Today’s Dilbert from my desktop calendar portrays a distressingly deep insight into the human condition in a very very simple way. Naturally, this insight is brought to us by Wally, a man so shallow and indolent that he must have achieved enlightenment. 🙂

Before enlightnment: Do as little as possible. After Enlightenment: Do as little as possible.

In all seriousness, it seems to me that there is a hugely useful insight to be taken from this comic: Wally likes talking to Asok because Asok is there to be talked to.

I like to take from this the understanding that you can choose to enjoy what you do, even if what you’re doing is not what you would choose to do. i.e. I don’t agree with many of the things I am called upon by my managers to do, but they’re there, so I do them. Stripped of context, there is no reason why I couldn’t enjoy doing these things, so why shouldn’t I?

The idea is that if enjoyment is subjective, it is within our control, essentially a matter of choice. I can choose to enjoy doing my timesheets, or I can give up that choice and find them tedious and frustrating, and hence, arduous. It all comes down to my attitude, and how much care and effort I put into appreciating where I am and enjoying what I’m doing.

“I’d rather be happy than right any day.”
—Slartibartfast,  HHGttG