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Contrast two workers.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
The first one slices the air with his hand, making points, instructing the crowd. He is a teacher and, from the look of things, a compelling one. He stands on a beach, rendering the slanted seashore an amphitheater. As he talks, his audience increases; as the audience grows, his platform shrinks. The instructor steps back and back until the next step will take him into the water. That's when he spots another worker.
A fisherman. Not animated, but frustrated. He spent all night fishing, but caught nothing. All night! Double-digit hours worth of casting, splashing, and pulling the net. But he caught nothing. Unlike the teacher, the fisherman has nothing to show for his work. He draws no crowds; he doesn't even draw fish. Just nets.
Two workers. One pumped up. One worn-out. The first, fruitful. The second, futile. To which do you relate?
If you empathize with the fisherman, you walk a crowded path. Consider these sobering statistics from author Dan Miller's 48 Hours to the Work You Love:
* One-third of Americans say, "I hate my job."
* Two-thirds of your fellow citizens labor in the wrong career.
* Others find employment success, but no satisfaction.
* Most suicides occur on Sunday nights.
* Most heart attacks occur on Monday mornings.
Many people dread their work. Countless commuters begrudge the 83,000 hours their jobs take from their lives. If you're one of them, what can you do?
Change careers? …