Some days, work can feel as though you’ve sold your soul for food. Had those days? Lately? … This morning?
You can view work as a necessary evil, or as a means to accomplish your quest – your personal goals. YES, you do work to live. How you want to live is up to you. REALLY it is!
You decide the lessons you want to learn, the character you want to grow, the person you want to become and the life you want to live. If you keep these goals in sight – every day becomes a worthy quest, no matter what your position, who you report to and what stressors and hiccups you face.
The key to success is to keep your head. You must avoid being taken out by the minefield of politics, communication gaps (or chasms), red tape and huge list of productivity vampires.
Sounds a bit like a video game, doesn’t it? “Personal goals” … “Quest” … “avoid being taken out” … That wee shift in thinking from “drudgery of necessary evil” to “How will I level up today?” will bring a new perspective and change your professional life forever.
“All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players”
~ William Shakespeare, from his play – As You Like It
“Gamification” is a term coined by Nick Pelling, a British-born computer programmer, in 2002, but the concept pre-dates this quote from William Shakespeare. Gamification is using game principles in non-game contexts to engage users in solving problems.
Transfer that to your workday.
You are the player – the hero. In your quest toward your goal, you will be challenged, learn great lessons, experience set-backs, become stronger, more confidant, competent and resilient. Your game experience will depend on each of the tiny decisions you make, the way you choose to spend your resources and the perspective you take as you discover each obstacle, puzzle, monster or battle.
What are your resources that get “refreshed” each day, or after each break? What 
resources do you need to focus on and build up to take on those battles ahead? How can you approach each obstacle wisely, using your resources strategically, instead of panicking, rushing in with all weapons drawn and being cut down in one devastating blow you did not see coming? What alliances do you need to invest time and resources into in order t
o progress toward your goal?
In your workday, there are countless choices that can lead you to success. The choices you make will reveal your true character. How can you make sure your character develops in the right direction – one that will be helpful, not harmful, in later stages of “the game”? Most of all, how can you become the character worthy of the personal goals you are striving for? Will you stay focused? Will you keep moving forward day by day, even after major set-backs, stalls and impasses?
The true villain – Office Politics
Like it or not, wherever there are people, there are politics to navigate. Those politics get trickier the higher levels you attain. That dream “When I’m manager I won’t have to put up with this garbage.” is not even remotely reality. Yes, your current challenges will disappear … replaced by completely new ones … and a few old ones that seem to “level up” with you.
How do you tackle the politics in your office?
Very strategically. I am hosting a free webinar Wednesday, September 25th at 12:00PM Pacific Time, on this very subject! CLICK HERE to sign up for “Office Politics – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly” (yes, there will be a recording and I will send it to all who have registered). OH! And share this with others in your workplace. The more people who “level up” with you, the better place your workplace will be to work every day.
