I thought I was doing it wrong or I wasn't very good at it because it didn't seem to be working at all.
I then I discovered that it's not necessarily nirvana: this integrated all parts working together thing.
A friend who discovers things at a young age explained to me that things started clicking for him when he consciously segmented his work from his ministry which I think he was referring to as his vocation.
Then I came across a piece in a transcript for an On Being radio show about life in Detroit
A job is similar to slavery in that one is forced to perform actions in return for some sort of compensation for one's labor. Therefore the rewards are extrinsic, and without such extrinsic rewards people cannot be forced into a job they dislike. To tolerate or compensate for these job conditions often times people will engage in excessive consumerism or self-medicate to counteract the boredom that comes from a job or to make themselves feel better.
Work, on the other hand, is defined as activities that one enjoys. To be compensated with money is not important because of the pleasures and satisfaction of work. Therefore the rewards are more intrinsic.
This seems right for me now. I have to start being realistic about what my job requires and do it with all the passion and intensity I can bring to bear. Numbers, ego, competition, accomplishment, pleasing others, service all will be alive and well here. I'll do my job with conviction that is making a difference in the organization and the world.
But there will need to be time for work to. This is the integrated place. Family, friends, foes, different ideas, the joy of being, failure, will be seen or sought or brought.
It as in most things is probably best to move from the integrated life to the segmented work life and after a while here, it'll be time to go back to the integrated thing again.
