JC - Technology and Stuff

…and so should yours be.

Mathematicians tell us that most ‘normal’ distributions fall under a bell shaped curve. That is to say if you drew a bell (see diagram opposite) with quantity along the y axis and ‘whatever’ on the x axis, then the area under the curve at distinct points would be equal to certain pre-defined percentages. Put another way, most of us would exhibit a certain behavior a certain percentage of the time. Nearly every possible population set for any given set of circumstances results in a curve of this nature. That’s both reassuring and disappointing at the same time. Reassuring because there’s some predictability to it and it’s nice to know where the boundaries are, but disappointing in that we as human beings are at the end of the day so predictable after all.

Anyway I digress. I wanted to write a little today about careers (or my observations about careers, since I claim to be no expert in the matter). If my career was a bell shaped curve then I guess I’m over the hump. In fact I could apply some simple mathematics to work out exactly where I am, but that’s not the point. I only need to know that I’m over the hump. Maybe that means I’m ‘over the hill’ too, but that’s another totally unrelated topic! The hump of the bell curve is a good way to look at our careers. At first we are struggling for success (and wealth, and happinees, etc.), but as time goes on hopefully we improve and we start climbing that hill of the bell curve. New heights bring new challenges - normally in the form of stress. I am a firm believer in the theory that the higher in the bell curve you are (also factor in direction and gradient), the more stress you are also under. Wow! That really explains my late 30’s and early 40’s.

I don’t think most people undestand bell curves (or really care) and therefore don’t understand that in the end it all has to even out. Many people keep trying to climb and climb, thinking that by the time they are nearing retirement they will be at the top (but how stressed will they be? - I’m thinking 60 year old CEOs here). So let’s think about it for a moment. If the area under the curve represents a big part of your life and you use it all up at work then you’re not going to have any of it left by the time you retire. One day you’ll be at the top of the curve and then very next day you’ll be at the bottom. I would hazard a guess this is the quick route to the next world (think heart attack or stroke). Life needs to be a balance. Bell curves work for a reason.

So, I’m on the down slope of my career bell curve. I need to work out the exact angle and area I have left so I can do a good job in managing it. I think I’ll plot it out so I can calculate it.

In the chart above the black line represents the ‘ideal’ career bell curve (the red line maps my career path to date) and is mapped with age in years along the x axis and percentage of career capability / effort / investment along the y axis. Of course you could be an early or late bloomer and the curve could be skewed either way, but for my example I am assuming a standard bell curve. Either way you have to understand that there is only so much area available under the curve and this area eats into the rest of your life. If the area is too large you have no life outside of work!! Consider that when the line is at 80%, you only have 20% of your life quality left to give outside of a work environment.

My early career was steep and precipitous. Then it plateaued out for a few years. Then it took a brief  downturn. Then it went skywards for several years. Then it plateaued out again. Now it’s taking a natural downturn. Not because I’m unemployed or anything (I actually have a very good job), but because I need to keep that balance - for my own health and well being. I don’t need the stress anymore. I have interests and committments outside of work. I have a life. I have other bell shaped curves I want to embrace. My mum used to say that you can’t burn the candle at both ends (well actually I don’t think she did, but it’s the sort of thing that mums say). What that means is that you can’t fit in more than a day’s stuff in 24 hours. If you try and do then something will suffer. Put it another way. If you spend all your energy and stress on work, then your social life is going to suffer. Or your marriage. You know where I’m going. There is only a finite area under the bell curve. Use it wisely!

Well gosh I’ve rambled on for a few paragraphs without seemingly having any purpose. But I do. I have real purpose. By starting that journey down the other side of my career bell curve I have freed up time in my mind and for my body. I am now paying attention to things I let wander over the last few years. My health is benefitting (let’s not even talk about what my blood pressure used to be), my weight is coming down, my diet is improving, and my mind has more opportunity to imagine the future. Heck I even have more time to devote to a better relationship with my wife and children. It’s all in the bell curve.

I hope I’ve given you a little food for thought in this post and maybe you’ll try and map your career path to this chart. No matter what age you currently are, try and keep to the black line. You’ll live a lot longer and have a much happier and more fulfilling life.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 24th, 2008 at 4:29 pm and is filed under Stuff, Thoughts, Work. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.