You and I spend more time at work than any other single activity. Yet, I meet so many people who are unhappy in their job.

If we are going to experience true job satisfaction, we need to understand the components that make it possible. We’ll talk about this plus what to do if you hate your job.

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Here are the three components that must be present for you to experience job satisfaction.

Component #1: You must have passion.

Component #2: You must be competent.

Component #3: You must have a market.

If you have all three of these components—passion, competence, and a market—you experience satisfaction. Few things in life are more rewarding. However, you have to be wary of having only two.

Passion + Competence - Market = A Hobby

Passion + Market - Competence = Failure

Competence + Market - Passion = Boredom

So, what do you do if you are in a job you hate?

Many people feel trapped in a job they hate but don’t believe they can quit. They feel stuck and, as a result, their life is miserable. If this describes you, here are seven strategies for making work more tolerable:

Strategy #1: Be thankful you are employed.

Strategy #2: Put your work in context.

Strategy #3: Determine the source of your dissatisfaction.

Strategy #4: Find someone to talk to.

Strategy #5: Fix what you can fix.

Strategy #6: Use your job to polish your character.

Strategy #7: Encourage a co-worker

If you really can’t stand your job, and you have done through the above steps, you need to make plans for a graceful exit. Life is too short to stay stuck in a situation that makes you miserable.

Sometimes you don’t have a choice. But often, you do. You just need a plan and the courage to take the first steps.

Listener Questions

Brad Blackman asked, "How can you have a better attitude about the work you are doing”

Brent Dumler asked, “What would you say to a 20-something church leader who finds him or herself in the midst of an unhealthy church? When would you advise them to start looking for something else?”

Chandler Milligan asked, “How do I keep my job satisfaction high when I am striving for a position I am not even being considered for?”

Cindy Finley asked, “I love my work but feel the tension between job satisfaction and mommy guilt. What advice do you have for me and for other working moms?”

Mark Gredler asked, “How can I increase job satisfaction and influence things for the better without being perceived as a negative complainer?”

Raisa Lardie asked “How does debt relate to job satisfaction?”

Special Announcements

My business partner Ken Davis and I will be hosting the SCORRE Conference, May 6–9 at the beautiful Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando, Florida. We only have about a dozen tickets left.

Whether you are a professional speaker—or just want to be—this conference will teach you how to prepare with focus, deliver with confidence, and speak with power.

Bottom line: it’s a conference designed to maximize the impact of your speeches.