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I found this interesting blog post - Mavericks at Work.
It presents this concept:
Old version of success: work hard (for a very long time), achieve success, earn freedom (to retire and do all the things you missed out on while you were working)
New version of success: find work that affords you freedom = success
As I reflected on it, I was reminded that we don't have control over the policies of our corporations. We'd probably all like to work for a company like Best Buy who has a workkplace flexibility program as described in the blog post, but it's unlikely we will. And since I believe in focusing on what we can control, I suggest we look inside ourselves on this topic rather than waiting around for corporations to change.
One of my new favorite authors, David Whyte, covers the same topic in his book, Crossing the Unknown Sea - Work as a Pilgrimage of Identity.
He says, "human beings have the amazing ability to turn a sudden fit of freedom or spaciousness into its exact opposite." And he recommends we ask ourselves these questions:
How much freedom or movement do I have in my work?
How much of my original person is there?
When I was a child, what was a picture of good work? Was it centered on freedom and excitement and continued possibility? Do I have that now?
Who represents freedom in the world?
Who manages/ or managed to live just outside the rules - not beholden to the forces that held others in place?
Who has a breath of spontaneity in their lives?
Who isn't a slave to all the truths repeated so easily by others?
How can I learn from these people?
I've done these exercises recently and found them to be very enlightening. My dad was a strict father, but when it came to his work, he represented freedom and was definitely not a slave to others' truths. I'm lucky to be an entrepreneur and have lots of freedom. And even so, I have to remind myself of the original person that's me. Daily, I resist the influence of others because the pull is so strong to think like everyone else. And it's certainly not in my nature to bend the rules or think outside the box. Innovation is an area of growth for me. But what I do know for sure is that freedom is success. And I feel successful.
