Just Thankful to Have a Job?

Originally uploaded by kevin russ

“In today’s environment, I’m just thankful to have a job."

I've heard this a number of times of late. I'm sure that you have too. I get the idea. Should you and I be thankful for our jobs when so many find themselves out of work? Yes. Should you and I be thankful for our jobs at the expense of improvement or opportunity? No.

Some thoughts.

• Is your job a dead end? Be thankful you have a job, but don't get stuck in a dead end job just because you're thankful.
  
• Unhappy with your current job and would like to change careers? Be thankful you have a job, but don't suffer through it because you're thankful.
  

Be thankful for your job in any economic environment, not just the bad times. When you shrug your shoulders and say things like, "I'm just thankful I have a job," you're inviting mediocrity in. It's as if you're ceding defeat. When I hear people say those things in reference to problems they're experiencing professionally I hear, "I've decided it's not worth searching for other opportunities, because I'm lucky I even have a job."

So instead of just being thankful for your job, why not use the poor economic environment to do some real soul searching? Do you want to stay in that dead end job or job you're unhappy with simply because you're thankful? Really?

It's good to be thankful. It's not good to be thankful if you're using it as an excuse for mediocrity.