How Good Are You?

You have been dreaming of doing your own thing.
For years.

To start a school of your own.
To kick start your own business.
To become a full time writer of best selling books.
To start that philanthropic organisation that will take care of the street kids.
To go around the world and get paid for it.
To buy that farm house and grow organic food.

Ok here is a question.

Can you quit your job to do that thing you love?
Today?
In six months time?
Okay, a year, perhaps?

No? Then perhaps you are not as good as you think you are.

Yes? Then what are you waiting for?

Is your job meaningful?

It is obvious that any sensible person would do meaningful tasks as opposed to what could be called a drudgery. So what makes a task - your job, blogging, serving others - meaningful?

Malcolm Gladwell, in his book, Outliers, lists out three characteristics that make any task meaningful:

These are:

1. There should be a clear relationship between effort and reward.
2. The task should be complex. It should engage your mind and imagination.
3. One should have autonomy. You should be your own boss.

Now, evaluate your job satisfaction around these factors.

Hmmm... come to think of it, I now know why blogging is so hugely popular. It requires imagination and the mind is engaged. You are your own boss and most of the time there is a relationship between effort and rewards (readership, money, whatever). The more you blog, the more are the chances that you will be discovered. Or you can hop on to the Alphainventions gravy train.