Career With A Purpose 4.0
No job is perfect, and “dream” jobs are created over time….
When college grads begin a job search, the first advice they are usually given is to find something that matches their personal passions, gifts, and dreams. And they also, of course, are looking for good pay, an exceptional work environment, and a job with status among their friends. Whether we like it or not, we live in a culture that encourages work as identity.
Career coaches are correct in telling us there is significant value in being clear on our own unique strengths, our core values, and on the type of work that can sometimes feel effortless for us. When we know ourselves well, we can submit applications and sit in interviews with an informed sense of how our gift mix would fit with a particular culture.
However, the truth is…no job is perfect, and “dream” jobs are created over time, not found in an interview. Leadership coach Sebastian Klein says that instead of always worrying that the grass may be greener in another job setting, it might be wiser to learn to love and excel in what you are currently doing. Of course, he says this with several caveats….its important to be working in a company where the mission is one you respect and where the culture is generally one of integrity.
When those two conditions are met, its possible that one of the most significant factors in career contentment is the expertise that comes though experience. Surveys have shown that even in work typically considered repetitive or boring, those who had spent the most time doing it began to consider it their calling. So, it’s possible that “passion” for a career comes with time and with mastery of skills.
If this is true, it would be important to let go of the obsession with wondering if this job is “right for me.” A better idea might be to adopt a craftsman’s mindset about the work one is doing now. The truth is: SUCCESS FEELS GOOD, and success in any field comes from the quality of the work done. …not how well it matches one’s original dreams.
Developing a mindset of craftsmanship involves studying necessary techniques, practicing intentionally, and stretching outside of one’s comfort zone. It has been established that for anyone to become excellent at a new skill or sport, he or she must expect to invest roughly 10,000 hours in intentional practice.
The Takeaway: A job is what you make it over time, through applying yourself and developing expertise, so be patient with yourself (and with your boss whose suggestions are meant to help you). With a craftsman’s mindset, you are on your way to developing a satisfying career and a practical kind of passion built on commitment, excellence and pride.
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