Welcome to week 8, friend!

A couple weeks ago I shared some stats from the 2023 State of the Global Workplace report by Gallup:

• 44% of employees said they experienced “a lot of stress” the previous day.
• Globally, employee wellbeing declined in 2023 from 35% to 34%.

And here’s a new one:

• 52% of employees say they are watching for or actively seeking a new job.

As you might’ve guessed, this week’s pillar is “Occupational” aka, your job, your career, your profession.

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To set the stage for this week, read this excerpt from a Forbes article by Melody Wilding: Do you have a job, career, or calling?

Job, Career or Calling – What’s the Difference?

Dr. Amy Wrzesniewski, a professor at Yale School of Management, has spent her career researching how individuals identify with their work. She has established three different, defined contexts of work: job, career and calling:

• Job: A job provides you with pay, benefits and perhaps some social perks. It’s primarily about earning that paycheck. People in this category are typically more invested in their lives outside of the office. Work is merely the way they afford to do the things they love. They focus on their family, friends and hobbies more than their professional pursuits. If you no longer see your job as a place to learn, gain experience or increase your connections, it could be a sign that you have a “Job” orientation towards your work.
• Career: A job you do for others, while a career is what you do for yourself. Career professionals are also working for the paycheck (let’s be honest, who isn’t?), but they are more driven to seek out opportunities for advancement in the workplace. These individuals tend to strive for the next promotion, look for more training and generally aim to impress. People with a career orientation tend to have a long-term vision for their professional future, set goals and enjoy healthy competition with colleagues.
• Calling: Those who experience their work as a calling are most likely to feel a deep alignment between their vocation and who they are as a person. They feel a personal and emotional connection to their work. They are enthusiastic, have a sense of purpose and are willing to work harder and longer to make a contribution. Unsurprisingly, this group is often the most satisfied with their professional situation.

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How important is your job to you?

Raise your hand if you’ve heard, “Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.”

We’re often told to follow our passions and find a “dream job,” as if that’s the only path to fulfillment. But the reality is, not everyone has a singular burning passion, and that’s perfectly okay. Sometimes, a job is just a job – a way to make a living and support the life you want outside of work.

Hold up – what?!

As an advocate for happiness, I’d love for everyone to be doing something that brings you joy AND a paycheck, but the thing is, there’s no shame in having a job that’s not a passion if that’s what you choose.

There’s immense value in having a job that provides the financial security and time flexibility to pursue your interests outside of work. Maybe you love spending weekends camping with your family, traveling to new destinations, or volunteering for a cause you care about. If your job allows you to do those things, it’s serving a crucial purpose in your life.

So, today I’m inviting you to take a step back from the success treadmill…what do YOU want? Not what does society or your parents or your spouse or you-last-year want. You, today.

Do you feel like you need to take a step forward on your calling? Or maybe make peace with the fact you’re in a job, and that’s okay? Or something else?

WEEK 8 PILLAR: OCCUPATIONAL

ANCHOR: Take 10 minutes to answer/journal.

• In your occupation, are you aligned with your passions, strengths, and values? Is that important to you?
• Do you feel valued? Stimulated? Satisfied?
• What do you want to 1) stop, 2) start, or 3) continue?
• What energizes you?
• What drains you?

ANCHOR: Take 10 minutes to answer/journal.

• Watch this ~12-minute talk on Job Crafting. (This video puts the spin on encouraging employers to provide space for this, but whether you’re in a job, career, or calling, job crafting is a way to make the work more meaningful.)
• Set time to chat with a coach or mentor if you’re ready to make a change.

See you next week for probably my favorite of the 10 pillars: Recreational.

Cheering for your best life,
– Nicole

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ICYMI: This is week 8 of my 12-week series, “Reclaim Your Dreams: Reignite Your Spark.” It’s designed to put you back in control of defining success and the dreams YOU want in just ~10 minutes a week. You can catch up here: Week 1: Existential, Week 2: Intellectual, Week 3: Environmental, Week 4: Relational, Week 5: Physical, Week 6: Mental Wellbeing, and Week 7: Financial.