Throughout my entire childhood my dad preached to be less like him and more of my own person. To work smarter and use my brain more than my body. To not follow in his occupational footsteps. Sound familiar?

Most people want their kids or the next generation to do something different and perhaps easier than what they have had to endure. They (should) want more for the next group and perceive their job or life as harder than and perhaps not as rewarding as what lies ahead for the next generation.

My dad has probably said he hates his job more times than days I've been alive. He fights with his work and battles it with his mind and body. Like a dysfunctional relationship, the two of them (dad and work) can't seem to quit each other. What does my dad still do, two years after he could have retired and the only job he has had since he was seventeen? He runs commercial construction. He builds large buildings and does it very well. He must; he's been doing it successfully for over 50 years and is one of the most respected people in his field.

He wakes up at 4am and always arrives to the job site before 7am. He drives over 100 miles a day to and from these jobs. He takes blue prints home and studies them ahead of time as if he is cramming for a huge test. This same man that claims to hate his job. This same profession that he could have retired from more than 2 years ago.

Here's where it all unraveled for me...

A few months ago my parents came up to do some shopping and go out to dinner. My dad, son Sean and I went to go to the bathroom in this restaurant before we sat down to eat lunch. As we walked in, my dad stopped and looked up, whereas I headed to the urinal with my 5 year old son. As I am pissing, I look back at my dad as he continues to survey this area above the sinks. He then goes to the urinal and minutes later, as we are all washing our hands, I ask him "What's with the ceiling"? His response-"I like how they did the overhang there. I've not seen that before. That would have been kind of fun to build. It's different".

This man, who has hated and fought with his vocation for over 50 years now, just said (for what might be the first time in my life), that something attached to his profession was "fun".

I spent my spring breaks, summer breaks, winter breaks and occasional weekends working for this man. While all my friends were flipping burgers or enjoying their time off, I was hanging drywall, installing insulation and framing out walls with metal studs. Never do I recall him claiming that any of this was fun. As a matter of fact, if I was ever having fun, he would find ways of making sure I stopped having it immediately. Fun and work were opposites and not something you did together when you worked for "Big" Jim.

So there it was. The thing that kept him coming back for more all these years. The thing that kept it interesting and worthwhile. Often in dysfunctional relationships people stay together because "the sex is good"; my dad likes the challenge of doing something different. Building and creating something new. This is what has kept him coming back for more.

Isn't that what keeps us all coming back for more? When it comes to the things that you love or turn you on, you want more. You want it to be exciting and different. You don't have to have a vision, a midlife crisis or a career change every few years to keep the juices going, but you do need a change of pace, a new outlet to poor energy into or a challenge.

These challenges are not always presented to you and sometimes you need to create them for yourself. You have to move and direct your energies so that things don't become stale and mundane. You have to break things, mess with the recipe and challenge yourself to replicate successes and outcomes, but your point of origin could be different. This is how you master your craft or outlet. This is how you keep yourself energized and coming back for more 50 years after you started.

#Tryharder to apply this philosophy to other things besides your occupation. Relationships don't need drama to stay fresh and exciting, they need oxygen and materials to burn. Look for ways to breathe new air into your relationships before they become stale and mundane. Find new timbers and fuel to use and endlessly and tirelessly work at it. This is for all relationships, not just romantic ones. I've been with the same girl for almost 18 years and it's not because we found a groove and stayed in it. It's because we look for new ways to execute the things we enjoy and try not to repeat behaviors unless we both feel that it's the best possibly way at this moment in time. We've been to Disney World 10 times and we do it differently every time. We attempt to always keep our tourist curiosity in the cities we have lived in and enjoy playing guide to our friends from out of town. Comfort zones are for the lazy, but I would be lying if I didn't say they had their appeal.

Using this perspective will surely create new turn-ons, passions and catalysts that keep you coming back for more. It will help you make the best of your situation and perhaps create those sparks that keep you from going postal in a job you've "hated" for 50 or more years. When the environment doesn't provide the opportunity then create your own new and ignite your own spark with a change of fuel and sometimes scenery.