“Desiderata”, a take on how it reads for life at work.

When I was at university, I came across “Desiderata”, a poem written by the American Max Ehrmann. I have always found the term “poem” misleading, as “Desiderata” is cast in long prose and reads like an essay. An outline of the writer’s tenets of a good life, it remains to this day one of my favourite pieces of writing, simple, profound and long-spanning.

I have yet to come across a work-oriented “Desiderata”, unless you take into consideration Simon Sinek and his inspired exposes on the world of work, millennials at work, and the management of millennials at work. But if there’s one thing that Simon advocates for is finding your way authentically through the world of work, so it is extremely useful every now to get crystal clear about what that looks like for one.

Ensure your work aligns with who you are and looking to be. That it takes you where you want to go. Support and take care of the people around you, especially when you’re in a position to do so. Give the business you’re in a clear direction, the people vision and ease their burden as you travel to get there.

Help your clients by showing them what lies beyond the brief they’re sending and inspire them to believe in the power of their brand. Always have a reason for your action, stay in motion, never waste and sit on time when you could be moving. Forward. However small, each step will take you closer to where you wish to go. And when you stray, come back to the same path. You’ll recognise it by the wonder in your footsteps.

Stop only for the things that you were looking for. Enrich them as you find them, then keep looking for new directions.