Jaded

The reason why I'm insomniac tonight is due to some unpleasant events at work, but I'll probably not talk about it. Something I have to face myself.

I was just reading an article on "plasticine men"- people too engrossed with their work that they lose all their senses and goals. They are mostly in their mid 30s and hold a decent white collar job.
Even though there's a fair distribution of plasticine men around the world, a heavy concentration can be found in Asia.

This is precisely what I'm going to talk about tonight. How to avoid becoming a plasticine man.

Well firstly, most people spend more than 8hrs a day on their work. This is more than half of the waking hours spent. So if you're going to spend so much time doing something, it has to be something we like.

How do you know if you like it? The thing is, even with a job that you like, unpleasant things can happen at work too. So it may be hard at times to know if you really love the job. Recently, someone told me a brilliant method to gauge your love: Take the "VIA Survey of Character Strengths" (Google it!!!)

This simple survey reflects the top 5 strengths that you possess. The theory is that if you get to execute/use your top 5 strengths on a daily basis, you can be sure that you're on the right track.

Anyway, my top 5 are:

Your Top Strength

Curiosity and interest in the world You are curious about everything. You are always asking questions, and you find all subjects and topics fascinating. You like exploration and discovery.

Your Second Strength

Love of learning You love learning new things, whether in a class or on your own. You have always loved school, reading, and museums-anywhere and everywhere there is an opportunity to learn.

Your Third Strength

Appreciation of beauty and excellence You notice and appreciate beauty, excellence, and/or skilled performance in all domains of life, from nature to art to mathematics to science to everyday experience.

Your Fourth Strength

Creativity, ingenuity, and originality Thinking of new ways to do things is a crucial part of who you are. You are never content with doing something the conventional way if a better way is possible.

Your Fifth Strength

Hope, optimism, and future-mindedness You expect the best in the future, and you work to achieve it. You believe that the future is something that you can control.