……Lisa R Rocks it Out at Paris Disneyland
Enjoying your work, even if it’s creative, can be challenging. If we’re perfectionists (or we work for someone who is) we can be so stressed out about looking good, never making any mistakes. And if our work involves any creative skill at all, our egos and self-worth are really on the line. So we spend much of our days defensive, wounded or terrified. Or, we may look at our work as a necessary evil, the thing that keeps us from doing all the creative things we really want to be doing. So we drag our keesters in grudgingly, and often late, grumbling about our co-workers, our clients, and our lives in general.
In 2003, I was an advertising creative director with a wall full of awards, a fat paycheck, a wardrobe full of good meeting-appropriate attire, and, best of all, an assignment in Paris. But after selling canned ravioli, computers and contact lenses for 20 years, the lack of meaning and the constant politics and stress in my job were wearing on me. So when my agency merged and offered me a generous “separation” package, I jumped at it.
Even though I didn’t want to do the work anymore, the sudden loss of my professional identity was disorienting and a little depressing. While I was pondering my next move, a member of the choir in which I sang said his group that was doing holiday music at Disneyland Paris was in need of an alto. Was I interested? At loose ends for the first time since college, I thought, what the heck.
I got the surprise of my life. It was the best job I’d ever had. I found I loved not caring about looking silly, in my red “Swing-Along Santa” costume. I loved the behind-the-scenes look I got of the park, as I’d been a Disney fan since birth. I loved the close harmony, both musical and personal, that I had with my singing teammates. And most of all, I loved getting out in front of the park guests, especially the children, mugging and trying to get them to sing and dance along with us.
While it only lasted a couple of months and was definitely not a career stepping-stone, my Disney job unexpectedly got me my mojo back, and has had a lasting influence on my life and work. When I analyzed what was different about this job, and myself doing this job, I came away with nine lessons you can apply to any endeavor (creative or professional or both) to make it happier and more successful.
1. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Even if I’d tried, it was impossible in that dopey Santa suit. Instead of worrying all the time about looking like an idiot, as I did in my corporate job, here it was a foregone conclusion, so I went with it. Ironically, this was the only paying job I’ve had where I was actually on stage, and yet it’s also the only job where I didn’t feel and act as if the whole world depended on or revolved around me. What a relief! And yet, I found people noticed and liked me just as much; in fact, probably more.
2. But give the work 100%. I did my job every day to the best of my ability, gave it my all, and at the end of the day I was exhausted, but not drained. I felt I had put in a good day’s work. It was easy to “leave it at the office” and enjoy my days off because I deserved them.
3. Remember your wins, let the rest go. If I missed a note or a step, I didn’t berate myself, or allow myself to think that a mistake meant that I’d spoiled everything or that I had no talent. Nothing seemed a big enough deal to be worth worrying about. I did, however, find myself replaying the fun or comical moments of the day on the train ride home and getting an extra smile or chuckle out of them. This was a big switch from my previous habit of reviewing my failures, wince-inducing things I’d said and various petty grievances…while discounting anything positive. (Read the rest under this video I found — music starts around 2:20; you only have to watch for a minute to get the idea. I’m not in it as it’s after I left — but some of my old friends are still there! I was second alto, front row right. The music and costumes are the same, though Goofy has been added to the act!)
4. Show up on time or early. There was no question of letting my team down, and the trains ran on a set schedule, which helped. But sitting on that train, I knew the peace of knowing that I would arrive when I was supposed to, with no adrenaline, no drama, no having to think up lame excuses, no reproachful looks. And no more trying to fit in “just one more thing” before I left for work. I gave myself permission to do less. And I felt that I counted more. I now believe that knowing that your contribution matters is a huge part of enjoying your work.
5. Be in the moment. Instead of my old habit of sitting immobile at a desk for hours as my mind darted wildly over possible impending disasters on other projects or in other realms of my life, I was totally consumed by singing, dancing, smiling, turning on the twinkle lights on my suit at the appropriate time…there was no room for any distractions, or physical or mental multi-tasking. It was almost a kind of meditation. Just stay on task and you’ll find yourself enjoying your work a lot more.
6. Actively look for ways to enjoy yourself. I was always looking around for more ways to have fun and enjoy life on that job. Granted, it was Disneyland, and fun was kind of the point of the whole place, but the main reason I was happy was my attitude. I was grateful to be there. There were some of my colleagues there who looked quite Grumpy after they had placed their Happy head next to them on the banquette in the canteen. They didn’t seem to know that they were in the happiest place on Earth. They looked like they were working for the IRS.
7. Play well with everyone you can. Ignore the others. Jean-Paul Sartre famously wrote “Hell is other people.” And those people can keep you from enjoying your work, but only if you let them. I liked most of the people I worked with and went out of my way to help them and be friendly, whether they were in my “department” or not. And as for the ones I didn’t like so much, I didn’t dwell on it. I got on with them as best I could, and again, “left it at the office.” I didn’t talk about them (ok, not much) behind their backs. As a result I had much less stress and more friends.
8. Don’t look to the job to make you happy. Do it Yourself. God knows the 150th time you sing “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” you’ve exhausted any inherent musical interest. The work was, by definition, routine to the point of monotony. But it was new to every audience who saw us, and that’s where my focus went. I got out of myself and thought about others and making their experience a happy one. This made my energy an ever-renewable resource. So go the extra mile. I remember a city bus driver in Manhattan who charmed a load of frazzled New York rush-hour passengers by appointing himself a tour guide, and giving the history of the sights we passed (at a snail’s pace) in a booming baritone. A big part of enjoying your work is recognizing that it’s really up to you.
9. Take pride in what you do. I was proud to work for Disney, my “uniform” notwithstanding. I think I bought every item of Disney gear available (at a substantial employee discount of course) and for years afterward I didn’t own a pair of socks or underwear without a character on them. I now think that if you work anywhere that you don’t believe in what the company is doing, or in any profession that you have to make excuses for, you should get out immediately. I don’t care how good you are at your job, or how much they are paying you. This is true even if –especially if! –you have your own business. If you can’t be proud of what you’re doing, stop.
When I remember to apply these principles and practices to the work I do now, whether it’s for a paying job, a volunteer post, or a personal project, I have a lot more joy in my life, and – not coincidentally – I find that the work goes better too. After so many years as a successful executive, I’m so grateful that I got off my high horse, out of that corner office, and into that silly red costume. I found my true self again, and my sense of enthusiasm, doing the silliest, most unexpected job imaginable. Now I value having the right attitude as much or more as the right skill set.
And when I find those old dark clouds of stress and self-criticism beginning to gather, I hum a holiday tune, do a little dance, and everything lightens up. It does get me some odd looks in August, but I guess that’s just an occupational hazard I’ll have to live with.
NOTE: You can read a more detailed version of this story and many other inspirational tales by luminaires in personal development in the new book Happiness Awaits You. This wonderful collection, all about finding joy in unexpected places, was co-authored by fellow DaVinci Diva Liisa Kyle, Ph.D. If you want a real pick-me-up, pick up Happiness Awaits You here.
Activity: Think back on jobs you’ve had or projects you’ve worked on. What about them made them fun? Did they allow you to use your talents? What about your own attitude and behavior made them better than they might have been? Are you using any of these elements in your current work? Could you?
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