With the holiday season behind us, many of us find ourselves thinking more critically about the year ahead and the level of satisfaction we have in our job. The chapter Current and Future Position in our book Time To Get Real! encourages you to reflect on where you currently are in your career and where you are headed.

Some questions asked in this chapter include: does the current position you hold reflect what you need for your personal strengths and development areas, your values, and your life purpose? If you are unhappy in your current role, think about what would your days look like if you had control over them. Before leaving the position, have you asked for what you want and can you find additional fulfillment where you are?

A recent article in Forbes written by Tracy Bower explores this concept as well. “In the current talent revolution, there’s renewed focus on jobs, employers, and career advancement—and perhaps most of all—whether you’re happy and loving what you do. It’s worth giving intentional thought to whether you love your work and whether it’s fulfilling. It is, after all, a majority of where you spend your time.

There are proven ways to fall in love with your job, or even just like it a little more. But it’s also important to know there is no perfect job. There will always be things you love as well as things you dislike. The best formula for loving your work is to find as much alignment as you can between what you love to do, and what you must spend time on.”

Finding Alignment

The article lists several ways to find more happiness in your current role.

“Love Your Contribution - No matter what you’re doing, your work is a way you express your talents and make a contribution to your community. Performing well is correlated with happiness, so embrace your own skills and be confident about what you do well.

Love The Learning - Appreciate all you’re learning to stay on top of your current role, and always be looking for the next growth opportunity as well.

Love Your Coworkers - One of the most important elements of happiness is feeling connected with others Whether you’re an introvert or an extravert, you need the right number of meaningful relationships as well as casual interactions. Work is a key venue to make friends and to connect with others on common goals or tasks. Even if your job isn’t a perfect fit and you don’t thrive with your organization, you can appreciate your relationships with others.

Love What Work Buys - You may not feel a deep sense of meaning from your work and that’s okay. Your work doesn’t have to be a grand endeavor, and it’s a mistake to believe good work only comes when you feel a significant purpose. Having purpose is powerful, for sure, and you can always be looking for a job where you have it. But in the meantime, you can appreciate your work for what it buys you—putting food on the table, paying for your home or covering the costs of a great vacation. It’s fair to love your work for the ordinary ways it provides for your needs.”

More Action Steps

Each reader of Time To Get Real! will have his or her own needs and set of actions. The important thing is not to bury the concerns that you identify, but instead to highlight them, seek advice and assistance where needed, act on those concerns, and attempt to create a more compatible situation for the attainment of your life and career goals. By doing this work, you should be on a path to maximize your current position or move toward your future position.

If you would like more information about your Current and Future Position, we recommend reading chapter ten in our book Time To Get Real!. Having a fulfilling career is one component of the Life and Career Planning Model© featured in the book. This model is the framework for developing your own life and career plan. Should you choose to create your own plan, we suggest that you consider some amount of personal coaching that can help you to discern and activate your life’s mission and move you toward the best life and career that you deserve. Our coaching fees and services are flexible and meet a broad array of client financial and coaching needs. All Life and Career Planning LLC coaches are experienced and certified in the Life and Career Planning Model© and serve as your accountability partner. To inquire about working with a coach, click here.