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John Scott Haldane is credited with first connecting the mysterious death of miners to carbon monoxide poisoning. He also was first to suggest using a caged canary to determine if the invisible poison was present. If the canary died, it was time to leave.
Not an especially good deal for the canaries, but a practice that saved the lives of countless miners until more sophisticated equipment could be later invented.
In our professional lives, there are countless career killers that are nearly imperceptible. Undoubtedly, one day you will wake up and find you are less happy, less engaged and just not having fun.
Take heed - your canary is dead and your career is in serious trouble.
Having fun and feeling a true passion for your work is not a luxury - it is a requirement for sustainable excellence and a strong career path.
If you find yourself no longer having fun, stop and take control. Look honestly at who you are and what you really want. When did the work stop being fun? What can you do right now to fix it? Maybe your company has changed. Maybe you moved into a new role you don’t enjoy. Maybe everything is exactly the same but you have become a different person.
Figure it out. Fix it. Now.
The solution may be difficult, but inaction is fatal.
This post was originally published by Integrity St Louis digital agency CEO John Simanowitz on LinkedIn.
