Wisdom: Finding Fulfillment in Your Career
“How we spend our days is how we spend our lives.” — Annie Dillard
𝟗𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬. That's how much the average American spends at work over the course of their lifetime.
That's a lot of time, to say the least, to spend in a place where you feel misaligned - mentally, emotionally, physically and, for some, even spiritually. Dissatisfaction at work tends to have a pervasive effect that impacts not only your professional life, but also your personal life.
Avoiding this dissatisfaction at work starts with one basic thing: getting clear on what you enjoy and what makes you feel engaged.
If you find yourself searching for increased fulfillment in your career, I encourage you to think about a day you've had at work that felt particularly rewarding.
Then reflect on the following questions:
What were you doing?
Who were you with?
What strengths were you leveraging?
Break down the elements of that day and use that as a guide to clarify what's most important to you at work. Then look for opportunities to bring more of those things into your work life.
As you move through this week, pay close attention to what’s energizing you and what’s draining you.
What are you doing at work or in your personal life when you feel most alive? What tasks at work do you enjoy? Who are you around when you feel like your best, most powerful self?
Being both 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞 of what brings you joy and has meaning for you and 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 about bringing more of that into your life and work is the key to fulfillment, both in your life and in your career.
Ultimately, job satisfaction begins and ends with this: Moving strategically and intentionally to align your career with your values and vision. Dissatisfaction spreads like wildfire once you lose sight of these two things.
