When you have nothing that you must think about, what do you think about? Is it family, your next vacation, a round of golf, or something else? Do your thoughts center on how you spend your days, specifically focused on your days at work? What do those thoughts look like? If you had to draw a color picture of those thoughts, would you need the 96 color box of Crayolas, the free three-pack that your kids get at Chili’s, or a dull chunk of charcoal? If your thoughts are illustrated in monochromatic gloom, maybe it’s time to do something about it.
Think about the situation this way: If you are not enjoying what you are doing to earn your paycheck – or if you despise what you are doing for your paycheck – why are you doing it? Can you really be great at something that you don’t enjoy? You may be able to force yourself to perform at an acceptable level, but will you ever excel? Will your personal reputation and brand ever be world-class if you know that you would rather be doing something else?
What happens when you spend time doing things that you really love? You could fill libraries with books and videos addressing this subject, but have you ever thought about it and followed this simple thought process? Check it out:
- What am I really good at? What do I enjoy doing most?
- Am I allowed to do these things regularly?
- If not, what can I do about it?
I have found that I really enjoy working with people to help them identify their goals and develop a marketing plan to help them find the next steps in their careers. The whole process of getting to know my clients, writing materials (cover letters, resumes, web content), and helping them land interviews is an amazing experience for me. I am good at it – or so my clients tell me – and I enjoy doing it. How about you? What are you good at? What if you don’t know? Here are a couple of resources to explore:
The US Department of Labor offers a fun package of career exploration tools. The latest is http://www.mynextmove.org/. You will find an easy to navigate questionnaire that may help you identify careers that interest you and use your talents. You may find options to consider that you never thought about before. The second site – http://www.myskillsmyfuture.org/ – let you enter skills and experiences and the site offers ideas for industries and jobs. The two sites together create a useful and easy package of career discovery tools.
Also consider tools that help you identify what make you special. The Gallup Organization’s Strengths Finder 2.0, along with the online assessment tool, can help you understand things about yourself and explores the ideas of strengths and talents in a compelling and accessible way.
Put down the TV remote, check out these tools, and discover things about yourself that may change your life for the better. All the best for your journey!
Work: Getting It & Keeping It 