1/3/2023 0 Comments The hamster wheel of life![]() We cling to them almost with a sense of desperation because we crave to belong until the quiet whisper of our inner voice becomes an undeniable roar which we can no longer suppress. Old norms have rapidly been replaced by new norms of disruption, uncertainty, and change, yet many of us still persist in following the old norms handed down the generations. It is the angst which stems from the human condition, reflecting a sense of being purposeless and a lack of meaning, ultimately leading to a Kafkaesque sense of isolation. I have heard that same voice of anguish and torment which I had identified in myself and recognised its roots. In the course of my work during the best part of the last twenty years as a career development professional, I have seen and heard the same angst in my clients, again and again, no matter which generation they are from. ![]() The process of change was muddled and challenging with many hours spent in the Rodin pose of reflection, but ultimately worth it as it brought me back to and reflected, my true sense of self. It led to relocation back in the land of my fathers and the move enabled me to develop a new career direction. In my case, a few years of soul searching and self-inquiry through life coaching and other therapy training courses, combined with voracious reading of self-help books and multiple conversations with experts, friends and carefully chosen family members followed. We keep them focussed on the need to do well in exams without helping them anchor this clearly in a clear and meaningful purposeful context beyond the results themselves. When we resist being who we really are, we cause ourselves the most pain, often ending up ill both mentally and physically and burnt out from the effort of fighting our own authentic self and living meaningless lives of quiet desperation caught in the hamster wheel with no clear escape route.Īs Jung said, many of the problems of modern-day life are caused by an individual’s “progressive alienation from his instinctual foundation.” It is little wonder therefore that we have such high levels of mental health-related issues across the generations and in particular, why our young people feel lost and end up depressed. #The hamster wheel of life professionalLooking back, I realised that I had become totally distanced from my natural and authentic self and become worn out mentally and physically from years of unconsciously wearing what Jung would call the persona of conformity, striving like many of us to be someone I wasn’t but felt I was supposed to be.Īs Jean-Paul Sartre identified, the existential cry which comes from our true self can’t be stifled – whether that’s to do with our professional or personal identity if we are truly to be. I ended up becoming caught in the hamster wheel of business publishing as a high achieving but ultimately unfulfilled sales and marketing director/publisher. ![]() Unconsciously living someone else’s life has unintended and unforeseen consequences apart from the illusion of being chained by the golden handcuffs of salary. ![]() There was one clear but unspoken message to keep up with the programme – and there was only one programme. At no time can I recall family discussions about individual values taking place other than the occasional fiery rebuttal whenever I unintentionally challenged theirs. For the first 17 years of my career, I followed the misguided but well-intentioned perceived wisdom handed down to me by parents who came from a generation that craved safety and security in a post-war Britain.įollowing their unspoken nudges, overt advice and outright direction, I unintentionally created a working life which reflected their values and beliefs rather than my own. ![]()
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