"Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”
– Steve Jobs
Do
you love what you do? Most Americans don't. According to
CareerFinders.com, four out of five Americans do not have their ideal
jobs.
It's not always easy to do what you love for a career,
but it's definitely possible. Some of us are told from a young age to
follow the expectations of family and society rather than to investigate
one's own horizons. This can lead to professional success, at the
expense of meaning and fulfillment. My private coaching
clients, including many who make six digits a year in prestigious
positions, often disclose to me privately an "emptiness" inside. "I make
over $200,000 a year, so why am I so unhappy?" one confided.
How do you find your best career? Consider the following quote by Joseph Campbell:
"When
you follow your bliss... doors will open where you would not have
thought there would be doors, and where there wouldn't be a door for
anyone else."
A bliss is the type of work you love so much
that you'd be willing to do it for free if you didn't have to pay the
bills. You know you're following your bliss when you wake up in the
morning looking forward to your day, and go to bed at night feeling good
about what you've done. A bliss is a calling, something within
each of us that we're meant to do. I believe all of us have at least
one such calling in life, many have more.
Bliss may be followed
either as a career, or via endeavors outside of work. This article
focuses on ways to identify and pursue a blissful career. It may seem
unrealistic to speak of this subject during an economic recession. While
it goes without saying that it's important to do whatever it takes to
make ends meet, the current downturn may also represent an opportunity
to position (or reposition) oneself for when the economy improves. The
following are three factors that may help you identify and follow your
bliss:
1. Know your true potential
"The
will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full
potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal
excellence."
– Confucius
We're all good at some things
in life. Some of us are good with people, some with tools, and others
with information. When we understand where our true potential lie, we
begin to access our calling. If you're not sure about your talents,
there are excellent resources available that can help you identify them.
See the list following this article for some of my recommendations.
2. Follow your passion while keeping your feet on the ground
"Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you."
– Oprah Winfrey
Once
you discover your potential (most of us have natural ability in several
areas), the next step is to align your strengths with careers that you
feel passionate about. From the list of professional fields you
identify, evaluate each one in terms of employment prospect. What is the
job picture in this field over the next ten, twenty years? Ask several
people who have succeed in this profession for input. Of course, you
don't have to choose a career based on availability of jobs. There's a
lot to be said about marching to the beat of your own drum. This article
simply takes a more pragmatic approach.
3. Dedicate yourself to working hard and working smart
"Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing."
– Theodore Roosevelt
Once
you have identified your potential and passion, the last piece is to
work hard, and become one of the absolute best at what you do. It's also
important to work smart, so that what you offer is unique, valued, and
more indispensible. Because you're tapping into your true potential,
you're most likely gong to excel at what you do. And because you have
passion, chances are you'll be driven and won't mind the hard work.
For tools on how you can stay strong mentally and emotionally, see my articles Five Keys to Enhancing Your Emotional Intelligence, and Eight Keys to Life Hardiness and Resiliency.
Not
everyone gets to do what they love. Most people get stuck in a rut, and
live in what Henry David Thoreau calls "quiet desperation". You can
beat the odds, if you choose to follow your bliss.
"Let yourself be silently drawn by the stronger pull of what you
really love."
– Rumi
"Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart
give yourself to it."
– Buddha
If you find this article helpful, please share it with others.
Download free excerpts of my publications "Communication Success with Four Personality Types", "How to Communicate Effectively and Handle Difficult People", and "Wealth Building Attitudes, Values, and Habits".
Follow me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn!
Preston Ni, M.S.B.A. is available as a presenter, workshop facilitator, and private coach. For more information, write to commsuccess@nipreston.com, or visit www.nipreston.com.
© 2012 by Preston C. Ni. All rights reserved worldwide.
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
Books
Bolles, Richard. What Color is Your Parachute?
Keirsey, David. Please Understand Me II.
Keirsey, David. Portraits of Temperament.
Websites
www.jobhuntersbible.com
www.keirsey.com
www.myersbriggs.org
