Talk About the Passion

Today during lunch break, I voluntarily went to an HR session to watch a video called "the Passion Plan." In "The Passion Plan," this guy Richard Y. Chang explains how to spark passion at work. Not that kind of passion. Chang encouraged viewers to consider all the positive aspects of work. Here's my list of the most exciting aspects of my job.

Excellent health benefits and dental coverage
Convenient location
Free videos and books
Free internet access
Entertaining (wittingly and unwittingly) co-workers
Getting to work with fun software in between regular duties
Getting to design t-shirts once a year
No hosiery expectations

Frankly, but for the benefits, that list sucks. Yet I must make the best of my current situation, if only out of kindness to the people who share my workspace. They might not know it, but I try my best not to give off a miserable vibe. I just have to find a way to be cheerful without coming off like an idiot or a doormat.

In a creepier part of the session, the live facilitator hearkened back to her parents' days when workers were just happy to have a job, never mind any career passion. Yes, them coal mines was bliss. And they knew wot was wot down at mill.

I think there's some kind of weird crazy making going on here. I really do want to have a positive attitude and take personal responsibility for my career. I just don't know if employers can expect employees to be proactively empowered and loyally content at the same time.

I also went to a private career coach this week for an initial consultation. She was much better than the career coach in my HR department. One approach the private coach recommends trying move within the university. I've been looking for job postings and I was already rejected for one job, but with the low hosiery requirements, openings are rare here. Perhaps I can use both career coaches in a pincer move, or what the Zulus called The Horns of the Bull.