Going to a Job VS Going to Work – America's Chief Culture Officer, James Mayhew

For the vast majority of you listening today, you’re probably getting ready for work or on your commute to or from it.

So I’m curious… Are you going to a job today?

Or, are you going to work?

Even though we use those words interchangably, there’s actually a significant difference between the two.

And that’s the topic for this episode of Confidence Covered by Humility.

Hello, friends, my name is James Mayhew and I’m so glad you’re here because on this podcast we explore what it means to lead your business, your team, and your home with humble confidence.

The posture of having confidence that’s covered by humility allows you to have deeper and more significant business and personal relationships.

And it allows you to know how to serve others with extraordinary excellence,

and that posture even helps build the confidence of other people around you.

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And since some of you may not know, the video version of this podcast is on Youtube and the audio version is on all the major platforms including Apple and Spotify.

Again, I just want to say thank you for helping to get the word out.

For today’s episode, we’re going to talk about the idea of are you going to a job - you know, the daily grind -  or are you taking the posture that you’re going to work.

I’ve always had this sort of romanticized view of what it truly means to go to work. 

I blame that on a really great course I took in college called Working In America.

When I think about truly going to work, this is how I would frame that for you.

• I’m doing something that I love to do.
• I know that there is purpose and meaning to the work.
• There’s a good chance I’d do it even if I wasn’t getting paid to do it.
• It would give me tremendous personal satisfaction, joy and purpose.
• It wouldn’t really feel like a job that I had to go to; it would be something I’d look forward to every day.

Like the vast majority of you, I’ve definitely gone to a job and done tasks which didn’t give me joy, satisfaction and purpose.

I’ve gone to jobs and done tasks that I hated doing with a bunch of other people who’ve hated it, too.

I’ve gone to jobs and done tasks that I almost never looked forward to and there’d be no way I’d do it if I wasn’t being paid.

Some jobs have the power to seduce us into over-working and creating an element of stress and anxiety. The lure of what’s next and achieving more contributes dramatically to that.

Other jobs will tempt you to surrender to the mindset of just surviving until the weekend and just doing whatever is necessary so I don’t get fired.

When you’re in that place both physically and mentally, you feel miserable, trapped and even start to have an entitled. 

This is one of the worst experiences you’ll have. But how much of that is your mindset? Is it possible to find joy and fulfillment in any place? 

I think it is, but that’s not necessarily a reason to stay there.

I’ve also experienced tremendous joy and fulfillment with work.

Sometimes the work that was most fulfilling and rewarding wasn’t for a client or when I was an employee; the most fulfilling work was doing projects around my home for the benefit of my family.

For example in 2013, Beth and I did a massive landscape and hardscape project and together we built a beautiful back yard living space. 

That process was backbreaking. I used a spade and a shovel and dug by hand, moving hundreds of wheelbarrow loads of dirt and sod by hand. We moved 13 tons of river rock the same way. We placed several hundred pavers by hand.

We learned as we went. Made some mistakes and had to back step a few times. And it took 3 months for us to complete. 

But the way the back yard transformed was so rewarding and to this day we spend a great deal of time enjoying it. In fact it’s even nicer now as the trees and plants have really filled in.

During the hardest part where we took a week’s vacation to build the retaining walls and complete the patios, 

I had blisters because my gloves had worn through the fingers and palms;

it was 90+ degrees every day (this was in July) so we’d start early in the morning …

during that time I always looked forward to working and getting the project done.

Here’s a little tip:  I remember telling my boss that I worked harder on vacation than when I was at work. 

He said, we might have to talk about that. 

So think before you say things like that!

And as I reflect back on that project, I have a sense of accomplishment knowing we made something better.

I have a sense of pride that I was able to take a vision in my mind, plan it, and then make it a reality.

That’s what it means to me to go to work.

I’ve found that same feeling, that same sense of accomplishment, in my work with clients to help them streamline their business, to help them become an employer of choice and retain great people.

I want to introduce faith into the formula. There’s one key point that’s woven throughout scripture, and it’s that we are all created by God to work.

In fact, all work matters to God. As you embrace the concept that your work has purpose and meaning in God’s eyes, it takes on a whole new meaning.

Don’t miss this:  you were born with magnificent talents.

And when you step into those God-given abilities and do meaningful work, it feels amazing.

But the benefits go beyond that good feeling. 

When you look at your work through the lens of the Christian faith, you become a better worker because you recognize that God has called you to actively apply your talents and abilities for His glory, with the additional benefit of serving alongside your teammates and delivering excellence to the customer.

Here are 3 ways that your Christian faith guides how you view work.

First, your faith gives you confidence.

Those magnificent talents you have are to be used fully. You may have the ability to see a better way to do things. Your strategic thinking is a gift and helps you quickly see the best way to accomplish a project.

Perhaps you have the talent for bringing people together and lift their spirits. This is especially valuable as a project starts to bog down with delays and setbacks.

Whatever gifts and abilities you have, they are yours to use. So step into them with a sense of purpose and confidence.

Secondly, your work has greater purpose and meaning.

Think how you felt after you completed a challenging assignment or project.

How did you feel? 

You probably felt good. Maybe you smiled or even did a fist pump. Perhaps you looked at the finished product and admired it.

This is what it means to feel fulfilled in your work. 

Most of us want to be challenged to some degree. It’s rewarding when you put in effort and you learn new skills.

Perhaps you’ve even had the unique experience of working with someone who’s a true master of their craft and they joyfully teach you their secret techniques.

The valuable lessons you learn and the relationships you build stay with you forever and that ensures greater purpose and meaning.

The third way that faith shapes your work is that it keeps you humble and honest.

Your Christian faith gives you the cover of humility in times of prosperity. 

Without it, it’s tempting and easy to take credit and proclaim, “I did that!” after a significant win.

But that can be dangerous and allow our pride and ego - even arrogance - to creep in.

Secondly, the Christian faith gives you a moral compass:

• you don’t cut corners
• you don’t elevate numbers to make you look better
• you don’t step on

So in conclusion, the Christian faith reminds each of us that your true identity is greater than your title, your position, the size of your bank account, the car you drive or home you live in…

Your identity is in who Jesus says you are:  a new creation.

And in that we’re reminded how much God loves and cares for the world through us. Doing your work well, or being the best at what you do is an act of worship.

I’m James Mayhew and I’m passionate about helping companies create a true competitive advantage by ensuring they have exceptional people doing excellent work on the most important things.

Have a great week.