In initial sessions, new clients often discuss their feelings about their careers and their personal lives. The descriptions they use often help them – and us – determine whether they are living out their vision, mission, or purpose.
David shared in his first session that he was dissatisfied with his job. At work he felt bored and emotionally flat; at home he felt more energized. On the other hand, Jean described a different pattern. She was irritated and annoyed at work most of the time. She described her job as stressful, and she complained of being constantly “stressed out” except on weekends when she could relax.
At first glance, we might think that neither individual is doing work that is compatible with their mission or life purpose. However, this is not the case. David, who felt bored and rather lifeless at work, discovered that he had long ago given up the idea that he could have work that was satisfying to him. Our work with him involved rediscovering his purpose or mission. Why was he here? What did he want to contribute? David ended up making great changes in his work life and ultimately, went back to school to retrain for a new career in the health care industry.
Jean, on the other hand, loved her work. She was a lawyer working on legislative issues for a large corporation. What we uncovered, however, was that the overwhelmingly negative work environment had eaten away at her confidence and her belief that she could contribute to society. After a few sessions, Jean began looking for another job in a smaller firm where she could use her creative skills to work on her strong commitment to environmental issues.
Both clients were troubled when they came to see us, but the source of their difficulty was not the same. It took a little bit to sort out what was causing their unhappiness at work. If you find yourself bored or feeling listless, then you may be out of touch with your mission or purpose. Perhaps your job is out of synch with your values. If you’re angry and irritated, or generally “stressed out,” then it may be time to examine your work environment. You could be in the right field, but like Jean, in the wrong place.
Of course, we are generalizing somewhat here, but we do see these broad patterns again and again. Here at Lansky Career Consultants, our work focuses on helping clients sort through these issues and make decisions about the changes they will make. Let us help you rediscover your sense of purpose, as we did for David and Jean.
