When I was teaching public relations at a university, my students ended their term with a four-month co-op placement. Many wanted the glamorous or trendy placements at big agencies or companies. For them it was about the status not the position or professional fulfillment.
Having worked in glamorous, and not so glamorous organizations, the advice I always gave my students was – do what you love and the money will come.
It’s funny how the more you truly enjoy your job, the better you are and the more opportunities come your way. But when you are miserable, dreading going to work everyday, even a six-figure paycheck isn’t enough to make you love what you do.
When I was in journalism school, I was covering a trial with a well-known reporter from a Toronto television station. He had been late to the trial, so I shared my notes with him to help him get caught up. Let’s be clear, I wasn’t going to get a scoop at my student newspaper, so I chose to help him. In return, after the trial he took me aside and gave me some solid career advice. He told me to always focus on what I love, and not worry about the next job or the paycheck as it would all fall into place if I was living my passion. Professional fulfillment was the cornerstone of a successful career.
Now my passion has taken me to some pretty interesting places and I have a very diverse resume. Many of the people I’ve met along the way who are excited and passionate about their career have followed their heart, not climbed rung by rung up the corporate ladder.
So why am I sharing this advice with you? Maybe you are just starting out or are reaching the end of your career. It doesn’t matter what spectrum you are on because we all want professional fulfillment. This leads to personal fulfillment and greater enjoyment of life.
Now is a great time to take stock of your career and determine if you are living your passion. If not, how can you get there?
- What inspires you? A particular cause, sport, hobby?
- What does an ideal workday look like to you?
- If all jobs came with the same paycheck, what would be your ideal job?
- What drains your energy and demotivates you?
- What motivates you? Money? Time off? Freedom to set your own schedule?
- What skills do you need to get from where you are today to working in your passion?
- If you have all the tools you need, what’s stopping you?
- When is a good time to jump? Note: the answer here is never…so you need to trust in your abilities yourself that it will all work out.
- What does professional fulfillment look like to you?
While following your passion may not always be a straight road, with a clear destination, I promise the journey along the way will be challenging, rewarding and most importantly, YOUR journey.
When was the last time you paused and took stock of your career path? If you aren’t living your passion, what is holding you back from having a career of professional fulfillment?
I’d love to hear what changes you’ve made to either refocus yourself or to ensure you can continue on a career path of professional fulfillment.
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