All of a sudden, (or so it seems) people I’ve known for some time have begun to change their definition of success.  These folks have decided to “wake up and live.”  I’m not sure what happened - maybe it’s maturity, age, the search for happiness, or coping with mortality.  Whatever the reason, goals such as making money, climbing the corporate ladder, or becoming famous, have become much less important. 

No longer are these individuals consumed with the accumulation of material things.  These men and women now seek more meaningful and enjoyable lives.  They talk about things like leaving a positive legacy, making the world a better place, and helping those in need.  As Bob Marley & The Wailers described it, they not only want to “wake up and live” but they want to “put their visions into reality.” 

Does your work environment help your vision become reality?  Or, is there a mismatch between where you want to go and where your environment takes you on a daily basis.  Do you feel conflicted inside?  Is their dissatisfaction or tension or burnout or anger within you?  How happy are you with your organization – do they live the values stated in their mission - are you allowed to be all that you can be - can you honestly say that the values and culture relates to yours?

In short - Are you living the life that you would like to?  If not, it’s time to wake up and live!

Fulfillment Through Work

Others have noted that baby boomers are now much more interested in what they have given, versus what they have gained.  Boomers, soon to be the senior citizens of the land, are showing signs of being much more in touch with their values and wanting to live life in accordance with those values.  It comes as no surprise that books like The Purpose-Driven Life stay on the national best sellers list for so long – boomers and others are searching for help in living a life that’s more closely aligned with their values.  They also want to work for organizations and with people who have similar values and purposes.

In addition, younger people in greater numbers, want to live a different lifestyle than those lived by their parents and grandparents.  These individuals are less inclined to seek traditional hierarchical organizations – places where orders often come from the top without an explanation as to what, where, how, or why. 

For people working in both large and small organizations, this has created an interesting dilemma.  Suddenly the values of the organization become much more relevant.  Work gains perspective as employees reflect on what is important to them as individuals in comparison to what is valued by the organization.    

Organizations have also made things tough on themselves.  By downsizing, restructuring, moving jobs overseas, reducing benefits, accelerating the pace through technology, demanding greater productivity – that is, demanding employees to “do more with less,” and focusing primarily on investors’ expectations, firms have alienated workers like never before. 

Ask people you know how happy they are with their jobs.  Recent studies have shown that anywhere from 50- to 70-percent of people in the workforce don’t like their jobs.  A 2003 study by the Conference Board indicated the lowest level of job satisfaction since 1995, when the study was first conducted.  Over 54% of people in the 2003 study were dissatisfied. 

Reaching Self-Actualization

What does it take for individuals to “wake up and live?”  What motivates us to change? 

Some psychologists believe that the behavior of an individual at a particular time is determined by whatever the strongest need happens to be.  Noted psychologist Abraham Maslow’s theory is that needs motivate human beings.  He described those needs in a five-level hierarchy:

• Level 1 - Physiological Needs (oxygen, water, food, rest, sex)

• Level 2 - Safety Needs (protection from physical and emotional harm, stability)

• Level 3 - Social Needs (friendship, sense of belonging, affection

• Level 4 - Esteem Needs (self respect, achievement, status, fame

• Level 5 - Self Actualization (realizing your full potential, being all you can be)

Maslow theorized that it was only after people had taken care of their lower level needs that they would begin to look for ways to reach for Level 5 - Self Actualization. 

For example, when people are starving, they seek food.  When people are unsafe, they are constantly on guard.  When a person is isolated, he or she looks to connect.  When a person lacks internal esteem, they look for ways to feel equal or less inferior.  When individuals establish self-esteem, they look for external recognition.

Most of the friends and associates mentioned earlier – the ones whose perspectives on life have seemingly changed - have satisfied the needs described in Levels 1 through 4.  Their behaviors now are consistent with another theory advance by Maslow, which is that as we more mature, we spend more of our time self-actualizing. 

Self-Actualizing and Relationships

In Maslow’s model, the ultimate goal of life is self-actualization - finding self- fulfillment and realizing our full potential.  He believed that this is rarely attained, but something that we continuously strive for.  The traits possessed by self-actualizing people are very similar to those essential to establishing and maintaining solid relationships.  These include:

• Being reality-centered

• Possessing a stronger awareness of the environment

• Having a greater acceptance of themselves and others

• Expressing empathy and compassion for other human being

• Deepening interpersonal relations with other

• Respecting people regardless of class, education, race, or ethnicity

• Owning a thoughtful, spontaneous, philosophical, and non hostile sense of humor

• Using an ethical approach to reaching solutions

• Resisting social pressure to “fit in”

• Maintaining a sense of humility and respect

Self-actualizing is not only good for individuals; it’s good for relationships. 

Be All That You Can Be

Here is a final thought from Bob Marley:

 

Are you still in a sleepless slumber?  If so, it’s time to Wake Up and Live….                               

The End