Finding a Career in Harmony with Your Life Path

Which of the following would you chose? Doing your lifework as a permanent occupation or a regular activity performed in exchange for payment. The first is the definition of a career and the second that of a job. Both involve physical or mental effort or activity directed toward the production or accomplishment of something, but in a career you are self directed and at choice. In a job you are generally following orders and passive.

If what you do now is more of a job and less of a career, you are cheating yourself and the community. By doing what you love, you contribute the best in yourself and influence positive change in the community. Jobs aren't wrong, but they should not be permanent. Doing something merely for a sense of security drains you energetically.

So how do you go about discovering your career? A good start would be to ask yourself some questions and answer them without limiting yourself. Don't let that ego in your mind criticize or make comments while answering these questions. Forgo doubts and fears and allow yourself to be truthful.

The Questions

  • What accomplishments am I most proud of? (Be honest without judging yourself. If the word pride is holding you back, change the question to what accomplishments pleased you most.)

  • What activities bring me joy? (Now and in childhood)

  • What subjects do I find exciting? (Not just interesting, but those things have an emotional draw.)

  • What type of personality do I have? (I suggest using the Enneagram as a guide.)

  • What are my talents? (No false pride here. Holding back only cheats yourself and our society of positive influence you can contribute to our world.)

  • How do I define success? (This is very important. Take some time to think it through. Dig a little deeper than whatever your first response is by asking yourself why. Try substituting happiness for success. If you are clear on what you want emotionally, intellectually, and physically you are that much closer to getting it. Do not let others define success for you.)

  • If I did not have to earn a living, what would I do instead?

  • How do I best interact with people? (small groups, large groups, one on one, in person, in writing, over the phone)

  • After you're gone, what would you like to be remembered for?

  • Do any of these things overlap or compliment each other?(The more items you can utilize in a career choice, the more powerful you can be in that career.)
  • Answering these questions will give you a compass heading in creating a career in which you can shine. Find someone positive and supportive to assist you in brainstorming and creating your career. Remember that life is a journey. Your personal lifework may evolve as you do and change over time.

    Dare to Soar with Carolyn Frances,
    Life Coach & Spiritual Guide,
    http://www.ClaimingGreatness.cc


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