Are you stuck in a job or living your dream?

Do you have a career that you’re passionate about, or do you find yourself clock-watching at work, waiting for the weekend?

Many individuals really struggle with giving themselves permission to dream about their ideal career. They get to a point where their head takes over their heart, and they struggle to see the exact steps they need to take to get there. Often, this very human process of rationalisation and planning stops any kind of progress towards taking action and stepping outside of comfort zones. I like to call this “analysis paralysis”.

I see a lot of people struggle with the idea that the transition from their job towards their calling is monumental and immediate. Yes, it may be a monumental change from what you’re currently doing, but it doesn’t have to be immediate. The idea is that there’s no big leap. You keep moving forward with mini actions until that “big leap” is eventually just another step, as you’ve gained so much momentum through your mini actions. We’re living in an era where we are used to getting results and information at the touch of a button. Unfortunately, changes in our lives usually take more time.

However, I wish to offer you a slightly different perspective on your work that has helped clients start to take action towards their dream career or calling.

Are you in a job?

Within this framework, I classify this as a largely transactional process. I complete my work or deliver a service with the main purpose of getting paid. The focus is not on the work itself and the impact it’s having; it’s on the money.

Are you in a profession?

I classify this as having pride in what you do and delivering your work to the best of your ability. You may not necessarily love your profession, but in some way, it serves your longer-term aims.

For example, your goal could be to become a personal trainer, but you’re currently working in a different job. You take a professional approach and do your current job well, allowing you to keep saving to pay for a personal training course. You then continue to stay professional while developing your new skills outside working hours until you can negotiate dropping down to four days per week. You can then use one day per week to start your journey towards becoming the personal trainer you dreamed of being.

There are many examples of how you can change the way you approach your job so that it serves the purpose of your calling. The difference is the mindset you have. In this example, the immediate outcome is money-focused to afford the course, but it is supported by a plan of action towards your calling.

Have you found your calling?

Consider these questions: Are you getting paid to do what you love to do most? Are you having the impact on the world that you hoped to have? Do you sometimes say, “I can’t believe I get paid to do this”? If the answer is “yes”, you may feel that you’ve found your calling.

This article isn’t about telling you how to find your calling. You might choose to work with a coach to explore what could align with your values and sense of purpose. This article offers a perspective shift: wherever you are now can be your starting point. It’s a question of changing your mindset and looking at how you can make your current situation support the meaningful work you want to pursue.

You may be sitting at your desk reading this article and thinking, “I hate my job, and I don’t even know where to start.” A starting point would be to change your mindset: this job is my current profession, and I’m going to use it to support the process of finding my calling. I’m going to do the best I can in my current profession while exploring what that calling could be.

Let me give you my personal example.

I was in a role that wasn’t challenging and held little enjoyment. I knew I wanted to train to be a coach, so I became professional in my mundane job for two reasons. Firstly, being good at my job got me noticed, and with that came a reputation and a pay rise. In a short amount of time, I had saved what I needed to train for my coaching qualification.

The second reason was that having a good reputation allowed me to negotiate my working hours down to a four-day week. This gave me one day per week when I could open my coaching practice and hone the craft of my calling.

I continued to work in my profession for four days a week, as I found other ways that it served my calling. I found that it was an ideal place to start having deeper conversations with colleagues about their own career paths, which served them and continued to give me the practice I needed to become a coach.

The mindset of treating your current role professionally and looking at how it can serve a greater purpose can affect how you approach your work and how you show up. Family, friends and co-workers may notice the change, and it may have a positive impact on them too.

So, in summary, even if you feel like you’re stuck in a dead-end job or have no idea what your calling is, try reframing the situation. How can you turn your professional skills at what you currently do to give yourself the opportunity to take steps towards change?

Doing work you find meaningful may not make every day effortless, but it can make your working life feel considerably more rewarding.