Are you the crabby chairlift attendant at work?

Over the holiday, my family went skiing at our favorite Midwest ski destination. I grew up in a family of seven and skiing two weekends a month was the norm. My children run the gamut between experienced and beginners. Alex can snowboard with the best of them while my little girls are becoming masters of the bunny hill.

While my wife was manning the bunny hill, Alex and I decided to head for the summit. Our favorite ski hill has our favorite chairlift: a six-passenger, high-speed chairlift that gets us up lickety split! Because the hill was crowded that day, there was a “helper” attendant who counted off parties of six so the chair was always at full capacity. He would point to people and give them a number, “1-2-3-4-5-6… GO!”

Our first ride up had us positioned on the end (seats 5 and 6), and we didn’t know the attendant was there organizing the lines. We prematurely approached the loading corral before he yelled “go” and as a result we were not properly counted. By the time we realized what had happened, we had managed to back up the line a bit. Crabby (that’s what Alex and I now call him) approached us and said, “I get paid to work here and I don’t like coming out here and counting these lines!”

Alex looked at me and asked, “What does that mean?” Crabby was obviously trying to reprimand us but didn’t know how to articulate his chastising clearly. I told Alex, “I think it means he doesn’t like his job.”

Are you the crabby chairlift attendant where you work? Do you dread going to work? Do you let everyone know it? Believe me when I tell you that you’re not doing anyone any favors by bringing your negativity to work every day—especially yourself!

When you enjoy what you do, you never work another day in your life. I’ve learned that your attitude brings true joy to any job. In my life I’ve been employed as a city lawn maintenance worker, school bus driver, beverage sampler at grocery stores, gymnastics and choir instructor to little kids, and as a dinner theater director and performer. I enjoyed all of these jobs and dedicated myself to being the best employee and contributor that I could at each one.

I know what it’s like to have jobs that you know are not going to be your life’s calling. However, whether you signed up to be a bus driver or a marketing director, you’ve committed yourself to do your best and along with giving your best is bringing a positive attitude to work each day. I applaud all of you who have a positive attitude at work and who focus on your jobs with maximal energy and commitment. I believe it’s the key to a life of happiness and fulfillment.

Joe Kiedinger

ACTION PLAN:  Find your purpose today in what you’re doing.