I think we’re all looking forward to my Labor Day holiday weekend, but as a career coach I got to thinking… What is this holiday all about? I mean, c’mon, the word “Labor” seems so darn heavy. So, I looked up the actual definition on the US Department of Labor website (hey – there’s that word again!) and heres what I got:
“Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.”
As I dug deeper, I realized there is controversy as to how and where and by whom the holiday was actually started but even the US Department of Labor concludes that: “It is appropriate … that the nation pay tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation’s strength, freedom, and leadership — the American worker.”
So, how do you “labor”? What are your contributions to this nation through your work? So often we get focused on the minutia of what we do: the report we run weekly, the widgets we create, the code we write, the form that got filled out, the performance review we wrote. But what if you looked at your job and career at a more macro level?
Do this: Ask yourself what would happen if your job didn’t exist. Ask yourself overall how your efforts at work or in your business contribute to the overall success of this country, in your community, or even in the world. And, why is it important to the success and happiness of you and your family?
We’re often focused on the ‘to do’ list of the day and forget why we’re doing it, what it’s all for, and why it matters. So, on this Labor Day, pat yourself on the back for your contributions and have a toast to the American workers everywhere!
