What do you value?

Have you thought about what you value when it comes to your career? One assessment that is frequently used has identified three values that the may drive our behavior. These values are:

1. Achievement which is defined as the meeting or exceeding of a standard of excellence and/or improving one's own performance.
2. Affiliation which is definied by establishing, maintaining, and avoiding disruption of close, friendly relationships with people.
3. Power which is defined as having an effect or making an impact on others; focus on reputation.

Do any of these resonate with you?

Understanding your personal values is essential when it comes to having a career with purpose. When you value something, you will spend your time and energy on what you value. When it comes to your career, you will want to watch for any mismatch or gap between your values and the job requirements. If there is a mismatch, it can impact both you and the organization you work for. Understanding your values can also help you know what areas of your career may need to developed in order to be a more effective employee.

Are You Content?

On a Web site I frequent, someone asked the question, "Are You Content?" There was a wide variety of answers from numerous posters, but I notice one post that separated their life into different areas before posting a response. Such as:

1. Material items -- Check...Content there
2. Relationships -- Check...Content there

Their list went on. What would your list be like? Where would your career fall with on the contentment checklist.

I know, for me, when I am doing the work that I love and enjoy, I am very content...Happy even. The hours fly and I can't wait to do more. However, on the flip side of the coin, when I'm doing work that I don't love or enjoy, I'm miserable.

So...Looking at your life and career now...Are you content?

Welcome to 2007!

It seems like the change from one year to another year is more than just flipping a page on the calendar. For many people, it is a time of reflection, a time of new beginnings, and a time of resolutions (and broken resolutions!). If this sounds like you, what have you resolved to do this year? Lose weight? Drink less soda? Quit smoking? Exercise more? Get a new job?

If a job change is among your lifestyle changing resolutions during 2007, ask yourself, “Why do I want to change jobs?” Your answer may be as simple as “I want more money” or “I want a promotion”. If your first response is more, “I don’t know, but I know I want a different job”, then ask yourself, “What type of job do I want?” If you’re not sure about that either, I would suggest you add another resolution to your list. Add the resolution to “Discover my Career Purpose”. In the process of discovering your career purpose, you may find that you discover more about yourself, your values, your motivation, your interests, and your abilities.

What a wonderful year 2007 can be if you discover all those things about yourself!

Energized or Exhausted?

During this busy holiday season, it seems like people are either energized or exhausted with all the activities that go on.

The same thing can be true in our careers. We frequently find ourselves either energized by what we do and accomplish at work or we find ourselves exhausted by the very thought of work. There may be several reasons that two people performing the same job can find themselves on the opposite end of the spectrum when it comes to energy level. One of the primary reasons is usually found in how well the job fits into our life purpose, our values, and our motivators. Even if we are very good at performing our job function, we may not be enjoying it. If this is where you find yourself during this holiday season, take a moment and reflect on the following:

1. I work because ___________________.
2. I would like to have _____________________ from my work.
   

If you're not sure how to answer these questions, you might want to consider working with a career coach to help you find the answers and to find out how to have a career with purpose.

Do What You Love To Do!

I am a fan of Steve Irwin (The Crocodile Hunter) and I was sadden to hear of his sudden death. When something like that happens, I usually become a little introspective about my own life and what I've done with it.

I hope that someone would have something to say about me similar to what Bill Wineke of the Wisconsin State Journal said about Steve Irwin after his death. "But the lesson of Steve Irwin is that, deep down, we have to live each day in its own right and glean from each day those pleasures and satisfactions it might offer. By all accounts, Irwin lived his life doing what he loved to do and he died doing what he loved to do."

I really like that last sentence..."lived his life doing what he loved to do and he died doing what he loved to do." What a wonderful thing to say about someone!

When you look at your own life and career, can you honestly say that you are living your life doing what you love to do? If not, ask yourself these questions:

1. What is it that I love to do?
2. What is keeping me from doing what I love to do?
3. How would my life be different if I was doing what I love to do?

Sometimes just knowing the answer to these questions can start us on a journey that will change our lives.

Work that is "real work"

Have you ever found yourself in that job where it is simply a chore to get out of bed to go to work? I have and, honestly, it felt like every single day was an eternity. Do you wonder why that happens? Perhaps it is because you feel like the work you are doing is meaningless. Or, perhaps, it just doesn't seem important to you. We all can find ourselves in a position where we just wonder, "why am I here?"

I believe it is important to find out what our purpose is in life and then figure out how we can fulfill that purpose through our career. How can you discover your life purpose? Ask yourself some basic questions like:

1. What do you love to do?
2. What do you naturally do well?
3. Is there a cause you feel passionate about?
4. What do you daydream about doing?
5. What would you do if you knew you could not fail?

The answers to these questions may point you in the direction of your life purpose and discovering your life purpose is the first step to finding a career with purpose.