Is your career or job your calling? I’m intrigued by what makes a calling. There’s a world of difference. A job can simply be a meal ticket or a place to go so other things get done. On the other hand, a calling is almost spiritual work.
Two things are required for a calling. First, we must have the God given ability to do a job and derive full enjoyment from it. A calling is unique to each of us, perhaps a match of career, attitude, and aptitude that’s made in heaven while tempered on earth. A calling reinvigorates and renews our energies and our perspectives. Finding what we’re interested in is often the first step to developing a passion for work. With passion comes interest and a willingness to go the extra step for our family, a customer, or the destitute.
I’ve known folks whose work was a calling. They enjoyed what they did. They went to work with a smile on their faces. They solved problems. They felt they felt others. What did these folks do? One was an actor, another a policeman, and another was a quality manager.
The words they used and how they described their work reveals what makes work a calling. They shared the belief that their work and careers ‘made a difference.’ While money was important, the process of their work and the folks they worked with was critical. In a few cases, the successful outcome was money. They describe what they do as going to ‘home,’ their work partners as ‘family,’ and workplace as a second home.
Other revelations: They apply a craft, not show up for work. Passion is the driver of their work. They learned and matured at the work they did. They were recognized for their best efforts. Regardless of the role, they always gave it their best.
Life Lesson Earned: Can you say that about your job? What tradeoffs or sacrifices would you have to make to find your true calling?