How to turn your passion into a career you love
Have you ever felt there is more to life? Is this career right for me? Will I find a job where I can make a positive impact or leave my legacy?
By KARINE RAYSON
I was fortunate to discover my ‘why’ at a young age which has enabled me to stay focused on my career goals and aspirations and arrive at a place where I am fully living my ‘why’ aka a life that gives me incredible fulfillment and meaning .
Having completed 4 degrees in the filed of human psychology, my curiosity lies in human potential and how to ignite it so that individuals can live a more meaningful and enriched life.
What I have come to realise is that there are a lot of individuals who have no idea what their values are or how to identify them.
By identifying your values, you will be well on your way to building a more fulfilling life. Your values act as an internal radar system. They will help you in making the right life decisions, whether it be finding your purpose or finding the right partner.
Your ‘why’ is who you stand for, what makes you, YOU and how you can share your uniqueness in improving the lives of others. Identifying and understanding your ‘why’ is something that is not taught in schools, it is likely why some of us are still soul searching. Finding our true purpose in life involves an inner quest for self-actualization. It is an accumulation of discovering what lights you up, what gives you that indescribable feeling of joy.
Unfortunately, there is no quick solution to this, rather it requires an ability to self-reflect and embark on a process of self-inquiry. No one can tell you what will get you to a place of self-actualisation. You need to discover this for yourself.
The foundation of your why consists of your values – your non-negotiables. Once you have your foundation set, you will gain clarity into your life mission, your impact, and your authenticity. You need to be satisfying all four elements in order to be living your why.
If you are interested in getting a taste of this discovery process, reflect on the questions below by Melanie Dimmit and Rebecca Hanley and tick off what resonates with you the most.
If you tick at least two out of three points for each element, this is indicative that you are on the right track in terms of living out your why in action. If it’s less than two – don’t worry, there other means in which you can dive deeper into what will ignite your potential.
Values
Your values could be health, finances, family and friends, creativity, social responsibility, the environment, a flexible lifestyle… you name it.
- I prioritise what is important to me
- My work allows space for what I value
- What I do aligns with my values
Passion
Is writing your thing, do numbers float your boat, or can you not go a week without trying the latest dessert? See if work = passion.
- My friends say I light up when I talk about work
- If money were no object, I would keep doing what I’m doing
- At least one thing I am good at and enjoy doing is part of my job description
Impact
Your impact could be anything from changing the world to brightening the day of that customer you served with a smile.
- I’m contributing to a company or cause I care about (beyond my bank account)
- What I do benefits the life of at least one other person
- I am changing a small patch of the world in some way via my work for the better
Authenticity
You, yes you, without the mask.
- I am unapologetically me at work
- I have consciously chosen this path rather than trying to satisfy others’ expectations
- I feel like I am following my calling
Let’s explore and consolidate your values further. Please complete the following questionnaire – https://www.valuescentre.com/tools-assessments/pva/
If you are searching for your WHY and want to live your best life – take advantage of a free 20 min discovery call here
Due to popular demand for Crew who would like to live out their values more authentically, we have now launched the “Finding Your Why” Course along with our signature course “Discover Your Career Potential“. Both of these courses come with coaching sessions so that you are supported through the entirety of the program.
In this course you will learn:
- What do you want in life
- What makes you come alive
- What inspires you
- What do others say about you
- What do you want your life to stand for
- What are the recurring patterns in your life
- What are your innate strengths
For more information on this course, get in touch.
