Every day we hear about people making radical career changes. The opportunities exist, but will all these changes make us any happier once we get there? Maybe the question is not "How can I get the job I'll love?", but "How can I love the job I have?" Following are four practical steps towards coming to terms with why you do what you're doing. Take some time to think about it, and you might be surprised by what you find.
1. Realize that your job does not define you, but how you do it does. There's a lot to be said for attitude, more than will fit here. Any job can be done well, done with compassion, done with care. Your attitude at work and the way you treat people --- even your mood --- does not go unnoticed. They have a profound influence on the people you work with. There are times when you can't control your situation, but you can always choose how you live in it.
2. Stop focusing on the money. Money will never be enough so stop using it (or the lack of it) as an excuse. Whatever you are bringing home on the 15th and 30th, there are always going to be things you could do or would do if you had more. Try taking tracking every penny you spend in a week. Seeing where your money is really going can help you to refocus your spending towards the things you really want. Getting paid is only one small part of what you do, your work has to be more than just a paycheck to be fulfilling.
3. Find the significance in what you do. This may require you to think big, but it can be done. Take some time to really think about what you do. Do you provide an essential service? Do you get to see the finished product? Do you give direction that gets things done? Then ask yourself "how is this job done differently because I am doing it?" Perspective plays a huge role in personal satisfaction and sense of well being. Try to remember why you took the job in the first place. If it was only going to be "for now" are you actively looking for other work? ( to be continued)