What Job Were You Born To Do?

by Chad Agrawal

According to CareerFinder.com, four out of five Americans don’t have their ideal job (Psychology Today).

The sad truth is that we are mostly defined by the work we do. A cleaner has a different social status to a CEO. This puts a lot of pressure on people to find a ‘respectable’ job, even if they’re not wildly passionate about it. Society tells us that it’s better to settle for something that pays well than to get a job that’s actually rewarding.

A major problem, however, is that many people don’t even know what their passion is. They fall into IT because it’s lucrative, or they become a lawyer because their father was one. Unfortunately, having a ‘respectable’ job often creates a sense of emptiness and a feeling that something is missing in life. Here’s how to discover your calling and how to make it a reality.

What excites you?

According to Oprah.com, you should be like a ‘treasure hunter’. You can find your calling in the most mundane of places, even just in your daily life. Perhaps your friends say you’re a good listener or you’ve always had a keen eye for detail. Maybe you find magic in numbers or you’ve always been intrigued by the way people think. You need to discover what grabs your attention and what area of interest you just can’t get enough of. There’s always something, you just have to find it.

According to Monster.com, doing an online personality test or speaking to a career coach can help, as this will focus your attention and help you zone in on your passion. However, you shouldn’t put pressure on yourself to find the ideal job right away. It often takes some time to realise what your desires are; the search should be an organic process. You’ll know when you know because it just feels right.

Explore your calling

Once you’ve discovered what sparks your interest, you’ll naturally want to know more about it. You can read books, do research or even do an internship. Be prepared for a career change if necessary, and to gain new skills. There are a number of courses you can take online, whether your passion is teaching, psychology or landscape architecture. The options are almost limitless; you just need to decide on what to do, and what will help you on your new career path.

Your calling may not be a job

It is possible that your passion might not be work-related. Some people find meaning in volunteer work, writing for their own pleasure, being creative or even raising children (Oprah.com). According to Psychology Today, you need to follow your bliss. Sometimes that will take you into a new career, or you’ll find it where you are right now (you just haven’t realised it yet).

The big question you need to ask yourself is: Would I be willing to do this without pay? That is your bliss. If you follow whatever you find rewarding and meaningful, regardless of salary or prestige, you can fill that emptiness.

Finding your calling can be challenging, but you shouldn’t settle for anything less. Life is short, after all. Find out what excites you and the rest should fall into place. Remember that your passion may be work related, or it may not. You need to be open to anything to bring completeness, meaning and bliss into your life.

This post was written by Chad Agrawal

Chad Agrawal is the founder of CCTS, helping students transfer from community college to Ivy League, tier 1 or anywhere else by following this community college guide.

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