I disagree with finding the perfect job that makes you feel like you’re “not working”
I find the phrase “find a job you love and be happy in, and you won’t have to work a single day” very, very misleading.
It sounds motivating but really, what it does is set unrealistic expectations about work.
Work is not supposed to be all joy and lovey-dovey feelings.
There will be parts that you dislike or even hate doing.
Work is going to be tough at times, no matter how much you love it.
Trying to “find” a job that you love completely is like trying to find a unicorn.
As I engage with talents who are working for 3 years or more, some of them start to doubt their career paths because they don’t exactly love what they’re doing.
It’s distracting because they are constantly wondering – “if only I could find a job that I love, I won’t need to struggle and I will feel super motivated everyday.”
Listen to me, I am doing work I believe I love deeply and there are still parts that I dislike.
There’s no perfect job.
I treasure most parts of my work deeply that I am willing to do the 20% of work that I dislike doing (hopefully in time, I get to delegate them)
If you are growing, there will be growing pains.
Before you become great and effortless (which results in a feeling of “not working”), it will require A LOT of hard work (which feels painful at times)
Instead of trying to find work that you believe will love 100% and feel happy, consider these instead to chart your fulfilling career:
(1) "What do I value? What do I care about?"
Does your work provide you with the opportunity to do what you value and care about?
If you value personal growth, are you given enough opportunities to grow?
If you value creativity, are you given space to express your creativity?
If you value building capability, how much opportunity do you get to mentor and guide others?
If you value excitement, is the work you’re doing too mundane?
If you don’t care about alcohol at all, being in an organization that focuses on selling alcohol would not be very motivating.
If you care about technology, being in an organization that allows you to learn about tech and advance in this area is going to be exciting.
If you care about well-being, you are willing to do the hard work to support others’ well-being.
When you work on something you care about, it goes beyond just trying to feel happy. It feels meaningful to you.
There may be times that work feels hard, but you are willing to go through it because it's fulfilling to you.
(2) Do you enjoy solving the problems in your work? If not, what type of problems would you want to start solving?
For many years, I enjoyed solving business problems thus I thrived in my sales & trade marketing role.
As time goes by, I realize I am more interested in other types of problems – I am drawn towards understanding how can we move beyond self-doubt and courageously pursue what matters to us. I am intrigued by how can we move beyond overwhelm and anxiety toward more calmness & peace within.
That is when I knew my path has shifted.
I still enjoy business problems but my focus has shifted from selling consumer products to providing coaching services.
(3) What are you good at? Are you able to leverage on your strengths and create an impact at work?
Are you great at connecting with people? If so, being in a role that enables you to connect & collaborate with others is much more suitable than one that is in silo and mainly deals with spreadsheets & systems.
(4) Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years? What type of personal development/growth will help you get there?
Your career path is a journey. A great career doesn’t just fall on our laps. You are responsible in navigating that journey.
What kind of person would you like to become? What type of work do you envision yourself doing?
When you set a vision, one that you care about and value, you need to commit to growth in that direction.
Anchoring on that vision will equip you with the resilience to go through tough times and not get easily distracted.
Know that sometimes, you may not be able to leap towards that direction. However, you can take steps to get closer every single day. Be patient.
Instead of trying to find work you love so that you don’t feel like you’re working, craft a career that you deeply care about, one that you are willing to work hard for and be great at it.
PS: If you are interested to chart a fulfilling career guided by your values, strengths and purpose, let me support you in doing so. Apply for a free discovery call and explore what's possible. There are no strings attached. You will walk away with more clarity on what’s holding you back and your transformation roadmap. I promise that there’s no pressure to work with me after that. I look forward to seeing you.
PPS: If you resonate with this reflection and find it helpful, share this with your friends and family. It will be a gift to them! They can choose to subscribe to the upcoming newsletters here.
Love,
TJ
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