courtesy of mamepiyo

Ok…  here is what I call, “The Sumo Death Grip.”

Working a job because you need some kind of money coming in but it’s REALLY not you and “because of the economy” you work just as hard there as anywhere else. Where does this lead?

It leads to being drained beyond belief that you don’t have any energy to do anything about it.  And if you do, the work environment you’re in is full of people like this – making it INCREDIBLY difficult to do anything outside of the ordinary to make a change for the better.  Why?

For these people to see you succeed makes them feel less (and either they won’t allow it OR they ostracize you for being so “different” that it’s easier to just go along with everyone else).  Not only that, because they are just as miserable as you appear to be, they don’t want to see someone like you succeed.

So what happens is that days turn into weeks.  Weeks turn into months.  Months turn into years and basically…  you just did what I call “The Sumo Death Grip” – you basically stapled your feet to the ground of this soul draining lifestyle without even knowing it and…

So are you wondering, “How do I know so much about this?”

I’ve observed hundreds of people unconsciously doing this for about 10 years of my life working various “Survival Jobs” to fund my own business.  But here is the thing…

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SETTLE FOR THIS ANYMORE!

Here are some insights to help you AVOID being stuck in the “Sumo Death Grip.”

1 – Call a “time out.”

What do I mean by this?  Take a break!

Simple huh?  But the weird thing is, most people I’ve met in this type of scenario are NOT taking their break.  Why?

Probably because deep down you feel as if you have to “prove yourself” to keep your job and… what are you nuts?!?!?!

Isn’t your monetary wealth JUST AS IMPORTANT as your emotional and phsycial health?  And besides, what good is any kind of money if your job AND work ethic is making you sick?

Not only that… most state laws require you to take your breaks for a reason.  I worked for a major corporation that was sued $1,000,000 because they forced people to work through their break.

More importantly, you can get so much done on your break it is INCREDIBLE!

Me personally, during all of those lunches and short breaks is when I finished my first book.  Booked HUNDREDS of shows as a singer/songwriter (in my early days).  Worked on this web site.  Wrote blog articles.  Read books on how to build my own business… and on and on and on.

And the thing is… you should NOT use your break to socialize if you are caught in “The Sumo Death Grip.”

IF you are caught in the “Sumo Death Grip” YOU need this time to re-awaken your spirit (not to complain with everyone else about how much the job you work at sucks your life dry).

Some other alternatives would be listening to some uplifting music, walking in nature, writing, drawing ridiculous pictures of your boss – I’m serious.

Anything that helps you escape and rejuvenate your mind.  Remember… it doesn’t have to be overly complex and cost a ton of money either – but it does have to happen every day you are working there.

2 – Share how you HONESTLY feel.

You can do this a few ways.

For me, there is nothing more cathartic than writing how you honestly feel about something in a journal OR on a blog like this.  For me, it’s how I can connect with others that might be feeling the same way.

The other way to do this would be to surround yourself with other people who are flat out 100% honest with you.  I know for some that might be a hard thing – but I think it’s INCREDIBLY important to get some honest feedback from people who know the REAL you.

At times we self hypnotize ourselves into thinking a situation is much better than it is to avoid the real pain, but deep deep down we need someone else to say, “Look… you are better than this.”

And this only comes from some really honest friends that know who you are AND know who you are not.

3 – Don’t think that because you work a “regular job,” you can’t make a difference.

I think that’s the biggest misconception about living you.  In the short term I believe, “You have to do what you have to do.”  But in the long term, you also owe it to yourself AND everyone else, to do the things you feel capable of doing (despite the job you’re working).

Whether you decrease your hours to do this (working 4 days a week instead of 5). Whether you change from full time to part time hours – so you can focus more on transitioning into doing what you love.  Whether you start your own blog because you feel you have something to say that no one else is saying (while still working). Whether you work another part time job in a business that you think of owning (before actually owning it).  Whether you work towards doing what you truly love during your breaks…

You need to start pay attention to what you FEEL you need to be doing despite the current circumstances of the “Sumo Death Grip.”

Sure you may run out of breathe, but it doesn’t need to kill you.

4 – Be good to yourself.

I know that we don’t necessarily live in a society that says it’s ok to pat yourself on the back.  But I think it’s critical to do.

And not only that, use your FREAKING VACATION DAYS!

I’ve worked jobs where people LITERALLY had weeks of vacation days piled up. For the life of me, I couldn’t understand why.

From personal experience, it’s hard to see what the right this is to do when you are constantly in a particular situation (especially one like this).  Only until you step outside of it do you sometimes “see the light.”

So stop putting yourself in the dark and nasty, “Sumo Death Grip.”  Ok?  And remember… you can’t see “the light” if you’re constantly putting yourself in the dark.

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