Many of us who are not lucky enough to have a job well love fear that we will be stuck in a dead-end job that we hate for the next however many years until we can retire. We hate the thought of being unfulfilled at work, but it seems like it is just our lot in life to have a job we don’t particularly like.
This is not true, or at least it does not have to be! It is perfectly possible to have a fulfilling career if you want to, and below you will find some tips to help you do just that!
Don’t follow the money
Obviously, none of us wants to work hard for very little money, so salary does matter to an extent, but study after study has found that salary has very little impact on how fulfilling a person’s job is.
So, if you want to be happy in your work, don’t make money the only thing you focus on. Choose a job that is meaningful to you instead, and you will feel much happier all around.
Do something you love
The best way to have a fulfilling career is to do something you love. Whether that means you take the test now that will enable you to work as a self-defense instructor helping people to protect themselves, or it means moving halfway across the world to care for orphaned koalas, think about what your ideal job would look like, and work towards doing what needs to be done to secure that role.
Do something that makes a difference
Numerous studies have also shown that when people think they are making a difference with the work they do they are generally more fulfilled by their career choices. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to switch jobs to work for a charity or whatever although you might well want to do that it does mean you should focus on how your job helps people. For example, if you’re an accountant, your work helps small businesses to stay afloat or if you work as a cleaner, your job enables people to stay healthy and work in a spacious environment. Focus on the meaning and you will feel much happier in your job.
Play to your strengths
If you are working in a role where you are not required to use any of your talents, whether that be a talent for martial arts or talent for writing perfectly crafted senses, you will be wasting your abilities and you are unlikely to feel as fulfilled as possible Try to find a way of incorporating your strengths into your job and it will soon feel like a much more fulfilling endeavor altogether.
Don’t be afraid to try
Of course, none of these tips will help you if you aren’t willing to do something different, apply for new roles or get out there and see what's available, so don’t be afraid to take that leap.
So there you have it, you can have a fulfilling career, but you have to get out there and make it happen. So, what are you waiting for?
