No More Mondays

For everyone who dreads going to work on Monday mornings, inspiring advice on how to find fulfilling work in an uncertain age.

Do you hate Mondays?

If so, what’s keeping you at your current job?

If you said a steady paycheck and the promise of a secure retirement, then you’re in for a big disappointment. In today’s volatile economy, there is nothing safe about punching the clock for a job you hate.

As beloved talk-show host and bestselling author Dan Miller reveals, the only way to find true security is by following your calling and then finding or creating work that matches that calling and passion.

No More Mondays’s practical, inspirational advice speaks to people looking for guidance on how to launch a new career or business, those who want to stay in their current jobs and give the old 9-to-5 model a twenty-first-century makeover, and managers desperate to understand the way people want to work today. For all of them, Dan Miller’s message is loud and clear: If you’re one of those people who dread going to work on Mondays, do something about it!

———————————-

Here’s an excerpt from the book:

Is Your Job Making You “Stupid”?

Adam Smith, author of The Wealth of Nations, once wrote that a person who spends his life performing the same repetitive tasks “generally becomes as stupid and ignorant as it is possible for a human creature to become.” Wow! Now that’s not a pretty picture. Unfortunately, much of our work today consists of those boring, repetitive tasks.

But maybe you’re one of the many who have gotten caught up in thinking work is just something you do to support your weekends. Work is that necessary evil, a means to an end, or just a curse from God. You probably take your role of providing for yourself and those depending on you seriously. But you don’t expect to enjoy your work—you just do what has to be done.

Only now you’re seeing that even loyalty and dependability bring no guarantees. Lately you’ve seen coworkers who have been let go after years of faithful service. Perhaps your entire industryhas been shaken by outsourcing or changing technology. Maybe you’re tired of the long commute and being tied to your desk when you know you could make your own hours and still be productive. You may have ideas stirring that you think could create new income and time freedom.

But here comes another Monday. Maybe feeling trapped is just the reality of the way things are. Doesn’t everyone dread Mondays? Doesn’t every responsible person just bury their dreams and passions in exchange for getting a paycheck?

Absolutely not! All of us, no matter how old we are or what kind of work we’re doing, can learn to bring the same excitement to our jobs that we bring to whatever we love to do on our days off. I believe that each one of us can pursue work that is a reflection of our best selves—a true fulfillment of our callings.

No More Mondays
will show you that meaningful work really is within your grasp. And once you’ve opened the door and seen all the exciting career opportunities that await you—whether you decide to revolutionize your current job or launch a new career altogether—you’ll find you can’t go back to the old way of working.”

17 Responses to “No More Mondays”

  1. Carrie Norton Says:

    I’m so surprised my information is filled in just from clicking a link in the newsletter Releasing-Kings.

    I know my job is an assignment from the Lord, He sent me and He won’t let me leave.

    I also know I am called to more, and really longing for the day I can walk in the fullness of His plan for me…

    Looking forward to this window.
    Carrie

  2. Bob Beavers Says:

    I just got through reading your book and unfortunately I fall with in your group who ended up working at Home Depot.

    I was laid off in January 2003 and went looking for employment from real estate, consulting to doing what I did before which was a Marketing Manager for small tool manufacturer. I found no employment and no takers for the other items I tried.

    I also applied to around 100 companies with no takers with the explanation that I was over qualified for each job I interviewed for which was about 30. I am 54 now but at the time I was 49 when laid off. The only company who would hire me was Home Depot and even then, the person who hired me was criticized by the personal manager for hiring me because of my education. That was almost three years. Have I kept looking and trying during that time, yes I have but still no takers.

    This is where God has me now but I am hoping for something better since working at Home Depot is basically a no brainer type of job. Fortunately my wife has a good job or we would be in dire straights. In Nevada having an education works against you more than being over fifty. We are now thinking about moving to another state like Oregon or Washington where having a degree is not so negative on the resume.

    Sincerely,
    Bob Beavers

  3. Wayne Henderson Says:

    Hello Dan. I’ve recently ordered your 48 Days book and workbook kit, based on the recommendation of a fellow podcaster/blogger named Cliff Ravenscraft. I can’t wait for it to arrive. Congratulations on the No More Mondays blog!

    Wayne Henderson
    “Tuning In with Wayne Henderson” podcasts:
    Voice Over Journey podcast at http://voiceoverjourney.libsyn.com/
    Wayne’s Take on LOST podcast at http://waynestakeonlost.libsyn.com/
    Tuning In With Wayne Henderson podcast at http://whpodcast.com/

  4. Landon Says:

    Well, today is Friday, and I am wrapping up my first official week of self-employment. I left the cage of a cubicle for the open range, the world at my fingertips. It is exhilarating to say the least. The week has flown by and I have loved every second of it! And, of course, I have to thank Dan in part for this event.

