Building A Career You Love

Career is an important part of our lives. It helps us to live purposefully. I regard myself very lucky to have a career that I truly enjoy. When I was eighteen years old, I believed that passion, drive and healthy restlessness drove me. Fast forward to today, I realize that landing in a career that I enjoy so much was not just accidental. It happened by design. And it can happen to you too!  As the years progressed, I interacted with many successful people (bosses, mentors, senior colleagues, professors). I began to notice one strong pattern among those who have successful careers and lead very fulfilling lives. All these people had two things in common. They built a career in something they were very good at and in an area they were deeply passionate about.  While it sounds simple in theory, this is the secret to unlocking your full potential and maximizing your happiness. What’s the saying again? Simple things are often very profound.

Find something you are (truly) passionate about

Passion, like all elusive things, needs to be discovered. When you’re passionate about something, the activity/job you undertake puts in a mode of ‘flow’ – a state of mind where you’re enjoying something so much that you are fully immersed in it and hence lose track of time. Monogamous passion – passion towards only one thing –  isn’t really necessary. It is perfectly alright to have multiple passions, so you should nurture them. However, find the one you’re also willing to work very hard for, and perhaps the start to beginning a great career lies there. Whether it is a project while still at school or a hobby you undertake alongside your career, every new initiative from your end may hold the key to finding your passion. The key is to just start somewhere and allow your interests to take you along the road. As you build on this passion over a period of time, you also begin to develop skills which give you the opportunity to apply yourself in a career that you have chosen.

This is critical, and an almost natural extension of the point I made above. People that are immensely successful are so because they are able to offer something of value. You are able to create value only if you can contribute meaningfully. Insight, credibility, career capital, and skills are built over a period of time. Make it a priority to sharpen your skills in the area you are passionate about. The possibilities to do so are endless – continuous learning opportunities, formal programs, taking classes, consulting a mentor, working pro-bono on different projects, or offering your leadership for community initiatives. The best and most happy careers are built on a magic cross-section, that of ‘things you are good at’ and ‘areas you can contribute to’. I wish and hope that you will find your self at this cross-section very soon.

Image via Pixabay

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