In what ways does hard work make you feel fulfilled?

Back in the early 1980s, I went to a program that offered participants the opportunity to develop a mission statement of 25 words or less, that would offer them both purpose and direction. It was to be a statement of focus.

I took the challenge seriously for up to that point in time I didn’t have any nexus that summarised or prioritised for me.

I came up with the following mission statement:

“To fulfil and be fulfilled in organisational mode; Family, work, and recreation.

To aquit my responsibilities with integrity.

To work with a smile in my heart.”

That to me put my work into context, positioning it with my values relating to family and recreation.

Throughout the whole of my career, I worked hard. I often put in 60 or 70 hours per week in my pursuit of a career in education and didn’t want to do my best for those with whom I worked.

My work always gave me a sense of fulfilment, particularly when I ensured that it did not diminish my focus on the family nor exclude me from recreation and relaxation.

My role as a school principal was multifaceted and there were many elements to my position. That was the same in every school where I was privileged to be the leadership and management person in charge.

One of the things that helped me greatly in terms of feeling fulfilled, was the inclusion in everything I did of staff, students and community.

It was not always easy and there were many challenges but together with my staff students and community, I worked hard to Surmount challenges and turn them into celebrations.

It was often told to me that I was different and somewhat unusual in the way in which I worked, and that was fine. I always tried very hard to focus on issues and never on personalities.

Some 12 or 13 years later, toward the end point of my career and then into retirement, I’ve often reflected on my 40+ years of work and still feel satisfied and fulfilled in what I did and how I did it.

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