The Winnie the Pooh stories have entertained generations of children ever since they were first published in 1926 by A.A. Milne. The best-known characters – Pooh, Piglet, Tigger and Eeyore, have some of the most memorable personalities in children’s literature, especially as personified by their animated Disney adaptations. Some characters are so powerful that they do more than entertain or provide a few laughs for kids – they embody larger lessons about life.
This is especially true for Winnie the Pooh and his friends, who show examples of vastly different ways to approach our work and our lives.
Winnie the Pooh: The “silly old bear” takes life as it comes, and doesn’t worry too much about anything. He has kind of a “Zen master” approach to life – when things don’t go his way, he doesn’t get upset, he just says, “Oh, bother.” A popular philosophy book called “The Tao of Pooh” was written in 1982, showing how Winnie the Pooh embodies some of the key concepts of Taoism, an East Asian philosophy based on principles of moderation, compassion and humility.
Winnie the Pooh exercises the power of the Taoist concept of “wu wei” – action through inaction. He doesn’t waste effort. He has an attitude of simplicity and is easily satisfied with life’s simple pleasures and the company of friends. Winnie the Pooh is humble, cheerful and unperturbed. He is an “uncarved block,” as Taoist philosophy states: “The essence of the Uncarved Block is that things in their original simplicity contain their own natural power, power that is easily spoiled and lost when that simplicity is changed.” Or, as Piglet puts it, “Pooh hasn't much Brain, but he never comes to any harm. He does silly things and they turn out right.”
How can you be more peaceful and simplicity-seeking in your career? There may be times in your career where you’re comfortable to sit back and enjoy life, without constantly striving for ever-bigger achievements. And of course, there are many times in everyone’s career where it’s best to be cheerful and say, “Oh, bother.”
Piglet: Piglet is Winnie the Pooh’s best friend, and they probably get along so well because of Piglet’s gentle nature. Piglet is timid, helpful and wants to be loved – he has a vulnerable quality to him; he’s often remarking, “I’m a very small animal.” How can being more like Piglet help you in your career? While you don’t want to be a pushover or be too passive at work, a bit of gentle kindness can go a long way in building good relationships with your co-workers. Piglet is loved by his friends because they appreciate his loyalty and willingness to lend a helping hand – do these traits sound familiar to you? Perhaps we could all use a bit of Piglet in our work lives.
Are you a Pooh or a Piglet in your career life? Stay tuned for part 2 of our series, where we learn about the career lessons to be learned from the characters of Tigger and Eeyore.
Ben Gran (http://benjamingran.com/) is a freelance writer based in Des Moines, Iowa. He is an award-winning blogger who loves to write about careers and the future of work.
Don’t be a “silly old bear.” Find engineering job listings at http://www.engineer-jobs.com/
This is especially true for Winnie the Pooh and his friends, who show examples of vastly different ways to approach our work and our lives.
Winnie the Pooh: The “silly old bear” takes life as it comes, and doesn’t worry too much about anything. He has kind of a “Zen master” approach to life – when things don’t go his way, he doesn’t get upset, he just says, “Oh, bother.” A popular philosophy book called “The Tao of Pooh” was written in 1982, showing how Winnie the Pooh embodies some of the key concepts of Taoism, an East Asian philosophy based on principles of moderation, compassion and humility.
Winnie the Pooh exercises the power of the Taoist concept of “wu wei” – action through inaction. He doesn’t waste effort. He has an attitude of simplicity and is easily satisfied with life’s simple pleasures and the company of friends. Winnie the Pooh is humble, cheerful and unperturbed. He is an “uncarved block,” as Taoist philosophy states: “The essence of the Uncarved Block is that things in their original simplicity contain their own natural power, power that is easily spoiled and lost when that simplicity is changed.” Or, as Piglet puts it, “Pooh hasn't much Brain, but he never comes to any harm. He does silly things and they turn out right.”
How can you be more peaceful and simplicity-seeking in your career? There may be times in your career where you’re comfortable to sit back and enjoy life, without constantly striving for ever-bigger achievements. And of course, there are many times in everyone’s career where it’s best to be cheerful and say, “Oh, bother.”
Piglet: Piglet is Winnie the Pooh’s best friend, and they probably get along so well because of Piglet’s gentle nature. Piglet is timid, helpful and wants to be loved – he has a vulnerable quality to him; he’s often remarking, “I’m a very small animal.” How can being more like Piglet help you in your career? While you don’t want to be a pushover or be too passive at work, a bit of gentle kindness can go a long way in building good relationships with your co-workers. Piglet is loved by his friends because they appreciate his loyalty and willingness to lend a helping hand – do these traits sound familiar to you? Perhaps we could all use a bit of Piglet in our work lives.
Are you a Pooh or a Piglet in your career life? Stay tuned for part 2 of our series, where we learn about the career lessons to be learned from the characters of Tigger and Eeyore.
Ben Gran (http://benjamingran.com/) is a freelance writer based in Des Moines, Iowa. He is an award-winning blogger who loves to write about careers and the future of work.
Don’t be a “silly old bear.” Find engineering job listings at http://www.engineer-jobs.com/
Become a member to take advantage of more features, like commenting and voting.
Register or sign in today!