After working in jobs that only mildly peak our interest, after spending years counting down the days to the weekend only to go out to the same place, drinking the same amount of alcohol. Follow that up with spending the weekend in front of the TV, it seems logical to ask “why are we here?”
Many of us, at some point, feel dissatisfaction with the life we have created for ourselves, with the endless cycle of 9-to-5 existence. We feel disconnected but continue to plod on as “that’s what everyone else is doing”.
Thanks to the Global Financial Crisis many have been forced into a situation of change and have used this as a chance to work out what their real purpose is. I am not talking about joining the flock on a religious pilgrimage, more asking who am I? What do I really enjoy? What are my core values? Are they aligned with what I am doing now?
Most of us have no idea what we want to do with ourselves, nor do we get any real guidance at crucial decision times during education. Now is as good a time as any to gain some clarity!
These 2 resources help immensely to reevaluate, or simply confirm, that the path we have chosen is fulfilling for us as an individual:
Personality Type Sorter: The respected Carl Jung broke down personalities into psychological types. The main benefit of completing the quick test is knowing who we are, accepting it and encouraging it to flourish. Find it here
Example: After being so positive, thriving off the energy of meeting new people, intent on seeing positive social change, it was both interesting and assuring to be notified of the result ENFP or Champion Idealist.
Second resource:
What Colour is your Parachute: (available in most book stores)
Still the best-selling job-hunting book in the world, What Color is Your Parachute? is the most complete guide for first-time job seekers as well as second and encore careers changers. Updated every year with new examples, instructions, and cautionary advice, Parachute is, to quote Fortune magazine, ‘the gold standard of career guides’.
Of special mention is the exercise ‘The Flower” – an exercise that breaks down what you really enjoy and puts in on paper.
As a wise person once told me: If a thing turns you on you will be good at it, if it doesn’t you won’t”. If we enjoy what we do won’t this cause a ripple effect to all other parts of our life?
Have you ever spent time evaluating this? What has helped you work out why you are here? What were your results of the personality test?
