When I was younger my Dad used to always tell me to stop complaining. He said that all I did was complain and never offer solutions to my problems. He was right, I think it’s a common theme in most youngsters. They want to complain, but when you question them about ways they can improve their situation you get the standard “I dunno.” As we get older we don’t always grow out of that behavior, especially if we’re not used to being put into positions where you have to make decisions or are tasked with analyzing situations and making them better.
Sometimes at work we get into the habit of being frustrated with our working situation and it’s natural to complain about it. We complain with our co-workers, our spouse, our parents, or to anyone who will listen sometimes. No matter how much you love your job, there will always be days when you’re not happy and want to complain a little. But what if you’re at the point where that’s all you do? Complaining is good to get some frustration off of your chest, but other than that it’s really no good to you. If your situation is bad enough that you’re complaining on a regular basis, then it’s bad enough to take action on. I’m a firm believer that we control our own destinies for the most part. Sure, there are situations that we can’t just change overnight. For instance, if you’re ready to move on from your job you may not be in a financial situation to just up and quit. That’s okay, but if you’re motivated enough you’ll work towards the goal of moving on to a new opportunity. It’s all a part of understanding your motivation, and the act of complaining is the first inkling that you may have something new brewing that may bring about change in your life.
When people say that they’re not happy in their life, the first thing I ask is why and what they are doing to change it. We all will reach a point in our lives when we’re unhappy. That alone doesn’t make you special, as it’s something common to everybody to experience hardship of some sort. Those that truly are fulfilled in their lives are the ones that analyze their frustrations and take the necessary steps to change them. Anyone can talk about why they’re unhappy, it’s not difficult. But sometimes doing the things that would make us happy involve risk, the possibility of rejection, or making a tough decision. It’s much easier to just complain about things and never have to put yourself out there for the possibility of failure. Taking that conservative approach will work for some, as they value the security over the possible regret they may feel in the future. Personally I’ve always been the type that does not handle regret very well. I will constantly beat myself up about past regrets and think about the “what-ifs” constantly. For that reason, I do all I can to never have regrets and sometimes that means taking some (calculated) risks.
In the end, only you can decide what works best in your life. But the next time you find yourself complaining about your situation, take the time to analyze what it would take to make you happy. Once you have an idea, think about how it would make you feel if you got there. That feeling is what can drive you to take on any adversity in your situation. You have to balance your tolerance for risk with your tolerance for your current situation, and find the right opportunity to work towards where you want to be. Whatever you do, don’t just be someone who constantly complains and never does anything about it. Over time you’ll probably find that even you’ll get tired of hearing yourself complain about the same things over and over again.
