How many people are stuck in jobs that they hate?

This is an era of doing.

I was stuck for years with a job I didn’t like. I own a restaurant, and it’s a great business that gave me lots of financial freedom, but where’s the internal satisfaction?

It led me to burnout from all the stress. It’s a stressful job by definition, but the worst part is the added stress when your legs cut off knowing you’ve got to get up and go to work you absolutely hate.

“Tomorrow is going to be better; tomorrow I’ll make myself do more; It will get better,” I kept saying to myself. No, it’s not going to, unless you decide it’s time for a change.

When it comes to productivity, most of the problems and obstacles are mental.

Working for a living takes up a big part of our life, and eventually, we become what we do. Our daily actions become our habits, and they shape our identity.

While working a job I didn’t like, I didn’t even like what I was becoming, so I made a change.

I decided I’m switching careers — from the business I don’t like in the restaurant industry, to the digital in the IT, which I’ve always loved and worked on the side.

I don’t have problems with getting up, finding inspiration and working the whole day without even noticing how focused I am.

Being happy with yourself and what you do is an overall productivity and mood booster. When you enjoy your job, you’re more likely to be productive, optimistic, motivated, learn faster and make better business decisions.

Apparently, there are parts that I don’t enjoy even here, but it’s very minor compared to the positives, and nobody really expects from me to be buzzed about my job all the time, and that’s fine.

It gets easier to reach that ‘state of flow,’ where you’re entirely focused, absorbed and creative, having more ideas than you can handle.

The term ‘flow’ was first introduced by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, a Hungarian-American psychologist and co-founder of Positive Psychology.

It was presented as an essential contributor to creativity and well-being. He also says that people who do things for their own sake rather than chasing some distant external goals tend to experience more flow.

When you’re stuck with something you don’t like doing, and not just in business, you can’t give the best of you. You are not reaching the fullest potential, confidence starts lacking, and that leads to second-guessing everything and becoming inefficient.

A positive mindset will help overcome any obstacles when working, leading to a much enjoyable and quality work that elevates you and brings you that much closer to the next goal.

Don’t forget that reward for great work is more work, and the mindset you choose will define you and your career.

It’s on all of us to make what we do something we’re proud of and happy with.