Thanks for the comments everyone.

Chris, that point definitely keeps me on my toes.

Steve, I hear what you are saying, but I don't completely agree with you on your second point. "If you are not having a complete blast doing what you are doing, then you should do something else." this I agree with. But just because someone isn't "totally gratified, fulfilled, motivated, dedicated, etc." doesn't mean that they aren't giving their employer 100%. That view is a bit idealistic.

// start sarcastic

Great Post but I'll just get up every morning, put on a suite and and go work for the man filing, clocking in and getting told when I can and cannot eat my sack lunch.

// end sarcastic

And apparently I don't know how to string together a coherent sentence...

Good thoughts.

For me, my key word for the year is "purposed." I want to make my time spent at my day job and on my side ventures has purpose, but I also want my time with my family to have purpose. Thus, I'm trying to make sure I spend my time wisely on things thing bring value and return...whether in business or relationships.

Alternative POV I: Billions of people in the world are working a lot harder in impossibly worse conditions to achieve far less. The average annual per capita income in the world is $1,000 US. The median is lower than the average. So, a lot more than half of the people in the world are unbelievably poor and desperate with very little chance of improving their lot. The official poverty line in the US (where federal/state poverty benefits start coming to bear) is almost twenty times the annual average income of 4 billion peopl in the world. That's why they are doing everything that they can to get into this country and would be more than thrilled to do your job. Instead, they take the most menial jobs that there are here at minimum wage and send most of their earnings back home to their families. They would eat better out of our company snack bar than they've ever eaten in their entire lives.

Alternative POV II: If you are not having a complete blast doing what you are doing, then you should do something else. If you are not totally gratified, fulfilled, motivated, dedicated, etc. then your employer is not getting 100% of what you should be able to do. You are not accomplishing all that you could be if you were totally stoked. And you could be better spending this huge chunk of your life doing something else.

Alternative POV III: Try winning the Tour de France again after nearly dying from cancer.

Great advice Chad. I especially like the 5th point. "Your competitors are working harder." Keeps me going.