Today's reader question from DailyWorth.com:
“I have been in my field for over two decades and I’m ready to start my dream career, but I’m not sure what that looks like exactly. I’m obsessed with organization and budgeting, but without a hardcore financial background, I’m unsure what type of job this would be. I want to look forward to going to work every day. What do you suggest?”
The first thing I’d like to do is help you adjust your expectations about finding your passion and making money at it. Hobbies are generally unprofitable as businesses, and even if you do manage to earn a living at one of them, having to spend every minute of every day on it often kills the passion.
As for having a “dream career,” there’s a reason “work” is not called “fun.” When I was writing the book “How’d You Score THAT Gig?” I found that even people with the coolest of jobs don’t bounce out of bed with enthusiasm every day. There are aspects of their gigs that they love, and those they could do without.
Society puts so much pressure on us to find a singular passion that we can’t be happy without. But your job is not the only path to personal fulfillment, and I am fond of saying that a more realistic goal is to love what you do rather than do what you love.
Have you taken advantage of every development opportunity your current organization has to offer? Can you move laterally or use your expertise to launch a new initiative?
What made you choose this career in the first place? And is there anything you can do to rekindle that feeling? Can you use your company as a means to give back to the community and people who are less fortunate? All of these things are likely to reinvigorate your daily sense of satisfaction.
In the event that you’re genuinely ready for a major change, I’ll recommend a potential career based on your email. Professional organizers teach clients simple techniques to reduce waste, make everyday processes easier and streamline daily responsibilities. They also help to change behaviors that cause disorganization, such as procrastination, an inability to focus and the accumulation of unnecessary “stuff.”
To assess whether a career as a professional organizer is for you, I recommend getting involved with the National Association of Professional Organizers, which offers educational events and resources, networking opportunities and a certification program via numerous local chapters.
Your advice is grounding.
There's such a trend right now to find a job that's enjoyable and I think the problem is that underneath it is the commonly held belief that enjoyment comes from the job itself.
In viewing a job that way, we give it all the power and leave ourselves with none. Real enjoyment comes from choosing to engage a job in a way that brings fulfilment (and yes, I realise it's easier said than done!).
Irene
Posted by: Irene McConnell | February 03, 2015 at 02:01 AM
@Irene: You are absolutely right. Fulfillment is not about the job itself, but the way you think about the job.
Posted by: Alexandra Levit | February 09, 2015 at 08:07 PM