The school year is coming to a close and a long summer vacation will soon begin. For those who are leaving school for further studies or work, are you getting ready for a new start?

Schools are a miniature of society. It is where we learn to learn, learn to do, learn to live together and learn to be. Society is a school without walls. You are very much on your own, without the guidance of your teachers, after leaving school. You have to rely on your motivation, strengths and efforts to get what you want. 

We are living in an ever-changing society where new knowledge expands constantly. Whatever job you take, you should always be positive, learn modestly and work diligently and responsibly. You pay to learn at school but are paid to learn in the workplace !V a good deal, isn't it?

Everyone has to work. Whether or not we are happy with our job depends, to a large extent, on our attitude towards it. If we see it as a means to earn money for a comfortable living and care nothing but only pecuniary and material gains, we will miss a lot of fun in our job.

But if we look upon it as an interest, we will find joy in it, however hard we may have to work. That is precisely the lesson the great master Confucius taught in Chapter 6 of The Analects of Confucius, "To be fond of something is better than merely to know it, and to find joy in it is better than merely to be fond of it."

If we want to work happily, we must first understand the meaning behind our job. We must be ready to commit ourselves to achieving the objectives of our job. Commitment is different from duty. People committed to their job will always do their best to accomplish it, be it a job to refurbish a house, repair a car or sell goods.

They may have to work very hard. But to know that their clients are satisfied with their service - having a comfortable home, driving with an easy mind or getting their favourite things - gives them a sense of satisfaction that will drive them to work harder and strive for excellence.

In The Five People You Meet in Heaven, the protagonist is an amusement park keeper whose life is devastating and unsuccessful. He dies in an accident and goes to heaven, where he meets five people whom he has encountered in his earthly life. It is only then when he realizes how his words and deeds have affected the lives and touched the hearts of others.

There is no such thing as a humble job. As long as you are devoted to your work, perform your duties well and establish your professionalism and style, I am sure you can get job satisfaction and find your work meaningful.

The human resource management policy of a multinational company is to ensure that every employee is "able to leave but happy to stay", because serving the company is their joy.

On the contrary, if a person is "unable to leave yet unhappy to stay", his life will be dull and miserable. He who is contented is always happy. Whether we are happy with our job depends very much on our attitude and determination to do well. 

Working is an inevitable part of life. Our attitude towards work is our attitude towards life. It is only when you have developed a sense of commitment to your job and are ready to look for meaning in it will your life be enriched and colourful.