Myths about Work and Career

I have been reflecting on how pervasive social and cultural assumptions around work are.  In a recent conversation with a woman in Sydney, I was asked whether she should leave her job in order to earn more to live the life she wanted.  She said that her salary did not match the cost of the things she wanted to do.  She saw her options as finding a higher paying job, starting out on her own or adjusting her lifestyle to match her income. 

I asked her what she what she was really good at - what was the one thing that if she did it really well would yield the highest revenue for her organisation.  She easily spoke about her talents and skills that yielded the greatest business for her company.  I suggested she propose to her boss that if she could just concentrate on that one activity and it yielded a subtantial increase in income to her department, she would be given the same percentage increase in salary as the increase in revenue to her company.  She did and over four months, her salary was increased by 40%.

She had never thought it possible to negotiate with her boss about her salary outside of her employment contract. Social and cultural myths and assumptions surrounding how we negotiate in paid employment limit us even negotiating the rules - she did and it paid off.  As yourself 'Where do I limit myself because I assume this is how it is?' 

What are myths affecting our daily lives.

I am interesting in how social and cultural assumptions, beliefs and myths influence the way in which we view what is possible in our lives.   The ways in which 'Myths' are often viewed is that they are mystical, allegorical or legendary.  The way I look at them is that they are unquestioned assumptions that limit the information or way of looking at choices we have.  'Myths' are the label I give to the pressures to conform to the accepted behaviour of the majority.  There are many Myths which I believe influence and inhibit our decision-making and rob us of the freedom to choose our own way of being.  My blog on myths and assumptions will highlight the enormous extent to which I believe we fail to see outside limited parameters of our culture and society - by seeing this, we can choose again and create the life we want - not one dictated by others, the media or society as to what we should be doing.