I read this book a couple years ago and really enjoyed it. In fact, my initial blog draft was a long series of quotes that basically plagiarized the entire book. There was no way I could publish that old blog post, but suffice it to say, this book is highly recommended. While re-reading all the quotes in the old draft, this line caught my eye.
Calm requires getting comfortable with enough.
While there’s no hard-line definition of when’s enough or what’s enough in every situation, one thing’s for sure: If it’s never enough, then it’ll always be crazy at work.
It Doesn’t Have to be Crazy at Work, 161
Lately, I’ve been thinking about the question of “enough”.
I really enjoy my gig right now. No job is perfect, but it is hard to find of a better fit for what I want. Reasonable hours, interesting problems, minimal risk. Plus it compensates me quite nicely, meeting all of our family’s needs.
Studies have shown minimal gains on general happiness after one’s household income surpasses a basic level. So assuming no drastic changes to our needs, I’ve been pondering the question is “what next?” Do I just execute as a PM2 for the next twenty years and then draw my pension when I don’t feel the energy to keep up a 40 hour week?
But would I get bored? And I can’t deny that I would be flattered the local acclaim that comes with a fancier title – go high enough and I might get listed on a bronze plaque! At what cost? We have no desire to uproot the family, and I have little interest in working the hard hours and playing the long politics to earn an exalted position.
I’m not a adherent of any religion, but I’ve been haunted by an oft repeated line by Dr. Carl Totten, “Taoism is the art of saying enough“.
Maybe it’s time to turn off the career radar and say “I’m good”.