Your Career vs. Your Calling

Your Career vs. Your Calling

There's a lot of talk about finding your passion, your purpose, and calling.  Those working in jobs they don't fully love may think about how to combine their career and calling, and others feel confused about it.  I'm breaking down the difference between your career, your calling, and how to make choices that create a fulfilling, successful life.

Finding Purpose

"If you love your job, you'll never work a day in your life."  I've heard this often and it is NOT true.  You will enjoy your life more if you enjoy your work more, but work is called work for a reason, and it involves doing some stuff that you may not love. 

I'm currently re-reading The Four Purposes of Life by Dan Millman and he defines the second purpose as "Finding Your Career and Calling".

As he states:  "Your career refers to a service you perform - trading your time, effort, attention, knowledge, skills, and experience for a salary or other income and benefits.

You may refer to it as your employment, work, livelihood, occupation, living, trade, vocation, profession, or "just a job."  You may have many reasons to go to work each day - but unless you are independently wealthy, earning an income is a primary career motive.

Your calling refers to a personal interest, attraction, inclination, drive, or passion that is usually (but not always) of a higher order.  It isn't just something you want to do, but rather something you need to do, something that captures your imagination, touches you deeply and absorbs you, whether or not you can explain why.  A calling may (or may not) earn an income or become a career.

The primary difference between a career and a calling is that we pursue a career primarily for income and a calling primarily for the innate satisfaction.  But if you love your career so much that you'd do it for free (if you could afford to do so), then it has likely become a calling as well.  And if a calling begins to produce a good income, then it has also become a career."

There are so many different ways people balance their career and calling, and one way isn't better than another.  It has to work for YOU.  

It doesn't matter if your career and calling are united or are two separate parts of your life.  In an ideal world they may merge, but in the real world, most people go to work, put in our time, enjoy aspects of our job, and then look forward to doing what we do for the love alone during our discretionary time.

That point - our discretionary time - is the most important part of this formula based on my experience with clients.  Regardless of if you are working "just a job" for the paycheck or you are deeply aligned with your work - the amount of time you leave for other things you love is the difference between a stressful life or a fulfilling one.

I'm highlighting this because I think a lot of people wish they could find work they "love".  And when we think there is something better, we often feel more dissatisfied with our current situation. 

But by accepting that your career may be just that - a career, and not a calling - you can right-size the amount of time and effort you put into it, leaving time for family, relationships, and other parts of your true calling.

But what if you don't know your calling?  

Don't worry.  It isn't something to stress about.  You may have been in survival mode most of your life ensuring you have safety, food, housing, and other needs.  You may have been a caregiver and/or required to spend all of your waking hours attending to others.  

Or you may have been driven towards a goal for so long that you didn't look up to see what else in life you love.  There is no judgment. 

The real question is - do you feel fulfilled and satisfied with your life right now?

If the answer is yes - stop doubting yourself and just live!!

If the answer is no - then there are ways to right-size your career, find your calling, and create a balanced way of life that feels purposeful and fulfilling.  It requires time for reflection, getting clear on what you want/enjoy, and experimenting with changes to see where you want to go.

I am unbelievably grateful to currently work in what I feel is my calling - to help others confidently create a life they love and be there to support them along the way.   (When I'm coaching it feels like a calling, but there are a lot of aspects of the business I don't love and still consider work.)

I was always intuitive as a child, I always wanted to sit at the adult table and hear what they were talking about instead of playing with the kids, my psychology classes were my favorites, and figuring out why people do the things they do has always captivated me.

I've always cared for others and felt their pain as well as their happiness.  Connection is one of my core values, so doing this work feels very aligned.  

But my other core value is financial security and my 16 years in accounting was a wonderful (and stressful) career that provided that financial security so that I can now build my coaching business.  I wouldn't go back and do it differently.  

Everything I did brought me to this point.  And that is why I am sharing this. You don't have to stress about your calling or rush your purpose or doubt your career.

Do what feels good and if it doesn't feel good, make changes towards more of what you love and less of what you don't.  

If that feels hard, I can help. 

I know it is my tag line, but I deeply believe this - YOU DESERVE TO ENJOY THIS LIFE YOU ARE WORKING SO HARD FOR!

Finding your career and calling (which may be the same but will likely be different) will help you live a fulfilling, purposeful life.  It all comes down to right-sizing each so that you feel balanced.

And whatever right-sized means to YOU is all that matters.

This work isn't easy.  If it was, everyone would be happy and fulfilled, and that just isn't the world I am seeing right now.  But we can make a difference if we each start with ourselves to find (and refine) our calling and career.

It isn't easy, but it is entirely worth it.  YOU are worth it.

Cheers to a purposeful life, 
Sharon

Create the Life of Your Dreams

Want clarity on your calling and your career?  I help clients gain clarity on the life they really want and create a pathway to achieve it.  The first step is defining what success means to you in your life, family, and career - something I help each client discover, document, and refine.

Schedule a free strategy call to discuss where you are and what you want by CLICKING HERE.   I take pride in providing practical, actionable steps that work in your very busy life so that you can create work/life success on your terms. 

Whether it is this one call, a Life Vision Intensive, ongoing coaching, or a workshop to bring into your organization - I meet you where you are to help you get where you want to go.

Life is too short to stay stressed and stuck.  I've helped so many people reclaim their life.  I can help you too.