Have To or Get To
Monday, September 29, 2008 at 06:57PM Seth Godin's post Get to vs. have to resonated with me. In it he asks:
How much of your day is spent doing things you have to do (as opposed to the things you get to do)?
and suggests the higher the percentage of things you "get to do" as opposed to "have to do," the greater the likelihood of happiness and success.
Were Jessica Hagy at indexed to look at this, she might draw:
Yes, it's a book checkout card, not an index card. Tough noogies.
One workshop I give touches on the difference between intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation, revisiting Ed Psych 101. A question I pose to illustrate the difference is "If you won the lottery tomorrow and never HAD to work again, what things do you do at work that you would continue to do?" I am sometimes disappointed that teachers and librarians are rather slow to come up with tasks that they like to do so much that they'd keep doing them.
Eventually a short list appears:
- I'd still read children/YA literature.
- I'd still read aloud to kids.
- I'd still teach kids how to use ____________ software (KidPix, Inspiration, PowerPoint).
- I'd still try out new software or technologies.
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in his old book Flow writes about people who are able to take even mundane tasks (washing dishes, loading trucks, working on assembly lines, etc.) and turn them into intrinsic challenges by setting personal goals or challenges. I expect many of us have figured out how to do this one way or another.
So far I run about 80% "get to" parts vs. 20% "have to" parts of my job. I genuinely like coming to work everyday. Well, almost everyday. It's a combination of luck and attitude probably. If ever the "have to" portion of my job gets bigger than the "get to" part, I hope I have the good sense and courage to move on.
What's on your list of "get to's?" What would you keep doing even if you won the lottery? How do we encourage those poor people who seem to live an entire work-life of "have to's" to find a more fitting position?
Reader Comments (9)
I've posted my response at Wanderings
Doug,
Being a Teacher-Librarian is a second career for me and when I was hired into my current position I felt like the luckiest person on the planet. If I won the lottery would I still do this job? Yes! My "get to" is that I get to share my love of reading with over 900 kids and their parents and I get to teach and collaborate with a group of very talented teachers. I also get to learn about new technologies and solve problems. No day or minute is ever the same. I’m a believer that attitude is everything. I have been asked many times how I can remain so cheerful when things are not going my way. I tell the nonbelievers/naysayers to see each challenge as a new problem to solve. Hey, I’m a librarian for crying out loud. Researching and problem solving are my specialties! :o)
OMG...I love this post! Let's see...
I 'get to' teach kiddos (well, they're high school, but still kiddo in my book). I get to learn new technologies that I in turn get to teach the kiddos.
I get to sponsor a Junior Achievement Company Program that prepares students for both college and career (The kiddos in this extracurricular activity are just incredible...). I get to teach Sports Marketing...well...it' just rocks! I get to teach computer applications and other tekkie stuff...
I get to do a lot of 'things' as a high school teacher that I NEVER got to do when I was in business/industry. I get to make a difference in the lives of young people...my prayer is that the difference I make is a positive one and prepares them adequately for a VERY compeititve marketplace.
Probably the only thing I HAVE to do is a bunch of seemingly needless paperwork. So, if I won the lottery, I would teach for free and hire someone to do the 'seemingly needless paperwork' for me so I could continue to do the 'get to' stuff.
Thanks for a great post!!
This is a question I've thought about before. I like to amuse myself by imagining what I would do with the money if I won the lottery, though I refuse to buy lottery tickets. Anyhow...
If I won the lottery, I know I would continue teaching, because I feel like it is something I get to do. One of my best friends has a job she hates, but it pays well. She's currently looking for a job in an area that she will like, but says she feels guilty about possibly giving up her salary. I try to encourage her by using my career as an example. I have a salary that doesn't exactly put a twinkle in my eye, but I love teaching and I look forward to (nearly) every day. I just can't imagine spending 40+ hours of my week doing something I don't enjoy! What's the point?
I love that I get to: spend time with middle school kids every day (what a perspective!); share my faith (I teach in a Christian school); learn from the kids; witness AHA! moments; hear from former students that I really helped them; laugh and smile; be a positive influence; play and sing and dance; get excited about things like rocks and tapeworms and indirect objects; and come home exhausted at the "end" of each day -- even though there are papers to grade, games to coach, and lessons to plan.
All my "get to do " things seem to be those intrinsic motivation things - (yeah I know - it's kinda the same thing) - but here's what I mean:
I get to solve problems - I want to keep doing that when I retire
I get to learn new things - ditto
I get to teach others and help them learn new things - Yeah - could I ever stop doing that ?
I get to read new books and explore new websites and software.
I have to fight to keep my budget
I have to struggle with folks who don't want to learn new things or read
I have to hope that all teachers are learners first.
"How do we encourage those poor people who seem to live an entire work-life of "have to's" to find a more fitting position?"
In this age of shrinking jobs that pay well - a Volvo plant just announced closure in a small one industry town in Ontario knocking 400 people out of work - it's hard for many people to find the ideal job.
One piece of advice I value is that one should consider one's job like a mercenary. You perform your eight hours of 'have to's' to the best of your ability. Then after work make your time rich with the 'get to's'. Some people fritter that time away, but others blossom with exciting endeavours!
Doug,
Got to/get to- like so many things in life it's how you choose to look at it.
@ Hi Jacquie,
I really liked your extension of this:
Instead I’d like to ask a related question…. How can we redesign school so kids can “get to” do stuff they like at least part of the day - and not just lunch or recess?
How did I miss this????
Doug
@ Kelly,
I think many of us find pleasure in solving problems. Wouldn't life be dull without them?
Doug
@ Hi Estie,
All I can add to this is that I wish my own kids and grandkids had YOU as a teacher. I'll bet your "get-to" attitude is visible everyday.
Appreciate your comments,
Doug
@ Sharon,
Like Este, I'll bet your students sense this and respond in positive ways.
I DO like the idea of hiring somebody to do the paperwork!
Doug
@ Hi Tim,
I'm with you on all of these, except the budget fight. I find this a "get-to," but then I suppose I'm weird. Maybe it depends on your win-loss record!
Thanks for the list!
Doug
@ Hi Paul,
Funny, this is the same advice I gave to my artist son. You can make your art your job or you can have a job to support your art. I am not sure which makes one happier in the long run - and maybe there is no way to know. I love writing and teaching and tech, but I also love having a little disposable income!
Thanks,
Doug
@Elona,
Yup!
Doug
This is exactly why I'm working on my SLM degree. The unwanted "have tos" of grading, testing, disciplining, etc have tipped the scales of the "get tos" and I look forward to getting to advocate more for the books and technology and collaborating with ALL of the teachers and students in the building instead of just my particular "subgroup" as the test makers call them.
Great post, Doug.