One's career should have nothing in common with a dead battery. In fact, job security alone will not make someone happy. Satisfaction on the job comes when one is making a difference in what he or she particularly wants to do. How many times all of us have have had to do menial tasks that got us no where? To combat the dead battery prognosis, it is important to revitalize one's career.
It is not about what one is doing, it is about what he or she wants to do. It is possible to learn new skills for career advancement outside of work. It is possible. There are a variety of seminars, community resources, and the internet to help accomplish learning new skills. There are continuous advancements in most fields from hospitality to physics. There is no reason to let one's skills become antiquated, just because a job or the current state of a career does not require them. Going the extra mile does not have to take up a lot of time. In fact, it is possible to expand a skill set on any calendar. Moving forward with one's career does not mean waiting for opportunities to come at a current job. Taking charge of one's skill set is beneficial for the present, as well as the future.
Revitalizing one's career involves being active in one's needs. Focusing on new skills and present competencies will make one more satisfied with his or her performance. Furthermore, going the extra mile will give a major sense of accomplishment. All of a sudden there will be less stress during weekends and holidays. Many of the petty pet peeves will dissolve. Bringing work into a better focus does not mean transforming into a workaholic, or cancelling all dates and outings. It is a matter of gaining the needed skills to do work smarter.
Apart from accomplishing tasks and gaining skills, there is a social aspect to revitalizing a career. There is the assurance that the process is not a session of studying at the library in a lonely corner, or gazing at the computer until everything else looks square. For many who want to advance their careers, it about knowing people who can recommend one or two things. Revitalization is a social process, even in something as personal as one's career.
If one is still not convinced, the bottom line should surely give a wake up call. Most people do not work in their area of study from university. The majority of the population are not fortune-tellers, and cannot predict the future. The most practical thing one can do is to move his or her career in the desired direction through gaining new skills more pertinent to a desirable career area. This means that the bonuses and raises will keep coming. It will mean that the amount of opportunities will increase. Since advancing one's career often means higher earnings, and being satisfied with one's efforts is rewarding, the combination is the best of both worlds.