    It has been almost one year to the day that I first began the process to make this change. I read 48 Days and instantly put Dan’s advice to work, except I did one thing wrong . . . I knew what I was looking for, but I was looking in all the wrong places! Dan’s process for finding a job works great, as I quickly received a job offer and had many other interested employers. But, due to my own misdirection, nothing greatly appealed to me. Throughout my interviews, it became apparent that I was looking for a situation similar to the from which I was seeking to depart: that situation that so subtly was killing my spirit!

    So, I took a short hiatus from the job search for more introspection. It was then that I fully realized my desire to not only move into an entirely new profession, but to do it as an entrepreneur. Over the course of the next several months, I worked hard at developing not only the technical skill for the new area into which I was venturing, but also developing business management skills (on this note, I highly recommend Michael Gerber’s “E-Myth” and Jay Levinson’s “Guerilla Marketing”). Then, this past Monday, I was finally able to make the complete transition. Wow! What a year it has been!

    I want to wrap up by encouraging all you who are seeking the job you love to continue and persevere until that day is a reality. If you are having difficulty, as I once did, continue to spend time in prayer and reflection, continue to seek wisdom, continue to push forward. DO NOT GIVE UP!

    Landon

  5. Landon Says:

    “The 49th Day” – a poem

    There is an illusive beast
    That is hard to find and catch.
    It is called, “The Job I Love”;
    The joy it gives, there’s no match.

    For if you capture this beast
    It is a wonderful friend.
    But the chase kills so many;
    This is grave, I don’t pretend.

    Though it’s not a rare animal,
    It avoids its hunters well.
    For by their naivety,
    They can’t track its trail or smell.

    Some hunt for days, others years,
    And still so many fall prey.
    But I, I will catch this beast
    Before the forty-ninth day.

    Copyright 2007 Landon Porter

  6. 48days Says:

    Landon, Thanks for the testimonial and then for the great 49th Day poem.

    Wow — what a creative inspiration — hopefully, together we will be able to help a whole lot more people catch that “illusive beast.” It can be caught, tamed and turned into a source of incredible fulfillment and peace.

  7. phil Says:

    wow – here i am – 48 years – I work in IT – and was told my job would
    end june… i have a possible position within another department – but –
    it is also IT – and at this point IT makes me sick –it is very hard for me
    to fathom doing another year of IT. I dont dread monday mornings – I
    dread sunday evenings.

    when i was first told my job was ending – it didn’t bother me – in fact – i
    got excited and was thinking how this would be a great opportunity for
    me to do something else – something more fulfilling.. but now – june is
    just around the corner – and here i am lining up to take that IT position
    with that other department – (i think i’m going to be sick) –

    my predicament is that I have no idea what I could do – outside IT -
    to make the money I need to make to maintain my current standard of living – which is not exorbitant by any stretch of the imagination.

    I have been doing this kind of work for 28 years – and it’s killing me.

    well – perhaps i’ll order your book and see — everytjhing i’ve read so
    far sounds great – but the devils is always found in the details –
    and i do so hate the details…

    (best of luck to you Landon – great poem)

  8. Chris Says:

    Hey Dan,
    I just got done listening to another one of your podcast. Listening to you speak has really encouraged me to find something better than I’m currently doing. I’ve been working in the manufacturing business for the past 8 1/2 years. Its getting to the point I don’t want to go to work anymore. I’m always waiting for 11 PM so I can clock out. I enjoy drawing cars and I want to work for a company telecommuting possibly as an illustrator. Its nice to finally know what I want to do with my life. Before I read your books , I really wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. God bless you and your family and keep up the great work that you are doing.

  9. Becky Says:

    Hey Dan,
    I saw you on Living the Life and you were talking about getting a job that you love, rather then something that doesn’t make you happy. I’ve been trying to do that, but my problem is, I’m only 19 years old, and don’t have much job experience. So it’s really difficult to find somewhere that will hire me that I can really enjoy. I love art and design. The closest thing I’ve come to working somewhere great was working at a Chocolate factory where I made candy, but it was too far a drive and not busy enough to keep me going throughout the day. Basically anything that I can think of that I’d love to do, I’d need more training and more job experience to get.

