When you work full time, a majority of your waking hours are spent doing whatever it is you do for a living. Therefore, if you are in a job or career that isn’t fulfilling to you, your life can lack enthusiasm. You simply survive instead of thrive, exist as opposed to live.
Being excited about your work life and bounding out of bed every morning in anticipation of your day is possible if you are in the right career. But how do you find one that creates so much passion that you feel like you’re going to explode?
Simply follow these 6 steps:
Step #1: Identify the Areas You’re Excited About
The very first thing you need to do to work towards finding a career that satisfies every cell in your body is to identify the things that light your fire. Don’t think career related right now, just focus on general topics or basic areas of interest.
Does the mere mention of politics make you want to join in on the conversation and give your two cents? Maybe the thought of domestic violence makes your blood pressure rise to the point where you want to step in and make everything better, or perhaps the idea of gardening, painting, accounting, or reading makes you smile? Whatever gets your blood pumping, write it down.
Step #2: Consider Your Perfect Work Day
In addition to knowing what you’re passionate about, you’ll also want to consider what a perfect work day looks like to you. For instance, are you the type of person who would rather get up early and get your work done so you can enjoy the night, or would you prefer to work at night so you don’t have to wake up to an alarm?
There are no right or wrong answers here. Just answer honestly so that you have an idea of what you want to look for in a career that suits you and your lifestyle.
Step #3: Explore Possible Careers That Encompass Your Answers From Steps 1 & 2
Now that you have a list of things that bring about your passion and excitement and an idea about what specifics your perfect job would have, it’s time to see what careers are available that satisfy both. There may be the perfect position available for you to have a career that is beyond satisfying, you just don’t know about it…yet.
One of the best ways to do this is to do an internet search of “careers in (put your subject here)” and see what you come up with. Look not only at the available jobs, but read up on people who are working in the area and see what they have to say. You may discover the perfect position to scratch your career related itch.
Step #4: Check for Volunteer Opportunities
Once you have an idea of some career paths that could potentially bring you 100 times more enjoyment than you have right now, there is one way to help you find out if that is the road you want to walk and that is volunteering. This allows you to work in that area without giving up your day job just in case it isn’t what you thought.
Most every field has opportunities for volunteer work. If you want to be a police officer, check your area department for reserve or auxiliary programs. If you’re interested in being a veterinarian, see if your local shelter needs help with the animals. Think outside of the box to find ways that you can get closer to your dream career without risking walking away from a job that is paying your bills, even if it isn’t exactly what you’d like it to be.
Step #5: Consider Part Time Work
Another option to get your foot in the door is to look for part time work in the career field that you want to pursue. You may not be able to find a paying job in that position exactly, but even if you can do something relatively close, it’s possible that it could lead to the full time job you desire.
The one caveat is that some jobs may take education that you don’t currently have if you are switching fields entirely. If this is the case, you may have to wait on part time employment until you can get some college or technical courses under your belt first. Certainly, this delays your dream but it also makes achieving it that much sweeter when you have to work harder to get there.
Step #6: Take the Plunge
Go through all of the previous steps and there is only one left – taking the plunge into your new and exciting career. It may very well be the scariest thing you’ve ever done, but it will also be the most rewarding. And it will hardly seem like work at all because you’ll love what you’re doing, which is pretty amazing when you stop and think about it.
At this point, you have two choices: Work up the nerve to follow these steps and satisfy yourself right down to the pit of your soul or stay where you are and continue to go about your days wondering why you exist. I say to pick the first one. You won’t regret it!
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