When you are in the middle of the “smell,” you sometimes don’t realize how bad (or good) the situation may be.
Take a step outside.
One summer after I graduated high school, I was having a hard time finding a job. I went to a local recruitment center that would help me find temporary positions, and the first one they offered me was at a pig farm. Even when the recruiting officer was describing the job, she didn’t seem too enthusiastic about what she was sharing. There was a virus at the farm that was highly contagious, so they had to remove all of the pigs (I don’t want to think about what that meant!) and clean out the “stuff” from the barn that was carrying the disease. I was desperate for a job so I reluctantly accepted. She was shocked, but she told me where to go at night because it was a job that was 24/7, split into two different shifts.
I remember pulling up outside the barn, and the smell was terrible. So bad.
Then I went inside.
And the smell went to another level. It was tough to deal with.
For 12 hours, I stood in plastic coveralls with a hose and sprayed the “stuff” from the barn into a grated hole. I was literally up to my knees in it, which was horrible. They fortunately allowed me to bring a “walkman” (yes, I am that old) to listen to since it was an extremely monotonous job, which was the least of my concerns.
But as the hours ticked by, I became used to the smell. What was horrible before just “was,” and I made it through the entire night.
I remember cleaning myself up, walking outside of the barn to my car, and opening the door to what seemed to be the freshest air I had ever smelled in my life. It immediately hit me that what I thought was horrible before did not seem so bad now.
The next day, I called the recruitment center and said this was not something I could continue to do, and she congratulated me for lasting longer than others who had not made it through a shift.
Bless anyone who could do that job because, obviously, it was needed.
Still, anyone who knows me at all would be shocked that I have worked in things like construction before because I am not terribly good with my hands (I actually shot a nail in my hand at my next job, but that is another story!).
The reason I share this today is that I think about that experience all of the time, and it has shaped my thinking in how I approach the opportunities I pursue or continue with in my life.
Not because of the job but because of the smell. It was horrible, but eventually, I got used to it.
Until I stepped outside.
There have been jobs in my life that I knew were bad for me, but I took them and got used to how terrible the situation was that I no longer paid attention. I had let bosses speak down or mistreat me because I felt I had no other options.
But then you walk outside and realize the inside is worse. You just get used to the smell.
As I know people are planning for next year, here is a little piece of advice I offer you that will only apply to some who are currently reading this.
Some of the best things that have happened to me in my career weren’t jobs I received but jobs I left.
Never stay in a place that doesn’t make you feel valued.
I am sure you have seen this before, but I share it with you again anyway:
Step outside and ask yourself, am I in the right place?
If not, don’t get used to the smell.
(This post was inspired by this running reflection I recently did on Instagram. Also, just in case anyone is reading this and considering applying for a new job, here are some resources for you!)
