by Thomas Russell

Created on: November 29, 2008   Last Updated: July 14, 2010

"I hate my job." "Sometimes I wonder why I even took this job." "As jobs go, this one has got to be in the Worst Jobs Of All Time Hall Of Fame."

How many times have people succumbed to all that negative self-talk? Every time you walk into your job, your whole demeanor depicts someone who would rather be fishing. Nobody wants to be around you because of your unpleasant behavior.

The problem is looking at your employment as just a JOB. I've had my share of jobs, some that were unbelievably fulfilling and some that sucked the life out of me. But one thing I have learned in every position I've held is taking personal ownership in my position. It was never just a job to me. Everything I did (and still do) was with the belief that I owned the business. I take full responsibility for my actions as if the business was my own. Every decision you make you do so as if the company depended on it. It's a powerful feeling knowing that what you do has an impact on the company's success.

There are inherent downfalls in developing that mindset, but you might discover that your position has worth. The minute you walk in that door as if you're just there to collect a paycheck, you're just walking down a path of insecurity and desperation, hoping that another door will be open so you can walk out and find another job that will fulfill your need for acceptance and financial enrichment. It's never going to happen unless you find something within yourself that makes you feel worthwhile.

What you'll discover, then, is that by your positive actions on a daily basis it will reap rewards for you down the road. The most obvious thing is the people who work around you, including your boss, will see that your go-getter attitude can prove to be a catalyst for cooperation in getting things accomplished. If you have employees underneath you watching your behavior, they will be more likely to accept the things you ask them to do. It's a lot easier to pull a rope than push it, so to get them on your side will be paramount to you.

All this personal ownership might create a financial windfall down the road. The positive personal skills you develop will either carry you up the corporate ladder or put you in a better negotiating position if you discover another job somewhere else that might be better for you financially. What you might find out in the process is your outgoing employer will give you a beneficial reference rather than a scathing one that will deter your chances for another job. If you burn your bridges, you will most definitely find that path of success replete with myriad roadblocks.

I learned that about 25 years ago when, on my last day working as a restaurant manager, I told my boss after doing something irresponsibly, "I don't care, it's my last day here anyway." He immediately shot back at me, "You better care, because everybody is going to remember the very last thing you do, even if you have done great things over the course of time. Your lasting legacy will be when you walk out that door. How you choose to do that will determine whether people will remember you as someone who really cared about his job or as someone who could care less." I have never forgotten those prophetic words of wisdom.

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