I don’t give a f*** about this job…
I recently went to lunch with a friend, and what should have been a simple midday break turned into a parking ordeal. The lot was under construction, entrances were blocked, and cars were funneled in and out of the same tight space. By the time I finally found a spot, I was mildly annoyed.
Because I was parked in a blocking space, I had to leave my key with the attendant. As I handed it over, I told him I wasn’t happy with the whole experience. He looked at me, without hesitation, and said:
“I don’t give a f*** about this job!”
You might expect me to be shocked or offended. But I wasn’t. The way he said it, I knew it wasn’t directed at me. It was about everything he was carrying in that moment. And instead of taking it personally, I found myself understanding it.
A Mirror of the workplace climate
That brief exchange stayed with me because it mirrors so much of what I’ve been hearing from people lately. THEY’RE TIRED! They feel unseen. They feel replaceable.
Yes, people have always had complaints about their jobs. But this feels different. This isn’t about the occasional bad day at work. It’s a deeper, heavier dissatisfaction. It feels like many workplaces have become toxic, indifferent, and draining.
And when people feel disposable, they eventually begin to reflect that same indifference back out into the world.
Where the opportunity lies
But here’s the thing: moments of widespread discontent also open the door to opportunity.
If you’re a business owner, entrepreneur, leader, or anyone who serves others, you have the chance to set yourself apart. While so many environments are running on autopilot, you can choose to create something different: a culture of excellence.
Excellence doesn’t require grand gestures. It shows up in the smallest of ways:
Greeting people warmly instead of mechanically.
Empowering employees to solve problems, not just follow scripts.
Treating team members like partners, not replaceable parts.
Because here’s the truth: people are starved for care. Customers are tired of being treated like transactions. Employees are tired of being treated like cogs. When you lead with excellence and humanity, people notice. And it seems to be rare these days…
A call to do better
That attendant’s words may have been blunt, but they were also a wake-up call. They weren’t about the parking garage. It felt like a condemnation of the state of the workplace itself.
But each of us has the power to show up with integrity, care, and excellence. If enough of us choose to do that, we begin to shift the culture.
We begin to prove that joy in work is still possible.
That respect is still possible.
That excellence is still possible.
It doesn’t have to start big. It doesn’t have to start somewhere else. It starts right where we are.
So let’s do better. Not just as business owners. Not just as leaders. But as people.
Thank you for reading.
Be Fearless. Stay Fashionable. Have Fun!
Lauren,
Founder of The Fearless Fashionista
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