Understanding the endgame, and working towards it. Focusing on the task, knowing regardless of the difficulty it can be accomplished. (We eat the elephant one bite at a time. ) A belief that hard work pays off.
Such work ethic usually reflects itself well in one’s interpersonal relationships, especially if they’ve worked in a team environment. Your internal value of the golden rule shines this attribute.
In your present situation, the endgame or outcome is unknown. That can muddle task driven and results oriented people, where in another more defined scenario they’d shine.
I was there too. Unsure and kind of lost and wondering. Like your thread title states: What to do.
I found my definition of endgame required altering.
For the last 15 years, I was the formal team leader of a group of skilled technicians. The first 18 years of my 33 career, I was a technician. The interesting thing of leading a team, your job never ends. Unlike my assigned tasks of technician where I focus on and completed tasks, as leader I dealt with backlog, scheduling, assigning work, dealing with problems, and a host of other constraints and concerns. The focus becomes different. Bigger picture. Much bigger.
My tasks had to become defined differently. Endgame had to be defined differently. There was an unending stream of work and stuff to do. Literally, unending. My role was to pull out what needs to happen and keep my ten or so technicians working effectively. Sure there was daily stuff, weekly stuff, and stuff that lasted years/decades. Yet no real set end point where one can say, there I am totally finished all my work. In fact, my retirement was basically me just picking an arbitrary date; and when the date arrived, putting down my pen and walking away from the pile of stuff to do.
Our situations post bomb drop are similarly “endless” in feeling. Therefore shift the endgame focus on to you. You are the endgame.
Those traits and convictions still serve you. Hard work does pay off! Focusing, knowing, accepting the difficulty, and willing to do the work. It absolutely pays dividends. Huge dividends!
So what is the endgame? Becoming you. You know, version 2.0. Being better, not bitter. And slogging your way through this mire, towards acceptance and forgiveness. (Also gives the best chance at reconciliation.)
The path does get easier, yet we never reach our destination. Of course, life’s path is not about the destination, it’s always been about the journey. Keep noble and honourable life goals and headings, to keep one on track. Increase and expand those goals as one reaches them; for that it growth. And do enjoy the walk.
It takes a bit to embrace the uncertainty of one’s situation. Such is life. We only control a wee bit of everything that is going around us. Hope lives in the possibilities. An uncertain future is full of possibility, and is therefore a hopeful one.
D
Thanks again, you have a way with words. Our paths sound very similar. I became a supervisor 9 years ago with anywhere from 11-15 guys under me. The description of your job sounds too familiar. Never ending work. I am also on call to dispatch some one or respond myself to maintenance emergencies, 24/7. To be honest I was much happier just working in maintenance. I enjoyed the work much more and I receive satisfaction from fixing things and helping others. I guess that makes the current sitch even more difficult-I can’t just repair us. I also picked an arbitrary date once I reached the 27 year mark, and will basically lay down my pen, turn in keys and phone, and go home. The uncertainty of my R combined with the uncertainty of my future have made for a super stressful situation. It is so scary to think I’ll be unemployed in two more weeks.
) A belief that hard work pays off.