Socks

First of all, please allow me to begin with a caveat. The following is what you might call a "First World problem;" a ridiculously inconsequential, minuscule dilemma that pales in comparison to the infinite global quandaries out there.

And now that we've cleared that up...

I shall recount my brief interlude with laundry yesterday.

As I made my way through a heaping basket of clean clothes, I found myself swearing incoherently, muttering something to the effect of "Oh, these stupid *$%^# socks!"

I really don't like it when, as I'm reaching the bottom of the laundry basket, I come to the socks. There are never, and I repeat, NEVER, 100% perfect matches. Anywhere between 75-80% is a good day. And that's so annoying, because it a) begs the question, "Where in God's creation could they possibly have gone?!!" and b) means I'll have to put the stragglers in The Heap, a pathetic basket near our bedroom door filled with unmatched socks. These guys gather dust while their partners are out there having fun, heaven knows where.

(Because if I knew, by God, they would be matched up in someone's sock drawer.)

And I hate throwing the stragglers away, because there's always that shred of hope that someday their little sock buddy might return.

(But let's be brutally honest here. They NEVER do.)

The Heap: what a sorry lot these guys are.

However, as much as I hate pairing up socks- or, rather, not pairing them up- I know it's part of the job of being a parent. As is making sure certain individuals eat nutritious food they don't want to eat and complete homework they don't want to complete; both of which are equally trying duties some days. But, you know, so goes the job of parenthood. Par for the course, as they say.

Likewise, there are always dreaded tasks that every career professional faces, no matter how perfect his or her career fit.  Just replace "#@$#^ socks!" with "#@$#% spreadsheets" or whatever your pet grievance happens to be, and you get the picture. However, the difference between a dreaded task that sucks the life out of you and the dreaded task that is a mere hurdle is this: knowing it's worth it.

I wouldn't give up being a parent for anything, no matter how flagrantly the children- or socks- are misbehaving. Nor do I have plans to abandon working for myself, especially in the field of helping people find their ideal career.  I enjoy what I do and know that, overall, it's a really great fit for me, to the point that I wouldn't let certain undesirable tasks determine my entire career fate.

Conversely, if you know you're on a floundering career path, even the slightest annoyances can send you into a tailspin of dread and frustration.  That's because you don't know if those dreaded duties are ever going to end, and if they're not, you'll wonder if you'll end up miserable forever.

Paying Your Dues or Just Paying Your Rent? 

There's a huge difference between paying the hard dues necessary to get you to a desired destination and doing grunt work for no other reason than to kill time until you figure out what you really want.

(And when will that be if you don't seek help?)

Knowing where you want to be going makes a difficult job (or boss, or co-worker) bearable, especially if you know that it's a temporary stepping stone to your desired destination. It's the ultimate deal breaker as far as sustainability is concerned, giving you the necessary endurance to realize your ultimate potential.

So the question isn't whether you have to perform tasks you dislike. Because the answer is an obvious, "yes;" everyone has those tasks they'd give up in a heartbeat. Rather, the question to ask yourself is this: Do you know where you really want to go? If so, are the drudgeries worth it? Whether your days involve extreme boredom or job duties incongruent with your talents, are they par for the course or a chronic waste of your time and talents?

If the answer is, "It's definitely worth it!" (or even "I have every reason to believe so,") then I urge you to stick with it. We've all read stories about people who were so close to giving up their dream paths just before making incredible career strides. In fact, I've known people who were at their wits end, ready to throw in the towel, just before winning a title role in a Broadway show.

On the other side, if you don't know which direction to pursue or you seriously doubt the path you're on will end up in a place of fulfillment, I urge you to seek assistance. Hire a career coach, get clarity, and begin the process of rediscovering what you enjoy doing- and need to be doing. You'll be very happy you did.

And so will your socks.  All $%#$@ seven of them.