A New Use for an Old Cliché: The Grass is Always Greener on the Other Side
Every time I hear this cliché, it is being used as a warning to someone who is either thinking of making a job change or who is under the belief that everyone else has it better than he does. In other words, you may think that working for another company would be better or that your neighbor has everything going for him, but the reality is that neither is true. Despite what you think, everyone’s grass is the same color green!
I believe there are several hidden meanings in this one and that they demonstrate the true value in this old saying. The two that I think about it when this cliché is invoked are to be thankful for what you have instead of thinking about what you don’t have, and to see things for what they really are not just what you imagine they might be.
The best pursuits in life are those that involve the fulfillment of your hopes and dreams. Those pursuits can turn into roads to nowhere, however, if they don’t start from a place of recognition and appreciation for what you have and why you are chasing the dream in the first place. A healthy perspective is crucial to the relevance of your dreams and the benefits of their pursuits.
It is far easier for you to determine what you don’t want then it is to determine what you do. Part of the reason for this is because you usually determine what you don’t want through a real-life experience, but you often determine what you think you want through perception or what you think you see but haven’t actually experienced.
As true and as wise as I believe these take away’s to be, they are just a starting point. If you are thankful for what you have, and you have taken the time and given the thought to what your next pursuit should be, you should give everything you’ve got toward succeeding in that venture. This message should not be construed as prohibition for change, just a caution that you should be thorough in your decision-making before you do make a change.
By the way, I know my neighbor’s grass is greener, but I also know that it is chemically enhanced. I am going to stick with my brownish, slightly weedy yard and be content with my natural approach.
Scott Arney
Chief Executive Officer
Chicago Patrolmen’s Federal Credit Union
