Answer These Questions to Design a Career You Love
We all talk about work a lot, but we don’t often take the time to truly reflect on what makes us happy and what doesn’t. Yes, you may complain about demanding clients or unreasonable expectations and, on the flip side, bask in the glory of a complimentary email or the joy of working with brilliant coworkers. Still, it’s too easy to lose focus on the big picture when you’re mired in the everyday details of your job.
What would make you love your career?
That’s the million-dollar question that’s not easy to answer right away. Honestly, it takes quite a bit of reflection, and sometimes that can be uncomfortable. After talking with hundreds of people and doing some deep work myself, I’ve discovered that people who say they love their careers tend to have four things in common.
These people do work that:
They enjoy.
Makes an impact
They are good at.
Is valued.
To get closer to your big answer, ask yourself these questions about your current or most recent job:
Copy/paste the questions below into a doc or a notes app on your phone, or, better yet, write them down by hand. Take some time to jot down your thoughts for each. If you’re stuck, skim your calendar, to-do list, and archived emails. Look for things that stand out (good or bad). You can also ask your colleagues and friends to give input.
What brings you energy, and what drains you?
What comes easy to you/where do you naturally shine?
What tasks do you always choose to do last or dread?
Which projects or tasks make you most proud?
When do you feel most appreciated?
Hopefully, this type of introspection can help you visualize the building blocks of a career with which you could fall in love. If nothing else, it can help pinpoint what you enjoy doing, what you wish you were doing more of, and the things that are not serving you well.
So, what would make YOU love YOUR career? 💫
P.S. I first wrote about this topic in my book Embrace the Work, Love Your Career, where you’ll find more strategies and exercises to help you create a career you love. #LoveYourCareerBook