How to Enjoy Work: The Importance of Living with a Sense of Ownership

This may be sudden, but “Do you enjoy your work?”

There is a book with that title, but I often think it is very important to view work as something to be enjoyed rather than something you 'have to do' or are 'being made to do,' and to approach it with a smile.

I woke up at 5 o'clock again today, and various ideas came to mind. I thought I would sleep a little longer because I was sleepy, but I was dozing off and waking up past 6 o'clock because my head was overflowing with ideas. It feels like the day before a school festival. Every day is like this, and I work to turn the ideas I want to pursue into reality.

Even if you are dissatisfied with your current job, it is a waste to just feel like you are being forced to do it. If you are going to do it anyway, you want to turn it into positive energy, right?

Taking ownership of your work is, I believe, more important for enjoying life than just achieving results.

People who just do their work within the company

When I hear the phrase, “It’s work, so it can’t be helped,” it makes me feel a little sad.

Is it really something that can't be helped?

Work that is just about dully completing assigned tasks.
I don't have that mindset, so I end up wanting to devise and arrange things myself.

What was work, in the first place?

I view it as
being useful = work
—being of service to someone.

Instead of doing it because you were told to,

who are you being useful to? When I think about that, I can't help but grin.

Are you limiting yourself with the curse of role division?

Role division has its pros and cons.
It is a division of labor system that has dramatically improved productivity since the modern Industrial Revolution, but it is not very interesting to be too bound by roles.

I think it is more natural to fill in the gaps a little, and even stick your nose into the work of the person next to you, perhaps being a bit meddlesome.
It feels more natural when helping each other and cooperating is taken for granted.

Without being bound by role division, expand your own scope.
I think that is where the joy of work lies.

People who utilize the company environment to realize what they want to do

The advantage of working at a company is being able to utilize the company's resources.
Things you cannot do alone can be done if many people get involved!

Companies have abundant resources such as people, goods, money, and information.
When you become a sole proprietor, you have to gather all of these things yourself, but while you are at a company, you can use them quite easily.

Even those who say they don't have that kind of authority can easily utilize them just by asking or setting things in motion.

When I was working in marketing at my company, if I thought, 'I'd like to visit this client and exchange ideas about new concepts,' I would ask the sales team to set up an appointment and accompany me. I could never have secured an appointment on my own, and I would have been nervous just at the reception desk.

There are things you can do within a company that you cannot do alone. It is a privileged environment in that sense.

Focus on what you can do, rather than what you cannot.

When you are in a company, I think you tend to worry about what you cannot do.
'Because that person says so'
'Because I don't have the authority'

If you have time to say things like that,
try focusing on what you can do!

There is a future beyond what you can do
If you keep doing what you can, the future will definitely get better.
I have that conviction.

You can think, 'Things that are difficult alone might be possible with these members!'

The biggest advantage of being in a company is meeting amazing people.
There are many people who have strengths that I do not.
Even in a small company, this is definitely true.

If three people gather, you are invincible!

There is a proverb that says, 'Three heads are better than one,' and I truly believe that.

What is important here is whether the three people areseriousabout it.

A team of three people who have seriously joined forces is truly invincible!!!

I feel like I can do anything with these members.
It would be great if you could form a team like that!

It will work out! I will make it work!

If you have companions, it will work out!

I will make it work for the sake of these members!
This is, I think,taking ownershipand fulfilling one's role, or perhapsthe true division of roles.

That is what I thought.

Rather than feeling forced,
take ownership,

Since you are working, why not enjoy it?

This article was written by
Shigeki Kawahara, a 'Future Realization Partner' who helps increase revenue streams
https://mousoubiz.com/
https://twitter.com/mousoubiz