Work. It’s what we spend the majority of our adult lives doing. We all want careers that are personally engaging and financially secure, and sometimes we need to make career changes to find that satisfaction.
I know that was the case with me. I had to leave a career that I found very unsatisfying (law) to find a new career (entrepreneurialism) that I wanted to dedicate my life to. Whether we are currently in a career that we love, or one we’d love to get out of, there are a number of strategies that if we create habits out of them, we will feel more fulfilled no matter where we are.
So look at these “7 Essential Keys To Finding Fulfillment at Work” and see how you can apply them to your current situation. Even if you know that the job you are currently in is not the job for you long-term, I assure you that these strategies will make the process between now, and when you actually pursue your dream full-time, more fulfilling.
1. Define a personal mission and live it each day
What are your values? What defines you as a person? Write them down. Create a personal mission statement, something that defines how you are going to act independent of any external circumstances. Then apply it each day in your work, no matter what you are doing, or where you are. This will lead to inner-congruence and will make you feel like you live with integrity. This will make you more fulfilled in your work.
2. Constantly set and re-set goals
Growth is where fulfillment exists, and there is no growth without goals. Set long-term, short-term and most importantly daily goals. Even if you aren’t working in your “dream career” you can still benefit from consistent goal setting behavior, and I promise, if you do it enough, you will find more fulfillment than you’ll feel without setting goals.
3. Make a specific goal to improve yourself, every single day
Improvement feels great, even if it is small improvement. Don’t set the standard for yourself what other people are doing. You are in a race with no one but yourself. Your personal satisfaction in a career is something that you alone must determine. Find ways to improve yourself. Things about your job description – there has to be things that you can improve that will benefit you down the road. Whether it be people skills, organization skills, management and leadership skills, improve each day and you will feel great about yourself.
4. Be grateful – it could be a lot worse
This is the truth. If you are ever feeling sorry for yourself, take a moment and find someone else who is in a more dire situation than you (and there are many). A lack of gratitude in life is a sure way to get discouraged and depressed, but the reverse is also true. A person who feels an abundance of gratitude, no matter what his or her life looks like, will also feel an abundance of fulfillment.
5. Don’t be passive – take initiative
Your enjoyment in an activity is in direct correlation to the amount of emotional energy you invest in it. So dive in. Don’t sit on the sidelines. You won’t feel fulfillment that way. Find ways to be proactive. Volunteer for assignments. Again, even if your current job isn’t your ideal job, if you invest emotional energy in it, and be proactive, you’ll feel more fulfillment.
6. Find ways to learn something new
Education is fulfilling. Learning new things feels great. Do an inventory of yourself. What is an area that you would like to improve, and how can your current job offer a setting for that type of improvement? You may need to put yourself out of your comfort zone a little for the growth to happen, but again, if you do it, you’ll feel more fulfilled.
7. Build positive relationships
It feels good to have positive people in your life. The more positive relationships you build in your current work setting the more fulfillment you’ll feel. Take time to listen to people; show genuine care and interest (the key here is being genuine, everyone can tell a faker). Show interest in people and they will show interest in you. Be a good person and you will build positive relationships.
