[Applied Psychology] Doing Better Work

“Today, I helped maybe 10 people. Why not 10,000 people?” When I first started working, I was just happy to help anyone I could. As I become more experienced in both work and life, I see the value in both continually improving my work and the lives of others. This effort requires sacrifice. You might sacrifice leisure for study time or steady work for the chance to do more rewarding, better work. Bands are great examples:

Rating: ★★★★☆ [4/5]

Members of Аркона (Arkona) could have taken financially safe route.

Sacrificing that “good enough work” has enabled them to tour the world and perform the music they want. They aren’t the most popular band around. Maybe because folk metal is still niché? They perform with an inspirational enthusiasm that, once their music sinks in, encourages you to do better work.

GUITAR WOLF clobbers you over the head with noisy motivation.

Sacrifices are still gambles. I overheard a conversation years back between a guitarist and presumably his brother. The guitarist outlined his touring plans, and backup plans in case that didn’t work out, to his concerned brother. His band achieved moderate success now, so it’s safe to say he gambled well.

Not every gamble pays off. That’s why backup plans work.

Problems occur when you’re seduced by your backup plan until it forcefully becomes your reality. I think everyone encounters that crossroads. You might have a dream of what you want to do with your life until responsibility becomes too heavy of a burden. Don’t sacrifice the great for the good.

Work responsibility toward your goals.

My goals aren’t tech support.

I’m good enough at the work. Others may be faster, more efficient, more knowledgeable, and certainly more passionate. My advantage is that I’m no longer a “computer guy.” I don’t identify with the interests of my peers. I’m more interested in fully experiencing the totality of life than new technology.

My goal is to write “The Story” and more after.

To achieve a level of literary skill to tell a story that could improve the lives of 10,000 people or more, I must practice. I must sacrifice the time I would otherwise spend relaxing, playing videogames, reading leisurely, hanging out with friends, or even sleeping responsibility to continue refining this craft.

The biggest thing I have to lose is my goal.

Not sacrificing for my goals means becoming someone that remains miserable in a drab office, doing work that only helps a company profit, for an insubstantial amount of money, dreaming about the opportunity to do the work I really want to do. It would be a safe life to live.

Maybe I’d be seduced if that dream weren’t so close.

Even 16 years ago, my idle thoughts developed scenes and characters from The Story, and they’ve expressed a superior resilience to any other creative or technical endeavor I’ve encountered. They’re more interesting than most videogames or concerts. If I do better work, I could achieve this dream of helping over 10,000 people.

Failing that means helping 5 people.

My big goal is writing. My most important goal is writing "The Story." All other goals should work toward that central goal. My proudest moment is the most recent time I overcame some fear, which should have been today. I'm a better zombie than I was yesterday. I'm not better than you and you're not better than me. Let's strive to be better every day.