When I entered the business world for the first time, I took my Type-A self with me. I was accustomed to executing, perfectly, everything I wanted to do. The thought of my company having a mind of its own terrified me, but I learned quickly that this was the reality. There was so much about Corporate America that I could not control, and I had a decision to make. Was I going down with a stress-induced stomach ulcer, or was I going to become more comfortable with nonsensical approaches and difficult situations?
I took the latter path, but it was years before I could say I was okay when things at work did not turn out the way I wanted them to, or when I was put into situations that made me supremely uncomfortable. Here’s some advice for how you can get to this point faster than I did.
Start One Step at a Time
Many Americans lead unhealthy, sedentary lives because the thought of eating the right things and exercising makes them feel uncomfortable. The prospect of change seems so overwhelming that they avoid it altogether. The thing is, there’s a happy medium. Pick something at work that causes you discomfort and expose yourself to it in small doses. For example, if you don’t like public speaking but your new job requires it, how about starting by speaking up in a team meeting? While you’re doing the test activity, note how you feel and whether anything bad happened as you faced your fear.
Some Problems Aren’t Meant to Be Solved
No matter what you do, if you work in an organization with other people, you will not be able to configure your environment to your exact specifications. So, let go of the notion that you are responsible for ridding the company of its issues, its crazy people, etc. Tell yourself that you are going to do your job to the best of your ability, and that you will relinquish power over situations you can’t control. When you stop railing against the system and realize that some degree of company turmoil is par for the course, you will experience less discomfort and negative emotions in general.
For the rest of my advice, check out the full post on Intuit's Fast Track blog.
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