As a professional life coach, I talk to people with a view to ascertaining what they are looking for in life - where they want to be in (say) ten years time. Ask yourself same question in relation to your job and you will discover one of two things: either 1) your pay has hidden aspects that you love, or 2) That you are in wrong job! So, in essence "pay" you receive for your job should consist of more than financial aspect. If you are feeling brave, try this little self-assessment that will give you some indicator as to what your hidden salary may consist of and just how much job satisfaction you may have. Oh, by way, in case you haven`t cottoned on yet; "job satisfaction" is another name for "hidden salary"! Anyway, here we go:

1)What is greatest thing you enjoy about your job?

2)When you get up knowing you are heading for work, how do you feel about it?

3)How would you feel if, through no fault of your own, and your employer was reluctant, they told you that they had to let you go?

4)How do you feel when a colleague you know leaves company?

5)How do you feel about majority of people you work with?

6)Where do you see yourself in regard to your job, in (say) five years time?

We could go on with pulling this type of question out of a hat, but it isn`t necessary as by now you should be getting point. The real question is "Just how important is it for you to have those elements of hidden salary each and every month?" In other words, are you simply in job for money? Or do you have other values that dictate your presence in company?

A person`s values do not simply involve you in your working hours of course. What happens when you go home? Do you leave work behind? Or do you bring it home with you? If you bring it home with you simply because you enjoy your work so much that your brain continues to kick ideas around in your head, then to a point, that`s okay, (though, if you have one, your spouse/partner may not think so!). If you find yourself bringing it home nothing but moans, groans, and complaints, then I think you will agree, you have a problem! In such a scenario, your personal values are being abused. A question though: Who is permitting abuse? Who has control in such a situation? Guess what? You are always in control - if only by implication. Think about that statement for a while. It emphasizes an important concept of self-control vs. toleration.

So if you want to discover your hidden salary in your job, it is within your control to do so. It has always been within your control.

Descartes came up with a famously succinct statement in response to this timeless question: “I think, therefore I am.” (In Latin, Cogito ergo sum) If I am here contemplating this question, it means I am alive and thinking. If I am alive and thinking, then it follows that I must indeed be here. Whew! Glad that’s settled.

Of course, it isn’t really settled. You could spend a long time thinking about that, and I invite you to do so. For now, let's go back to Socrates.

Picture this odd-looking guy wandering around Athens in a shabby cloak and barefoot. In all places, at all times, in everything he does, he is grabbing every opportunity in his daily life to ask questions.

He doesn’t ask easy questions. He asks hard ones, probing ones, ones that maybe even piss you off. As he used to say about himself, “I am utterly disturbing and I create only perplexity.” Hmm. I think we all know people like that. The thing is, we rarely think of them as philosophers. Perhaps we SHOULD.

Socrates’ purpose was to question his peers so that they would question themselves, their ideas, their choices, their very way of life. He liked to stir things up, but his intentions were pure. He looked upon himself as a midwife, helping people give birth to their own truths, their inner possibilities. And, like childbirth, that process could be messy and painful. He could put people in a foul mood. He understood implicitly that value of asking questions is not in finding answers, but in revealing ourselves.

We can learn a lot about ourselves and our own life philosophies by asking ourselves this: What are my Angus issues? What thoughts have I attached myself to? When did I last spend time rethinking these issues?

Let’s use ol’ Cartesian method here, starting with simple ideas and moving toward more complex ones.

Start small. Look at an opinion you have, like “I hate country music.” Hmm. Okay. Is that ALL country music? Is that ALL country singers? Is there not a single country song or artist that I like? What would it be like if I didn’t have that opinion? What would it be like if I had OPPOSITE opinion? Would my friends laugh at me? Would I have to hide my CD collection? Would I start wearing cowboy boots? What really bothers me about country music? Why do I get so riled up, anyway?

Examine differences between ideas and habits. Perhaps you are more attached to one than other. In country music example, how much of your opinion is based on your idea (“I hate it, so I never listen to it.”) and how much on your habit (“I never listen to it, so that means I hate it.”)?

After you’ve tackled some little Angus issues, move on to bigger ones. Let’s say you don’t believe in life after death. You think that once you die, it’s all over. No spirit, no heaven, no soul, no nothing. On what have you based this notion? When is last time you revisited this idea? What would it be like if you didn’t have that belief? What would it be like if you strongly embraced OPPOSITE concept?

Your goal: to become aware of thoughts shaping your daily life, and to begin questioning them. It might be disturbing. It might be invigorating. I hope it’ll get you thinking.

We need more thinkers on this planet!