The future depends entirely on what each of us does every day.
Gloria Steinem
We all crave happiness, joy, meaning, fulfillment and purpose in our lives. As the quote says: "At the end of the day, the only questions I will ask myself are... Did I love enough? Did I live enough? Did I laugh enough?" Yet, most don't feel that when they get out of bed in the morning to go to work. The snooze button is what gives them a few brief moments of happiness. Many people believe that following their dreams wouldn't translate into being able to make a living or support themselves, let alone getting to enjoy anything in life.
What if I told you that the premise used to come to that conclusion may be all wrong? How would you feel if you could easily find happiness, joy, fulfillment and purpose in life and your career no matter what the title or company? You can. A purpose-driven career isn't a myth. It's a very real possibility. The reason why you can is that:
A purpose-driven career is not about what you're doing, but how you're being.
This isn't saying that you shouldn't pursue new jobs, look for promotional opportunities, switch from the for-profit arena to the non-profit or start the business you dream of. Those are all laudable pursuits. Yet, they won't satisfy the craving and longing for "more in life". What will instead? Decide that your purpose is to live life as if you truly matter. As corny as it sounds, fall in love with who you are and not what you do. The reason that most people chase happiness and purpose is that they think that they're not enough as they are. However, you can't be purpose-driven if you don't value who you are as a human being. Here are some ideas to help you start to look for ways to reflect upon your own value:
- Embrace your creative side.
- Find fun and laughter in all situations.
- Give yourself a pat on the back.
- Spend time alone to recharge.
- Meditate and welcome stillness.
- Throw all plans to the wind for a week and do only what you want to do.
- List your strengths and accomplishments.
- Write out what you're grateful for.
- Let go of the junk in your life by simplifying your environment.
- Listen to your favorite music (and sing or dance along).
- Create time for movement/exercise to up your energy.
- Make friends with all the judgments you place upon yourself.
- Listen to your own inner voice instead of being a robot to others' commands.
You'll note that being of service to others is missing from this list. Why? Because you can't give to others, if your own tea cup isn't spilling over. In case you're raising your hands in protest - you're not being selfish when you put service aside for a while. You're being self-wise. Wise to know that in order to serve a greater purpose, you have to find joy, creativity and passion within yourself first to shift into a purpose-driven career.
Are you a career woman looking to see how you can take your purpose-driven career to the next level by creating your own personal brand? Access my free personal branding workbook here to help you make your mark on the world.