  10. prosperityblogger Says:

    My favorite quote is, “I believe that each one of us can pursue work that is a reflection of our best selves—a true fulfillment of our callings.” I love this because it makes me think of what someone who truly loves their work does, they bring their best selves to work every day. If you are willing to bring your best self to work every day, you must be pretty happy!

    Kimmy B. “The Prosperity Blogger”
    http://www.prosperityblogger.wordpress.com

  11. Great Minds Think Alike! « The Prosperity Blog. Empowering You So That You Can Change Your World. Says:

    [...] The Official Blog of Dan Miller Post: “No More Mondays” Comments: My favorite quote is, “I believe that each one [...]

  12. Great Minds Think Alike! Says:

    [...] you’re new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!Blog: The Official Blog of Dan Miller Post: “No More Mondays” Comments: My favorite quote is, “I believe that each one [...]

  13. Anonymous Says:

    Dan,

    Thanks for an excellent, inspiring book. I want to point out an obsolete fact related to AT&T, where I work as a manager (for now). You wrote on page 95, “…at AT&T, a third of managers can work from anywhere they choose.”

    While this may have been true in the AT&T Corp. days (when “AT&T” mostly meant a long-distance company), this has NOT been true since SBC Communications bought AT&T Corp. and renamed the combined company as AT&T Inc.

    Within a year after SBC “assimilated” the AT&T Corp. employees, “the new AT&T” had shut down the telecommuting/teleworking program that apparently was saving AT&T Corp. some $41 million per year.

    I truly believe that closure of the telecommuter/teleworker program related to an inherent distrust that SBC leaders had for employees.

    “The new AT&T” (AT&T Inc.), which now also includes the former BellSouth, is today the largest private employer of union people.

    And I believe that the typical union-vs.-company tension manifests itself at AT&T Inc. — comprising mostly legacy SBC and legacy BellSouth people — as a distrust not only for union people but ALSO for managers — as in, “If we cannot see you in your cubicle, then we do not trust that you are doing any work for us.”

    This flies in the face of the fact that many ad-hoc project teams within AT&T Inc. today are scattered across offices all over the U.S. Effectively, we ARE telecommuters — meeting by telephone bridges and Microsoft LiveMeeting sessions — because few of us in any of our meetings are in the same office. But AT&T Inc.’s leadership does not see the forest for the trees — that we effectively telecommute, but from AT&T office buildings instead of from our homes.

    Personal example: My Senior V.P. — five levels above me and three levels below the C.E.O. — said in his town-hall meeting yesterday that he found almost NO VALUE in telecommuting (even called it “telecommunicating” at one point).

    He went on to say that he had approved ONLY SEVEN requests for telecommuting AMONG HIS 2,023 MANAGERS.

    That works out to 0.35% — NOWHERE NEAR THE 33% that you reported (probably accurately for the old AT&T Corp.) on page 95 of your book.

    “Do as we say, not as we do.”

  14. Cheap Plug Says:

    Thanks.

  15. gail timmerman Says:

    Hello, Tonight the Holy Spirit was talking to about my job, I work with developmentally disabled adults. I feel trapped , working for alittle above minimum unless overtime which is about $20.00 but I am absolutely stifled and I need to break free. I have started several business, which did ok, not great and tonight I asked God to give me an idea………… just one, I probably should have asked for more, to show me how to start a business that would enable me to earn 100,000.00/yr. My husband and I have a ministry which has expanded from home church/ pizza bible study and prayer and recently I returned from the Dream Center in LA, so now we are going out to the homeless camps with water, candy, and are able to pray for these wonderful people.
    I read the Releasing the Kings webpage and I know this is GOd’s direction for me.
    If you have a wisdom driven idea about starting a business that ultimately will impact the Kingdom of God through our ministries and donations, please write to us.

    In His infinite love,
    Gail Timmerman
    gail77776167@sbcglobal.net

  16. cormackcapital Says:

    No More Mondays has to be one of the most relevant topics for more than one generation during a post-industrial time when people cannot realistically spend their working lives all with one large corporation. The values of both human capital and intellectual capital require that people will bring themselves up through further qualifications, certifications and specialized education which is in no way the purview or domain of the Fortune 500, particularly when greater satisfaction is derived from doing what is advocated by Dan Miller.

  17. David S Says:

    I am frustrated. I have read 48 Days to the Work You and No More Mondays but I do not know what I am passionate about or what unique gifts and talents God has given me. What am I missing? How do I discover these so I know what kind of work or business I should be a part of? I would sincerely appreciate anyone’s thoughts!!

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