Is Your Enthusiasm For Work Flickering Out? Re-ignite the Flame!
by Joyce Weiss, M.A., CSP
Story of a farmer
Once upon a time there was a farmer. He lived during the time when the terrible warlords ruled the country side. He had a son and owned one horse. The farmer's neighbor always said to him, "You have such good luck." The farmer replied, "Good luck, bad luck...who knows?" One day the farmer's horse ran away. That very night the warlords came to the village and told the farmers to gather up all horses so they could confiscate them. The farmer's neighbors said, "Oh, you have such good luck, the warlords can't take your horse because it ran away." The farmer said, "Good Luck, bad luck...who knows?"
A few days later the farmer's horse wondered back to the farm. His son was so excited to see his horse, he jumped on the horse and went for a ride. The horse tripped on a rock and the son fell off and broke his leg. That very night the warlords came back to the village and ordered everyone to round up all the able bodied sons, who would be taken away to fight in the wars. The neighbor said to the farmer, "You have such good luck, your son has a broken leg and will not be able to go with the warlords."
The farmer said, "Good luck, bad luck...who knows?" We can all learn from this story. The farmer didn't label this circumstance as good or bad. He gave life a chance. At first it looked like bad luck when the horse ran away and the son broke his leg. His neighbors felt like victims and lost all sense of control or responsibility for their future. They quickly labeled life's challenges as good or bad. At times things seem bad, but after awhile we can actually see a positive outcome.
Many people have shared with me that the loss of a job was horrendous at first. However, when they found new employment, it turned out to be better than their previous job.
I tell this story at most workshops because we all know people who complain and sound like victims.
Some people blow one incident out of proportion and their self talk becomes such a detriment to their own, and their team's, mental health. Well, I challenge people to stop playing the victim and look at their lives to see what they need to do to rekindle their vitality. At times they give me a look of "You've got to be kidding, there is nothing I can do." At other times people tell me they feel more hopeful and are ready to focus on the cause of burnout and to do something about it. Sometimes the worst situations end up teaching us the most valuable lessons.
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Definition of a Burnout
Story of a farmer
10 tips to keep the flame burning
Conclusion
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