Brilliant Books Club: Love It Or Leave It: How to Be Happy at Work

Love It Or Leave It: How to Be Happy at Work

By Samantha Clark (Endeavour)

Whether lockdown has imposed a change of career or just given you copious time to ponder upon how much you (don’t) miss your boss, this inspiring and timely guide by 'work happiness' coach Samantha Clarke is full of vital tips and tools that will help you say goodbye to that Monday morning dread.

We tried to find out as many of her top happiness tips as possible in our latest Brilliant Books Club.

If you’re stuck in a lift with a cynic, what would you say to encourage them to read your book? 

If you stripped your job, title or societal expectations away, what puts you in flow or makes you feel alive? What are you doing? What talents or skills might you share with the world? 

If you don’t know the answer to any of these questions, read my book ;) 

What are three lessons you want readers to take away? 

You are in control of your work happiness nobody else You can fall in love with your job, quitting isn’t the only option It is possible to make money from your passions and creativity 

What inspired you to write the book? Was there a particular event/thought which set you in motion? 

The general rhetoric around what to do when you hate your job is about ‘follow your passion’ or ‘jump ship and start a business’. I always thought this was painfully limiting for those who love to do many things and/or not naturally entrepreneurial for a start. A common complaint of self-help is that they only give high-level advice and never explain specifically how to implement these changes. Often prescribing a one-size-fits-all method of application or just theory. Thus people go through a treadmill of reading more and more with no real action or answers. I believed there was a gap to support those people I’d meet at my workshops and masterclasses that actually loved their jobs or the company but just wanted help in one or two areas as opposed to just jacking it in. 

So I proposed two pathways - Love It - helping people assess what might be working or not and solve it accordingly. Then if you want to Leave It - you can find a new job or do a halfway leap and start a portfolio career. 

What’s been the biggest adversity you’ve faced - and what did you learn from the experience? 

I have Sickle Cell Anaemia and one year I finally decided to escape the grips of the British winter for seven weeks of exploring and remote working in Brazil only to get sick on a solo part of a group trip. I was writhing in pain in a Brazilian hospital, unable to speak a word of Portuguese and contemplating how friends and family would learn about my death after my phone died. 

I learned that I am incredibly resilient and that human kindness knows no language barriers. 

What piece of advice/wisdom from your book don’t you follow enough? 

I probably don’t always note all my achievements/successes down often enough 

What’s the most moving - or strangest - reaction you’ve had from a reader? 

I didn’t realise I needed the book in my life until I became that nodding dog in the Churchill ads as I read through the book the pages. 

Which book (by another author) has you changed your life - and why? 

Tricky one! I’d say The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho, Power of Vulnerability - Brene Brown and All About Love - Bell Hooks 

And, most importantly, what snack keeps you going whilst writing? 

Peanut butter, coconut yoghurt and apple slices