards the material: accomplishments, awards, and money.<br />In over-40s who don’t enjoy their work, however, deeply hidden is a person desperate for the key out of their job prison.<br />How can over-40s recreate a richer sense of work and life?<br /><br />The Buddha said, вЂ<br /><h2>About the Author</h2><p>Craig Nathanson is the author of P Is For Perfect: Your Perfect Vocational Day and a coaching expert who works with people over forty. Craig’s new E-book, Discover and live your passion 365 days a year is a workshop in a box designed to help busy adults go insane with their work. Craig’s systematic approach, the trademark "Ten P" process,’’ helps people break free and move toward the work they love. Visit Craig’s online community at <a href="http://www.thevocationalcoach.com" title="www.thevocationalcoach.com">http://www.thevocationalcoach.com</a> where you can take a class, get more ideas through Craig Nathanson’s books and CD’s, get some private coaching over the phone or read other stories of mid-life change and renewal.</p> <p>Craig lives in Fairfax, California. His office is located at 6 School Street, suite 220, Fairfax, Ca 94930. You can reach him at 415-457-0550 or at <a href="mailto:craig@thevocationalcoach.com">craig@thevocationalcoach.com</a>.</p> <br /><h3><a href="http://www.content4reprint.com/career/retirement-what-for.htm" title="Retirement? What for?">Article Source:</a> <a href="http://www.content4reprint.com" title="Free high quality articles">Content for Reprint</a></h3>