“The world will never be happy until all men have the souls of artists – I mean when they take pleasure in their jobs.” ~ August Rodin
Depending on the source, statistics indicate that somewhere between 50% and 80% of Americans hate their jobs for one of the following reasons:
- They hate where they are doing it
- They hate what they are doing
- They hate who they are doing it with
Do you fit into one or more of these categories or do you know someone who does?
I recently read a book called “A Whole New Mind: Why Right Brainers Will Rule the Future” by Daniel Pink who also wrote “Free Agent Nation”. I highly recommend either of these books, especially if you find yourself in one of the following spots:
- In a Career Transition
- Currently employed but looking for ways to take your career to the next level
- An employee who is considering becoming a part-time or full time entrepreneur
There’s a story in “A Whole New Mind” about a former Hallmark employee who used to visit schools and talk about design and creativity. He asked students who were artists to raise their hands. In kindergarten, all the students raised their hands. By sixth grade, none of the students raised their hands, afraid that showing their inner artist would label them as being not cool or weird.
If you were to be asked that question, would you raise your hand? My guess is that many of you would not.
Once upon a time I wouldn’t have raised my hand either. I can raise it now because I’ve learned that right-brain thinking (the part of your brain that’s associated with being creative or artistic) doesn’t necessarily mean pulling out a paint brush or a camera. Your “inner artist” can be called upon to assist you in creatively doing things you do every day.
What Does Right-Brain Thinking Have to Do With Designing Escaping the Rat Race?
“Business people don’t need to understand designers better. They need to BE designers.” -Roger Martin, Dean, Rotman School of Management
If you think of yourself as not being creative or artistic, then the quote above may seem scary. The following attributes of right-brain thinking described by Daniel Pink may help you see that you are already creative in ways you may not have considered:
- Inventiveness
- Empathy
- Joyfulness
- Big-Picture Thinking
- Spontaneity
As you look at this list, which of these attributes do you already apply to your career or business? Which ones could you add? If you think your work or your business is poorly designed and if you could re-design it, what would you change? What stands between you and creating a beautifully designed career or business that helps you escape the rat race to fulfill your inner artist?
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What would it be like to escape the rat race and remodel your life and career YOUR way? Learn more about creating a Fresh Start by calling Coach Sue at 949-212-4345 to schedule your complimentary “Get Acquainted” coaching session.