Work Hard, Get Experience, Leave

I had an epiphany at work yesterday.

It is probably no secret to those who know me that I am unhappy with my current position.  It is arguable whether or not I am unhappy with my line of work as well:  there are days when I can actually look and say that I am making a contribution to the greater good.  However, there are reasons which lead to believe that in terms of personal and professional growth, I have reached my limit.

The problem, of course, is finding another position. 

Part of that problem, of course, is experience.   With so many people in the market with experience it is becoming harder and harder to gain employment.  As a result of it being an employer's market, the list of skills and experience one needs to have is becoming greater and greater.  There are combinations which 10 years ago would have been unrelated which are now actively sought as requirements.

In other words, it comes  down to experience.  And thus my ephiphany.

There are days when I am completely unmotivated at work.  Days where I feel my effort is wasted and ignored.  Days when I try to find the motivation - and cannot.  But the experience is valuable to my future - everything I do, every task I complete, every experience I gather is something I can use towards a higher position and greater responsibility.

My ephiphany?

Work Hard.
Get Experience.
Leave.

If one only relies on motivation from the current job, one will inevitably fall short of accomplishing all that one can there.  Efforts will be ignored, thanks not given.  However, if one can find in the tasks the promise of taking the experiences somewhere else, the work has at least some purpose beyond the immediate accomplishment of tasks:  it builds your body of knowledge and what you have done.

But in this world it always needs to be conducted within the context of the greater whole.  I am not just working hard to work hard.  I am working hard to get the experience, to get the experience (or education or skills - fill in the blank) to move forward in my life;  ultimately, to leave.

Is this a panacea for all things work related?  Not at all.  The environment may still be toxic.  People may still be difficult to work with.  But at least the effort spent every day is not wasted.  It has the power of transmutation, of being transformed from lead into gold in the future.  We need only use it that way to make it so.

Work Hard.
Get Experience.
Leave.