For how much I talk about and write about being happy in your job and finding your purpose in life, I also believe that some of us are meant to work “good enough” jobs.

I talk about passion and purpose and personal missions because that’s how I’m wired. I believe I am here for a reason and I want to express that through my work. This isn’t the case for everyone.

If you don’t wonder, “What’s my purpose in this life?” Or if you don’t feel a hole in your soul from not connecting with work in a deep and meaningful way, don’t sweat it. Maybe that’s not part of your path. Maybe your path is a “good enough” job that pays the bills and gives you time to spend with people you love doing things you enjoy. And that is perfectly fine.

I do believe that no one needs to be miserable at work. (If you are, check out my latest class offering!) Everyone can find something that suits their skills, interests, and personality. Your work doesn’t have to be a calling unless you want it to. You get to choose.

What’s your path?
 

A job you’re “good at” does not equate to a job you love.

If I followed all of the tests and assessments of my personality and my skill set, I’d still be sitting in a fabric-covered cubicle doing things I don’t enjoy, talking with people (I do enjoy) about things I don’t give a rat’s ass about.

A job you love is not about what you’re good at. Yes, you’ll likely be good at a job you love, but don’t start your search there.

Start by checking in with your heart. What does it long to do?

Check in with your gut. What lights you on fire?

Ask the child you used to be. What did you want to be before anyone told you it wasn’t possible or that being an engineer was a practical career choice?

Start asking these questions in the quiet, soft places of your heart. You don’t have to share the answers with anyone. But if you don’t ask them, you’ll never know the answers. And that would be a very, very sad thing.
 

My friend passed along an interesting article from the New York Times called “The True Calling That Wasn’t,” by Phyllis Korkki.

The article makes several great points about how people often find themselves in jobs that feel like a terrible match for who they truly are, resulting in unhappiness, dissatisfaction, and frustration. Korkki quotes Robert I. Sutton, a professor and organizational psychologist at Stanford, as saying, “Unhappiness with your career choice goes to the root of your identity and your sense of authenticity.” I wholeheartedly agree. Many people spend 40 to 60 hours each week working. Of course it would be miserable if that time is spent doing something that feels inauthentic.

Though most of the article, I believe, hits the mark, here is one point with which I disagree:

If you do find a better career fit, don’t expect it to be a panacea. Your new job won’t always be fun-filled and satisfying. Beyond the money it provides, “I think it’s safe to say that work is overrated,” Professor Sutton said. Much of work is spent performing tedious activities that would not be at the top of your list if you had a choice, he said.

I don’t believe that “work is overrated.” I believe that we can have a career that we love. We can find one that is matched to our gifts and our personality. I don’t believe that the path to finding that true calling is simple or easy. It’s hard work and requires some soul searching. But the gifts of that effort are well worth it. I see it with clients all the time. I saw it in my own life.

Why spend 40 or more hours a week, 50 weeks a year, for 30 years doing something you dread? Isn’t it time to find your true calling?
 

Last week I talked about following my own advice to do only what excites you and not attach to doing anything in particular.

I was writing about how I sat down to write a blog post, but it wasn’t coming. After waiting for a bit, it didn’t feel exciting to wait any longer, so I decided to call it off. Then the post came... actually three came.

That’s what non-attachment will do for you. When you have to do something, it’s difficult. When don’t want something to happen or be as it is and you and try to avoid it, it sticks around. The universe is funny like that.

As soon as I didn’t care if I had a blog post, I had three.

As soon as you stop having to leave your awful job, a new opportunity will arrive.

Do what excites you, don’t attach to anything in particular, and you’ll be on the path to the life you are meant to live.

Simple formula that’s way harder to follow than it is to write.
 

Last Monday I suggested that when it comes to work and life, we should only do the things that excite us. I also suggested that some days bookkeeping, billing, and filing actually fall into that category. I wasn’t kidding on either point.

When you do what excites you, you’re following your essential self. Your essential self knows how to get you to where you want to go (even when you don’t know where that is!).

The part of you that knows what makes you smile is the part worth listening to. The part that is afraid or logical isn’t the part of you that leads you to a happy life or a successful business.

I have a friend who, right now, only wants to do yoga and write. That’s it. Now, in this moment, doing those things won’t make a dime for her in her business. But she trusts this part of her to lead her in the right direction. She’s taking care of herself with yoga, and she’s working on a very important book. And she’s trusting it’s the right thing to do, even if her logic mind can’t make sense of it. I believe she’s right on track.

