Winning at work, wealth and well-being in a wonderful world

After a speaking engagement, a man approached me. I recognised him instantly because he had to stand when the MC called his name as one of the guests in the audience. He told me he has been working but not realising much value from his work. 

To solve that problem, he had taken one certificate program after another, but the challenge persisted.

Akua broke down at the end of the team retreat in the presence of all her colleagues. She believed she had worked hard to gain the credentials required to practice in her profession.

She has studied for a second degree from a great university. “I have been working hard every day but still not making much progress”, was what she could mumble amid her tears.

Many professionals are not realising the full benefits they expect from work. Everybody wants their work to be meaningful, earn a decent wealth they can live on comfortably from their labour, and have a better well-being.

Unfortunately, some work in high-paying jobs they do not find meaningful and are stressed.

Some enjoy their work but are not earning enough to make them live the life they would love to live.

Others have great jobs and the income to go with it, but they are suffering from burnout and mental health challenges. They wish they could slow down but cannot.

Achieving wealth and well-being while engaged in meaningful work is becoming increasingly difficult.

The world of work is changing very rapidly. An individual sitting in the comfort of her bedroom room reaches the world using several productivity tools that cost almost nothing.

At the sametime, many workers strive to achieve very high targets set by bosses they would not like tospend their weekends with.

Unfortunately, they spend more than 8 hours every day of theweek in working environments that produce stress. Integration of global markets has brought untold pain and opportunities alike.

Income inequality is widening 

A recent report by the Ghana Statistical Service indicates that 7.3 million people (1 out of 4 persons living in Ghana) “live in poor conditions with limited access to education,  health and employment opportunities”.

The rising cost of living has caused stress in low-income economies to increase. Only a few individuals are engaged in meaningful jobs that give them the wealth they love and support their well-being.

What have these individuals figured out that others have not?How can hard-working professionals thrive in such challenging circumstances?

There is every reason to pivot and adapt quickly in our ever-changing world. Slowly adapting can lead to the boiled frog syndrome.

The boiled frog syndrome is a scenario where a frog adjusts to the increasing temperature of the water in the pond until it dies. We must adapt in radical ways to avoid the boiling frog syndrome.

I share three practices and perspectives professionals can adopt to thrive in their work, wealth and well-being.

Become restless

The Bible tells the story of Esau, who sold his birth-right to his younger brother Jacob. Their father, Isaac, was about to die and had to pass on the family blessing to his oldest son.

We know Jacob got the blessing. Isaac began to tremble when he realised he had blessed a different person because his sight was weak.

Esau wept and asked to be blessed also. The only blessing Isaac could give Esau were the following words, “And you shall serve your brother and it shall come to pass when you become restless, that you shall break the yoke”.

Several years later, when the Bible gave an account of the meeting between the two brothers, it was clear that Esau had broken the yoke. He was happy and wealthy.

You must be ready to wrestle and remain restless until you are engaged in meaningful work that offers you the wealth you require to live your best life and with greater well-being. Don’t settle for the status quo. Blaming the system won’t help (though it has its faults).

Crying and or begging won’t help either. Words of encouragement will evaporate at the end of the day, and you will need more encouragement. Instead, wipe your tears quickly, devise a plan and take action. Never settle.

Adopt a CEO mindset

The world is different now. Each individual goes to the marketplace as a company with a brand and sets of skills on offer. Everyone is a consultant to the organisation they work for. While some are on permanent contracts, others are on short-term contracts.

Hence, you are in charge of your business whether you have a boss or not. Your boss in the office is the agent appointed by your client (the company you work for) to supervise your work. Hence, you are the CEO of your unique portfolio of skills and abilities God has blessed you with.

Take charge of your business as a CEO would 

Actively define your mission and set priorities, constantly evaluate your assets and risks to your portfolio, manage your income and expenses, and invest in keeping your skills relevant and in high demand.

One important asset you have is your time, and as a CEO, you must allocate this resource appropriately and ensure value for money whenever you deploy your time.

Engage in learning

Attaining additional degrees does not automatically change your prospects if the degree isnot an industry or professional requirement for certification, allowing you to work in the industry.

What counts is the skills and competencies that one develops and can be used to create value in the marketplace. Attaining these skills demands learning.

And learning a particular skill means admitting to incompetence now. This situation is difficult for many to accept. Learning is daunting but essential. Learning is doing, and sometimes failing – and it is ok.

Treat every action as an experiment on your path to mastery. Remember, like a tortoise, you can only move forward when you stick your neck out. Do not wait to be perfect before you start.

Start, fail and learn on your way to mastery.Let us stay restless, take charge, and never stop learning.

Together, we can thrive in this magnificent world, enjoying our work, wealth and well-being.