“She looks good
But her boyfriend says she’s a mess
She’s a mess
She’s a mess
Now the girl is stressed.”— Lady GaGa, “Dance in the Dark”
I had a weird thought today. Like, what if you’re really NOT supposed to be miserable … and that I’ve wasted my entire adult life so far?
We know I like what I do and all the FABULOUS people there blah blah blah CYA-cakes. LOL. But really, I know violent unhappiness. I know disgust and the near-inability to show even so much as tolerance.
I’ve never known indifference. But my absence of visceral hatred occurred to me recently. It ain’t happiness but I think it’s the closest I’ve come to it. Anyway, let’s hope it lasts.
I was thinking, I wish they’d pay me my vacation time. I’d go buy a car with it. Or move. Or something. Pay someone to take care of Mom, anyway. Instead of worrying that I’m going to lose that time, lose that money, lose everything that was probably promised to me to compensate for other things I deserve that I’m not getting.
On the other hand, I wonder if 21 days away wouldn’t be the big fat dose of magic that would help me to transform my department, my career, even my life even outside of the ranch.
I read somewhere today that you have to motivate all your staff differently. Some want money. Some want status. Some want praise. Some want more work. Some want work/life balance. So we should cater to each individual.
But … what do you do for the one who wants it all … and who is running out of steam working for it?