“Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people don’t recognize them” – Ann Landers
Recently I was at Kanchipuram, known for producing one of the best silk sarees in the nation. I got a chance to visit one of the weavers at his small scale industry and it was a unique experience. For the first time in my life I saw the entire process of work involved in weaving a saree and I couldn’t move past one little object in the weaver’s loom, it was the flying shuttle. I was mesmerised with the way it moved, as I kept watching it move there was this ever growing urge to catch it and I knew no one could catch it except for the weaver himself.
Job satisfaction is like a flying shuttle in a weaver’s loom, everyone has the urge to catch it but only a handful of skilled people can actually have it. I realized that, the more I looked at it the more tempting it was for me to stick my hand inside the loom and grab it, but it would only end in a catastrophe. The weaver explained that it’s not just proper training that will prepare a person; it is the belief in oneself, being the initiator, and the full participation of one’s heart, mind, and soul that will prepare an individual to catch it.
- Skilful At Your Work: How well do you know your theories? Technicalities? Systems? And your work environment? The only way you can be skilful is by knowing your stuff. The more you know, the better you work. As an individual you cannot afford to stagnate with the same old set of skills, you have to update your skill set. This is the first step to job satisfaction. If your management isn’t satisfied with you, you will never be satisfied with the job you do.
- Believe In Yourself: Your knowledge and your qualification will never make sense if you don’t believe in yourself. Believing in yourself will propel your career in unimaginable ways. Your belief in yourself is the key to unlock those opportunities to move up the ladder. Unbelief will not only weigh you down but the management too and what weighs down the management will be discorded. Know the truth that you are your greatest enemy most of the times.
- Be The Initiator: If the weaver had forced me to go for the flying shuttle I would have simply disregarded it. Nothing forced is ever enjoyed or appreciated. Only because the feeling was innate and was self-initiated I was so curious and wanted the flying shuttle at any cost. Be the initiator at your work place, when you initiate a new task, new project, new methods, new strategies and whatsoever you will possess the sense of ownership and owning something will make you give your best and never give up at it.
- Holistic Participation: Most of the individuals are lost at workplace, letting the mind and heart wander off to the virtual world. Bringing in one’s heart, mind, and soul into the work you do will make you an efficient, passionate and unmatched at your workplace. The output may be similar, but your presentation and performance will definitely be unique and above par and that’s exactly what your management is looking for. Remember your management will treasure you at the notice of your holistic participation.
- Magnet of Opportunities: Even when I was there with the weaver, he never ceased to supervise or work. In the course of orienting me about the weaving process he came up with a new design, posted it on a retailer’s platform and got new orders for that design. Ann Landers rightly said that ‘Opportunities are disguised as hard work’; your hard work will open up flood gates of opportunities. You just have to be vigilant and grab those opportunities that come your way. A combination of your hard work, skills, self-belief and self-initiation will make you a magnet of opportunities.
Every silk saree is unique and has a personal touch to it, and the above mentioned vitalities are the reason behind it. When your work is like a silk saree, valued, honoured and desired for, you will experience a sense of satisfaction like never before. Job satisfaction can never be expected from external sources because it is cultivated and