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Treat Your Work as an Adventure

by Jonathan R Taylor

I love stories of adventure. This week while browsing at a used book store, I came across a copy of The Endurance by Caroline Alexander. This book tells the exciting story of British explorer Earnest Shackleton and his legendary Antarctic expedition. The book is an absolute gem filled with plenty of astonishing photos of his crew's journey.

I love stories of adventure. This week while browsing at a used book store, I came across a copy of The Endurance by Caroline Alexander. This book tells the exciting story of British explorer Earnest Shackleton and his legendary Antarctic expedition. The book is an absolute gem filled with plenty of astonishing photos of his crew's journey.
His adventure reminded me of a previous story I read about his hiring practices. In searching for worthy seamen for the expedition, Shackleton placed what has become one of the most famous ads in the London Times. It read:
"Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages. Bitter cold. Long months of complete darkness. Constant danger. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in case of success."
This ad supposedly drew over 5,000 applicants. Wow, contrast this with much of the attitudes toward work we see today. Work is very seldom looked at with a sense of adventure. Many job seekers these days are looking for the positions in big companies that offer benefits thinking this will guarantee security. I see people taking job positions because they offer solid health insurance plans.
The truth to all this is: security is a myth. Larger companies, in reality, are the ones that end up cutting the most jobs in the end. General Douglas MacArther once made the statement, "Security is your ability to produce." Are you just working for the benefits or the perceived security? Maybe it's time to reevaluate your work situation. Maybe it's time treat your career as an adventure. If insurance benefits are a concern to you, I strongly recommend you get a copy of Paul Zane Pilzer's book The New Health Insurance Solution.
Author Stephen Covey once said, "People can't live with change if there's not a changeless core inside them." Pursuing your true vocation in the right manner is the only way to have security. It certainly doesn't come from any company.
"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. Security does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than exposure." - Helen Keller

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