Unfulfilled by Your Job? Here’s How to Discover Your Calling in Life
If you're feeling frustrated and unfulfilled at your job, and yearn for more meaningful work, you're not alone. The good news is, you always have a choice. It might not be easy to discover your calling, but you will understand yourself a whole lot better by taking time to explore and develop your talents.
The three things that motivate creative people - autonomy, mastery, purpose!
Daniel H. Pink
Why is it so important to find your intrinsic motivation i.e. do what you love and prioritise work that makes you happy? Daniel H. Pink's New York Times Bestseller, "Drive" highlights the secret to high performance and happier, more satisfied workers lies in the innate need to have control over and self direct our own lives. While money is an important part of life, it doesn't fill us with the satisfaction of knowing we've made a difference by doing something we enjoy.
So how do you go about discovering your calling in life? We've come up with a simple checklist to guide you through the process.
1. Make a list of what you're good at, and enjoy doing
It helps to list down all the things you do well, which you actually enjoy doing. Besides giving you clarity of your skills and talents, it's a good way to brainstorm options for a career move. Another question to ask yourself is, "What profession would you choose if there was no obstacle standing in your way?" You can always learn the skills to do something new. It all boils down to how far you're willing to go to make your dreams a reality.
2. Ask friends, colleagues and superiors to name 3 things you're really good at
This is important as we tend to be our own worst critics or not be aware of blind spots that could impede our development. Getting someone else's opinion on what we're good at helps to dispel our doubts and insecurities. Most importantly, it provides different perspectives on how others may view your personality and competencies.
3. Make a shortlist from 1. & 2.
Based on your shortlist, assign a rating for each dream job on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the job you want most). From there, underline the top 3 dream jobs you've selected. These are the jobs you should prioritise in your job search.
4. Identify successful people who excel at your dream job
Whatever your dream job is, look up successful people who've mastered the job, and start reading their work and following their blog (if they have one). You can also ask your social circle for advice if you know anyone in the industry. It always helps to learn from those in the know, but make sure you compare and contrast opinions from different individuals.
5. Don't limit yourself to what you think you're good at
The chances are, you probably have transferable skills you can apply to your dream job to begin with. But even if you don't, you can always learn. Take up classes during the evenings or weekends. Besides learning new skills (like playing an instrument, cooking, web development, or anything else you fancy), you get to evaluate how you feel actually doing it. The point here is to explore any hidden talents you might have. You might be surprised!
6. Try doing your dream job for a week (or two)
It could be on a voluntary basis, an internship or just a short-term assignment. See how you feel after doing it 8 hours a day for a couple of weeks. You'll know whether it feels right. If it doesn't, you can cross it off your list and move on to the next. Obviously doing it for just a week or two is very different from doing it full-time, but it should give you a taste of what to expect if you were to commit to it. Go with your instincts.
7. Ask for feedback
Ask for an honest review of your performance. A couple of weeks might not give your direct report much to go on, but ask them if they feel you have a flair for it, and what areas you need to improve on. This will give you clarity of what to work on, if you decide to make a career out of it.
8. Create a timeline for action plan
After getting positive feedback, it's time to put things in motion. Start by working on an action plan to make your dream job a reality. Reach out to those in the field you're planning to enter, and connect with them. Ask questions that reflect your interest in their work and tips on skills and experience needed in their line of work. You'll be surprised by how helpful people can be, when they sense you're genuinely interested to know more.
At JobStreet, we believe in bringing you #JobsThatMatter. As a Career Partner, we are committed to helping all jobseekers find passion and purpose in every career choice. And as the number 1 Talent Partner in Asia, we connect employers with the right candidates who truly make a positive and lasting impact on the organisation.
Discover Jobs That Matter. Visit JobStreet today.
About SEEK Asia
SEEK Asia, a combination of two leading brands JobStreet and JobsDB, is the leading job portal and Asia's preferred destination for candidates and hirers. SEEK Asia's presence span across 7 countries namely Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines and Vietnam. SEEK Asia is part of the Australian Securities Exchange-listed SEEK Limited Company, the world's largest job portal by market capitalisation. SEEK Asia attracts over 400 million visits a year.
About SEEK Limited
SEEK is a diverse group of companies, comprising a strong portfolio of online employment, educational, commercial and volunteer businesses. SEEK has a global presence (including Australia, New Zealand, China, Hong Kong, South-East Asia, Brazil and Mexico), with exposure to over 2.9 billion people and approximately 27 per cent of global GDP. SEEK makes a positive contribution to people's lives on a global scale. SEEK is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, where it is a top 100 company and has been listed in the Top 20 Most Innovative Companies by Forbes.
