Job Satisfaction

Dear Thirty Year Old Me,

I want to share this exchange I had with one of our interns earlier this week. That meeting was actually profoundly satisfying but there was one question to which my answer I will share with you today.

The question - "What gives you the most satisfaction in your job? Is it the pay? The environment? The actual work?"

A tricky question to answer because I want to be as truthful as I can. Like many times in the past month since I learned of "Big Mind", I took 2 mindful breaths before I gave my response.

My response:

I would be lying if I tell you that I don't derive satisfaction from the compensation I have in my job but I can honestly say that it is not the primary source of my satisfaction. I would have to reflect and take an inventory of the days in a year when I experience extreme joy and satisfaction because of one facet of my job. For example - the other day, my boss was coaching me through a difficult decision that I have to make. My initial recommendation wasn't really a logical one so we ended up with a different proposal. All through out that interaction - he asked difficult questions. He listened to what I was saying. He made me felel important. After I hung up the phone - I felt a deep sense of gratitude for having the opportunity to work with a great boss like him.

I would also like to say that times like this one - when I am able to talk to people like you (referring to the interns) - gives me a great sense of satisfaction that I actually sometimes exclaim - I get paid to do this? I am so blessed.

The joy and the gratitude and the feeling of being blessed - I would say is equivalent to the joy and gratitude I feel when my boss hands me the letter once a year that declares - what my new compensation is for the year. Does this mean that I don't feel joyful when I see my payslip every payday? I do - but the deep joy is experienced only when I get that letter - after that - and I'm being honest here - I kinda expect that amount I get in the paycheck. So you see - I only experience extreme joy related to compensation - once a year.

Whereas the joy that gives me the experience of my hair standing on its end? I experience that a lot more often in the great interactions with my great colleagues. I experience that when I feel overwhelming satisfaction over a job well done or when I feel proud of my team's work.

So - for me - in conclusion - if I were to look at where I derive the satisfaction in my work that makes me want to get up in the morning excited - it is rare that I do it because of compensation. I do it most of the time because of the joy I get with working around people I respect and doing work that I love.

Feeling Blessed,
The Forty Year Old You

Generosity

Dear Thirty Year Old Me,

Today I have encountered three experiences which has lead me to think of the concept of generosity.  Let me start with the most recent event that I've experienced.   I have actually just finished watching a video of a speech delivered by Simon Sinek - author of the book "Start With Why".  I will not dwell with the topic of his speech - but I want to touch upon what he said about generosity.   He indicated that doing an act of generosity makes us feel good.  This will lead us to think that in mankind's evolution,  mother nature fired up all the synapses and the chemistry in our brain to make us feel good when we do an act of giving --- because this is essential to our species survival and growth.   Mother nature rewards our acts of kindness with feeling good because we need to want to do it over and over again.

The second experience that I wanted to share with you is the conversation that I had with my dermatologist and another one of her patient.  She and I talked about our shared experience of taking care of our parents.   She actually told her other patient - who is just about to graduate from College - that it is important for the latter to realize that it is her mission to be generous to her parents.   Her success in life may very well depend on that.   I reinforced that message.   I know that in my life,  when I have actually whole heartedly accepted the responsibility to take care of my parents - and be generous with them,  my income continued to grow.   So for people like me - the thought of being generous goes beyond feeling good over it.  It also somehow convinces us that it actually is the tenet of our success.   One can argue - that the generosity actually provides one motivation to do well in their chosen career because the success actually allows someone not just to support himself - but also to support his loved ones.

The last experience I want to share with you is that today - as usual I've chanced upon the homeless women along session road.   I typically have spare change for them - but today unfortunately I didn't have change.  So I wasn't able to give them anything.   In the past - when I give them something, even the smallest change - I actually feel really good about it.  Think about it --- giving money to the homeless is actually a legitimate business transaction ( not my original idea,  Simon Sinek actually brought that up in his speech ).   You give them money so you can feel good.  To be honest - that's a pretty good way to spend one's money - compared to trying to feel good by consuming alcohol or buying the latest gadget.

Anyways - my parting words for you my friend is that you must take opportunities to be generous.   It's a blessing that you have that you have actually received the resources to be generous.   Take advantage of it --- you may not be remembered as the best looking man in the world - but to be remembered as the generous son, uncle, brother, boss --- that's actually worth a lot more than the former.

