Work. Notice how much of our life revolves around this. In fact, when you think about it, work has taken the ‘top spot’ a few too many times on our priority lists. One study reveals that an average person spends one-third of their life at work — about 90,000 work hours over a lifetime!
With time, however, our expectations and priorities experience a shift. Goals drifts from simply wanting a job to wanting a more meaningful, purpose-driven and fulfilling career. Career fulfillment can be elusive, but it’s definitely not impossible to find.
We’ve put together five essential tips to help you achieve the career fulfillment that you deserve.
Identify Your Values
Values are beliefs that are important to you in your personal and work life. Your values are an integral part of who you are and what you aspire to be. Once you’ve successfully determined your values, the next step is to ensure that your job aligns well with your values and beliefs. When your work resonates with what you consider important in life, you’ll find yourself becoming passionate about your purpose.
Take time to reflect on what truly matters to you. Are you creative? Do you have the inclination to always reach out and help others? Or perhaps, you are truly passionate about environmental sustainability. Once you’ve identified your core values, look for ways to incorporate them into your existing role or seek other opportunities that better align with your beliefs and principles.
Align Your Values and Your Job
Look for a shared sense of purpose and passion. Your values should align well with those of your employer. A disconnect would simply be futile. Let’s assume that you’re a healthcare professional, someone who is passionately dedicated to the welfare of people. On the contrary, the priority of your employer is a quick in-and-out of patients from their facility. What we have here is a perfect mismatch and this misalignment in values typically will result in job dissatisfaction.
Set Meaningful Goals
Goals aid in growth. They give you direction. Having clear and achievable goals can provide a sense of purpose and fulfillment in your work. Push yourself and set your targets. Determine your long-term, short-term and even daily goals. You can break down larger objectives into smaller manageable tasks and celebrate your wins along the way. In doing so, you’ll remain motivated and possess the drive to continuously grow and develop.
Embrace Continuous Learning
Invest in yourself. Learning and personal development lead to fulfillment. Identify skills that you’d like to improve, make a note of how this will benefit your current role and, perhaps, take this up with your company’s HR department. Most organizations welcome such initiatives and support their employees on the path of learning and self-development.
Build Positive Relationships
Healthy work relationships create experiences of happiness and satisfaction. Foster positive relationships with your colleagues and supervisors. Engage in open communication, offer support when needed and participate in team-building activities. Put the formality aside and make an effort to engage with them casually. Get to know them at a personal level. Develop bonds and friendships. These connections can create a sense of belonging and make your work environment more enjoyable. The more positive relationships that you build, the more you will feel fulfilled at work.
Fulfillment at Work
“Fulfillment is a right and not a privilege,” writes Simon Sinek, author of Find Your Why: A Practical Guide for Discovering Purpose for You and Your Team. The key is determining your purpose and identifying what’s meaningful to you. When your work and your environment become well-aligned with your values, know that you’re on the right track towards attaining a fulfilling career.
At Crosworks, our approach begins and ends with you. If you’re looking for more in your career, or even a new career or job, schedule a free phone consultation with a career strategist and let them help you better understand your values, define your goals and chart your path. Our professional career and leadership coaches work one-on-one with clients to develop a personalized, actionable plan for a more meaningful and fulfilling career.