What If I'm Right?

UNDERSTANDING

THE STRUGGLE

You can die from someone else’s misery.

Emotional states are as infectious as a disease.

You may feel you are helping the

drowning man but you are only precipitating

your own disaster. The unfortunate

sometimes draw misfortune on themselves;

they will also draw it on to you. Associate

with happy and fortunate people instead!

DON’T DRINK THE BLOOD

Many clients and friends have shared with me their

frustration at being employed in a workplace that they

describe as corrupt or unsettling. In other words, they

eventually felt they could not remain working for a particular

employer or organization due to their own personal

integrity.

In today’s economy, it is extremely difficult to go

from job to job just because we may be uncomfortable or

disagree with the way a particular business, operation or

agency is run. If you are fortunate enough to work for a

decent wage, with benefits and the possibility of retirement,

you are extremely blessed. This is why it is imperative

that you get the fundamentals of this lesson.

If you ever saw the first movie of the BLADE trilogy,

starring Wesley Snipes, you will instantly be able to

relate to this analogy. At the beginning of the movie, the

vampires lure innocent citizens to a large club in a warehouse

district. The music is blaring and the club is jumping.

The camera spans the crowd, and everyone appears

to be having an excellent time. All of a sudden, from the

sprinkling system up above, blood is sprayed over the

crowd of dancers. Of course, the people begin to panic

and scream. At this point the vampires are elated,

because to them the tasty substance is like the appetizer

before a long-awaited feast.

Little do the ordinary people realize that they are

about to be devoured by their new friends. It was a setup.

The massacre was horrific, and it instantly made the

viewer think, “What would I do to get out of there?”

It only took an instant for me to calculate my departure

from this predetermined fate. Somehow I would

have to blend in with the vampires, while at the same

time remembering that my goal and purpose would ultimately

be to get out alive.

I apply this same strategy to my workplace. It is

essential that I collect a steady paycheck, make a contribution

to my employer, and someday retire. I call this

blending in with an emphasis on professional distance. I

don’t necessarily have to agree with the philosophy of the

agency, my supervisor, or even my coworkers; I just have

to do my job.

Remember, once the vampires sensed that a given

individual was not one of them, that person was

devoured and killed. Similarly, your life and livelihood

depend on how well you play the game, how well you

blend in to your environment and surroundings.

My philosophy is that I will dance, party, and work

with you, but I refuse to take on the characteristics of

you or the work environment. Those who never master

this simple strategy will eventually get eliminated, or

devoured. How many coworkers are labeled trouble from

the moment they walk in the door? How many of your

peers complain on a daily basis, but have no problem

cashing their paycheck on payday? These just might be

the very same individuals that can’t wait to tell you where

they are going on their next vacation.

The system is what it is. If you are disgruntled, my

suggestion is that you return to school, get the credentials,

and promote change within the infrastructure of

your organization. You also have the option to keep your

mouth shut, dance your way to the door and, most

importantly, don’t drink the blood!