With all my Generous Heart,

The Forty Year Old You.

Start Investing Now

Dear 30 Year Old Me.

“Money. Money. Money.  Lots of Money.  It’s a rich man’s world”

Abba

So much has been written about money and I think that as I write this letter – I will come up with more popular (and some might even be unpopular) notions about money.  If I recall correctly (and being 41 does clog up my memories so I don’t always recall correctly) – at this age of 30 – you have made peace with money.  This is difficult for you to do because you grew up being educated by priests and nuns who made you think money is dirty. You also grew up not having a lot of money so your relationship with money in the past is as complicated as that mathematical equations you were solving in Calculus.  The thing is along with this notion of money being a taboo subject – you realized that with the good money you earn, you are able to help out – not just yourself but your family.  You have made peace at the thought of appreciating the abundance that has followed you ever since you started earning money.  So I’d say, good for you and your healthy relationship with money.

You will continue to earn good money in your job(s).  You’ve been blessed with so much talent that your bosses just recognize you by either giving you a raise or giving you a bonus.  Thing is – as much as money comes to you constantly – you’re not very good at keeping it.  I know that you want to be a millionaire – but at the rate you’re going with your expenses unchecked – it will take you a long time for you to be a millionaire.   Remember that a wise man once said – “It’s not about the money that you earn.  It’s all about the money that you keep.”   Start keeping some of that money – so you can use it for a rainy day (and I hope that the rainy day doesn’t come with you dancing topless in a club singing “It’s Raining Men!”).

For someone like you, investments must come with you not being able to touch those investments – no matter what.  So this can come in the form of real estate, retirement funds, stocks, bonds.  You will always be liquid because of your job --- so don’t worry about sinking your money in these investments because the returns – when you reach my age will just be awesome.

When you reach the age of 35 – you will meet this hot young real estate broker.  He used to do modeling but you will not recognize him – but when you meet him – google his name so you can find out that he’s a great catch.  You and he will not hook up.  You definitely like the way he looks but let’s just say that you wish you can have better conversations with him apart from him selling you the latest development that the company he works for is building.  Listen to him – while you gaze into those big brown eyes.   He will introduce you to two real estate investments that will make sense.  The reason it makes sense for you is the fact that the monthly payments are well within your budget.  There will be balloon payments every year – but it doesn’t matter because your bonuses will go to those balloon payments.   In the end – after five years – you will be fully paid.  No loans at all to take for these assets.  Because of these assets, you will be able to claim that you are a millionaire.  The key here is to never stop paying until you are fully paid.  You will hear your friends come up with dire predictions for the real estate market because of what will happen in the US real estate market --- don’t listen to them.  In the end – if you sink your money but you don’t get the property – that will be foolishness that will be too expensive to recover from.  Listen to Mr. Chinito and buy those pre-selling properties – and stick with the investment – five years of paying for them is a short time compared to the years ahead when you will actually own these pieces of real estate.

You are also getting yourself up nicely for retirement.  Thanks to your friends who introduce you to “Financial advisers”.   Every month – for the next ten years – you will pay for a retirement-cum-insurance package.  In fifteen years – that account will mature – and you will have a good sum of money for your nest egg.

Forced savings are also good for you.  Actually – if you look at the things that I just mentioned – a good investment for you is one where you feel trapped in making them.  You keep on writing the checks for it and when you budget your monthly expenses; you know that the money for those post-dated checks you have issued should not be touched.   So going back to forced savings – if your current employer has an employee cooperative – you must sign up and deposit to it regularly.

One last thing about money – there will be things in your life that will be unexpected.  Because of this, it will always be good to keep a healthy emergency fund.  The amount in that emergency fund should be equal to 6-months-worth of expenses including the amount that is written up in your investments as post-dated checks). Save that money – don’t touch that money – until you really hit an emergency (or if you’re lucky an opportunity to make more money).

But all in all – because you have been generous with the money you earn – the universe actually sees you in favorable light.  Invest for the future – but as much as you love money – don’t let your life revolve around it.  There are so many things that life has to offer – that goes beyond what money can buy.

With  much love,

The 40-something Year old you

(Blogger's Note - this is advice number 3 for the 30 year old me and was written as part of a really long letter found here.)