Find a Career With Meaning
By Susan Harrington MA Ed, CPC

For many of us, it might seem like an unreachable goal or ideal to be able to have a career with meaning. How do I define “meaning”? The dictionary definition is to have “implied or explicit significance.” Is it possible to find a career with significance? Of course it is. The question is, “Significant to who?”

People spend a great deal of effort building careers that have no meaning to them. People who on the outside have all the trappings of success and wealth, even the titles to match may find themselves feeling that what they have achieved falls short of being significant. How can that be, especially when they are obviously so successful?

It happens because they haven’t done the homework it takes to look inside themselves and ask what they find to be significant. What has meaning to them.

It’s easy to let other people tell us what is significant. Our parents, our teachers, our spouses, what we see in the movies and on TV, advertisers and marketing gurus, the media in general. We are bombarded with messages telling us what is significant. So, when we manage to acquire or achieve many of what these messages have been telling us we want to be significant, why don’t we feel it?

Because each of us has to find our own meaning, our own significance. Nobody else can tell us. What has meaning for you will be different than for me. You might find meaning in being a graphic artist and creating outstanding corporate logos for companies, while I might be an accountant and find meaning in helping people get the best refund on their taxes. You might be a pediatrician and find meaning in being a doctor to children, while I might be a stay-at-home mom and find meaning in being a great mother to my children.

One of the keys to finding satisfying work is to pursue work that is in alignment with what you care about, what has meaning to you. When looking for meaningful work, look inward. Ask yourself what you care about, what gets you excited, what engages you so much that you lose all track of time. It might be beneficial to get some assistance in defining this by talking to a counselor or coach. Even the people closest to you can give you a different perspective on what they see excites you. The point is to start asking yourself the questions that will lead you to that meaning you are looking for.

It might not be obvious at first, but if you persist, if you listen to your inner voice, take note of what engages you most, you are likely to find what it is you care about, what has significance and meaning to you. Once you define that, you can start to get creative about how to bring those elements into your current career or begin to look at careers that express them. First step is to get to know yourself and what you feel enthusiasm for. No one can answer that but you.

The good news is, no one can answer that but you. The bad news is, no one can answer that but you. So you have to be the one to take the steps, initiate. But because the solution lies in your hands, you also get to control the outcome. You can have it if you want it and are willing to do the work. And why not do the work? So what if it’s work, the payoff is worth it.

About the Author:
Susan Harrington is a Career and Life Coach who works with clients throughout the world. She helps forward thinkers make successful careers. Her website is a valuable resource for tools, techniques, classes and information. Find her at: www.susanharrington.com.

Find A Career With Meaning
© Susan Harrington All rights reserved.