It might sound scary to do only what excites you, but when we follow this path, the universe provides... even if we’re not sure how it will happen.

Put the fear and the “need to know” aside, even if only for one hour or one day or one decision, and see what happens.
 

As I sat down today to write my blog post, I found a dozen other things to do. I was sitting and waiting for the post... (I don’t think about what to write, I wait and let the blog post come to me.)... and I kept getting distracted by other things. I finally decided that today might be a day to skip writing. After all, I always coach my clients, especially the business owners, to not do anything that doesn’t feel good. Today, writing a blog post didn’t feel as good as brainstorming a new idea that I’ve been stewing.

The moment I let go of having to blog today, because that’s what I do, the idea came: I, too, need to follow my own advice.

1. Only do what excites you.

2. Don’t attach to doing anything in particular.

I find the most joy and the most success in my business when I follow those two tips. Before I started operating this way, I was skeptical that I would get all of the things I “had to do” done, like bookkeeping, billing, and filing. However, there are days when those things feel fun, believe it or not.

Skeptical? I’ll write more in the coming posts on doing what feels exciting and not attaching to anything.

In the mean time, see what happens if you focus on what excites you. Report back and let me know how it goes.
 

Monday I wrote about playing bigger. Today I’m sharing my thoughts about facing your fears around playing bigger.

Think about where you are today. Think about where you want to go--if you could be successful no matter what. Imagine heading in that direction. How do you feel?

It’s okay to be scared.

Fear can actually tell you that you’re right on track. Check in. Does the fear feel like jumping into a clear pool of water off a high dive, or does it feel like a high dive into sludge?

Clean pain (clear pool of water) says move forward. Dirty pain (sludge) says clean up your thinking, then reevaluate.

Use The Work to clean up your dirty pain, the thoughts that say, “I’m not good enough to do that.”

If you hear, “Who am I to do this?” answer your own question. Who are you? You’re a strong, beautiful, smart healer or teacher who is here to change the world.

Take small steps.

Just because your five-year vision is clear doesn’t mean you will reach that goal immediately. What can you do today to move toward that vision? Take baby steps.

Start with the easiest things first.

It can be energizing to get moving toward your vision. If fear is holding you back, start with something easy. It might get you excited to keep going. If nothing else, you’re a few steps closer to your goal.

Celebrate your successes.

Every little step you take is worth celebrating. Give yourself a gold star. Call a friend. Do a little dance.

Face you fears and move forward. The world is waiting for you.
 

I am!

I had the pleasure of being at the Martha Beck Coaches Summit in Keystone, Colorado, for the past 4 days. What fun!

Today is my chill day. Four days of "work" (a.k.a. crazy fun), and now a day of rest.

How about you? Can you cut out of work early, take a day off, play hooky, and rejuvenate. You deserve it!
 

When I feel overwhelmed, I repeat this mantra to calm me down and bring the current moment into focus.

Everything that needs to get done will get done, easily and efficiently.

It works.

And I wouldn’t even call myself a mantra person.

Try it out, and let me know how it works for you.
 

Listen to your heart.

I know how easy it can be to get wrapped up in doing the “right next thing” in searching for a new career or building my business or working toward any goal. We look toward the logical next step. We believe that if we follow the steps 1-2-3 we’ll get exactly where we want to go.

Rarely does anything work like that, except maybe baking cookies.

Think about a goal or something you’ve accomplished in your life. When you set out to achieve it, was it a simple 1-2-3 process, or did you take some detours and unexpected turns along the way?

Sometimes, the next step on the way to finding a job you love is to go for a walk in the middle of the day. It may not be logical, but your true, creative, essential self knows that it serves you better to go for a walk then to sit and work on your resume.

The next step for building your business may be to take a long bath, have a good cry, play with watercolors, or make faces with your food. Your logical mind can’t explain it--and it never will be able to, but your true, creative essential self knows exactly what you need to do to get to your goal.

Next time you’re not sure if you should take this step, that step, or turn left, check in with your heart.

Get quiet.

Take a few deep breaths.

Ask your heart what is next for you. It knows.

Listen and follow. What you hear may not be logical. It doesn’t have to be. If your logical mind were all you needed to get what you want, you’d already have exactly what you wanted.

Check in with your heart today. What does it say is next for you?
 
photo courtesy of ilmungo via flickr