“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs
There are a lot of people in a lot of roles in organizations around the world who are just putting in time. They aren’t passionate about what they’re doing, and, while they’d never admit it, they’re content to just kind of “get by”. The years go by and they just keep doing what they’re doing, with their only real career goal being to get their career over with as soon as possible so they can enjoy retirement.
What a waste. We are not designed to coast, or to just “get by”. Our purpose here isn’t to just settle for mediocrity so we can eventually stop working and enjoy a life of leisure. We are designed to contribute, each of us in our own unique way, and we’re supposed to keep contributing throughout our entire lives.
When we find that unique way, that way that we are specifically wired to make our contribution to the world, we know it. People who are doing what they’re meant to do are energized by it, are excited by it, can’t stop talking about it, want to do it all the time. That doesn’t mean every day is perfect, but it means most days are meaningful and full of purpose.
At some point, if you aren’t passionate about what you do, and it doesn’t energize you – or worse, it takes energy from you – you have to be honest with yourself. Are you really doing what you’re supposed to be doing with your career and with your life?
I’m not suggesting that every time you have a bad day means making major life changes. What I am suggesting is that if what you’re doing isn’t energizing you for long enough, then you need to look in the mirror and ask if this is where you’re supposed to be.
Yes, you can choose to have a positive attitude about what you’re doing no matter what it is. But that deeper feeling of purpose, that feeling that this is what I’m meant to do, that energy you get when you get to tackle whatever it is you tackle – you can’t fake that. You’re either in the zone you’re created to be in, or you’re not.
I don’t intend this to be an “Everybody quit your job and find something new” post. I just want you to think about what you’re meant to do, and whether you’re doing it. If you are, fantastic. If you aren’t, what are you going to do about it?
Don’t settle for a mediocre, unrewarding, exhausting life. You weren’t meant for that. Find your place and find out what you’ve been missing.
