"Life Isn't Fair..."

As adults no doubt most of you have heard one or more adage uttered from the elders in your life. Spoken thoughts or feelings such as: "You only live once.", "You get what you put into it.", "Bad things happen to good people.", or "Life isn't fair", ...and no doubt many, many others.

I'd like to focus primarily on one that weighs heavily on my heart, for more than one reason... "Life isn't fair..." This one has always seemed set apart from many of the others I've heard over my life time, distinct and separate for some reason. Life isn't fair....

Human nature I believe tends to lean towards and even dwell on the negative aspects of many things, including life in general. It's relatively easy to spot when you talk with someone. The conversation often degrades into looking and talking about the bleak side of...things. You've had those conversations before where the person you're talking with just seems to focus on the negatives... I'd ask you to think about how that makes you feel. Does it make you feel; interested? sympathetic? apathetic? Likely that will depend a great deal upon the relationship you have with the other person and the context and content of the discussion, right? And, it would have something to do with how negative the person is...how compelling the subject is to you, etc.

No doubt every one of us has had something in our life that we could speak to in terms of "Life isn't fair"....some unique pain or trauma we've suffered...or worse yet, one that someone we love greatly has suffered. I'd argue that if you live long enough you will eventually run into one of those situations and even perhaps mutter the words.

So what does that have to do with Technology? or the work we do at MDC? PLENTY, I would suggest. Your attitude, how you handle stresses, how you interpret and respond to negativity, words that come from your mouth, things you talk about in public, etc...all of those things are a reflection of you and the work you do. Because of the work we do, we are heavily involved with other people--MDC employees (customers), vendors, contractors, etc....we deal with PEOPLE...A LOT! Which in turn means, we are "on display"....for instance, more folks will likely know our Help Desk staff than the numbers of people who would know who the Conservation Agent is in Pemiscot County...it's about exposure. We as an IT group are 'exposed' often. Our work is on display for everyone to see...everyday.

So, it's not hard to make the leap from high exposure to why it's important we conduct ourselves professionally. When we run into those situations where we feel life (someone/something) is taking advantage of us or treating us unfairly...how we respond to those situations is what others see. Closer to home--paycheck--what are you saying about the check you bring home, likely something to the effect of "it's not enough." or what are you saying about the high workload you have? or what are you saying about the new technology that is being brought into this organization? Are you supportive? or are you propagating a negative component to one of those?

Perhaps your stance is that you're not being treated "fairly" or even "Life isn't fair".... Ya know, perhaps it isn't...but whose milestone is being used to measure? Probably yours, right? Humans tend to make everything about them...it's all about "me"...so anything that happens to them or around them is measured around the "me." What or how does this impact me? Is it good for me? Will it be more work for me? or What's in it for me?

"IF" I've described you...then I'd challenge you to give some thought, serious thought, about trying to change that attitude. Your representation of Conservation, of Technology, of yourself, is on display. While you may think that "Life isn't fair" to you....I can almost certainly guarantee that someone else has a bigger problem...a more significant issue they are wrestling with...guaranteed. While it may be tough to focus on the positives when it seems so many negatives are piling up against you....it's scientifically proven it helps to remain positive and upbeat. Give it a try!

While there may be some truth to "Life isn't fair".... who ever promised you it would be? I've never read anything, anywhere or heard anyone who control ALL things tell me that life WOULD BE FAIR!

Attitude, particularly a good positive attitude that is supportive of fellow workers, the organization you work for, and the decisions that are being made is important. It will help define WHO you really are. Accepting the fact that you aren't the only one making the "call", but rather a team member who can HELP make that call, or support the call...is really the measure of success, AND the milestone by which you/I will be judged in many cases. How you respond when those tough times materialize will define you...and US!

TAFN