3 ways to know if you’re doing what you’re meant to do (Part 2)

Last week in my  “Ask me ANYTHING” blog I started to answer, Valerie Riesen’s questions:
How did you know that coaching was meant for you?
How did you know it was what you wanted to do?


I opening up with what it feels like for me to be doing what I'm meant to be doing and by asking you to reflect on if you feel you are in the right career? I shared how my journey to what I was mean to do was not a straight path.

Click here to read last week's post to find out why and see pictures from my childhood and previous career. 
 
I promised that I’d continue to share more this week and since it’s a four day week I wanted to keep it short and simple – yet powerful.

Here are 3 ways you can easily know if you’re doing what you’re meant to do:

1. Core Competencies:
These are things that come easily for you and that you are good at.  Maybe you have completed a skills test or other career assessments that tell you that you should be in a specific field. I already knew teaching, training, speaking and creating curriculum were things I could do well.
With coaching I had to go to school to learn more and after attending the first part of my certification I knew from others’ reactions that it came naturally. They kept asking me, “Have you done this before?” and “How long have you been coaching?”  It seemed to come naturally: another core competency.
One thing I have to make clear though is that just because you are good at something like filing, cleaning or taking pictures this doesn’t mean that they are your core competencies. You also have to ask yourself if you enjoy doing them and if they are what will satisfy your priorities, values (see below) and life goals.
Here’s an example, I’m good at making images for social media, I enjoy doing it, but it doesn’t directly change a person’s life, pay my bills or make me feel fulfilled.
Having a career based on our core competencies will result in more success because when we’re doing what we are good at and doing what we love, it’s so much easier. So are you able to use your core competencies in what you do?
 
2. Resonance:
Going back to my bliss feeling I mentioned at the beginning of last week’s blog. I have to ask you, is there energy around the work you do? 
Resonance is an emotion that you have when you feel strongly about something. It can be positive or negative. In this case we are looking for a positive emotion.  Do you get pumped up in a positive energy of some kind? Be it excited, content, in the flow, inspired etc.
Having these feelings helps you to “jump out of bed” in the morning. If you have to drag your butt to the office and check the clock every few minutes to see when you’re day is over then maybe you have no resonance for what you do – meaning you were probably not meant to do what your doing.  Even if you had it before, maintaining resonance is important, so start looking for when you get so focused on what you’re doing that you forget to eat or the hours just fly by or you continue to work (out of joy) beyond your office hours. Then ask yourself what it is about that you enjoy so much.  Then replicate it!
 
3. Values:
This means asking yourself if the values you hold are in line with those of the work you do or the company you work for. In the past, this was not the case for me and it was hard for me to continue to work and feel happy about it. 
Stories were told by upper management to protect the company (lack of honesty), profit was put before anything else (lack of quality), respect had to be constantly earned (lack of respect, connection), people weren’t treated equally (lack of fairness and lack of inclusion). Now I get to honor my values of honesty, quality, respect, connection, fairness, inclusion, along with others like education, efficiency, commitment, communication, positive challenge, and achievement.
When your values are not being honoured, you won’t have positive resonance. Then you’ll have no energy and even though you might be using your core competencies you won’t feel satisfied because you’ll never be in flow when you’re values are being dishonored.
Do a little values check to see if your values match your companies and that will help you to know if you’re meant to be doing what you’re doing.
 
***BONUS***
 
I know I said 3, but then this one needed to be shared as well!
 
4. Retirement:
The purpose often in working a job is often so you can retire well, with benefits and a great nest egg.  When I think of my “old age” I don’t see retiring.  Now I’ll admit that I won’t be working really long hours, but I don’t actually see myself NOT doing what I’m doing.  Like Joan Rivers, Warren Buffet, Mother Teresa, and Wayne Dyer, though all very different, their work continued well beyond the Freedom 55 or traditional retirement age of 65 because they were doing what they were meant to do.

Are you ready to be done now, counting down the years or even the days? Wishing you’re spouse would retire you or that you hit the lottery? Then maybe you’re not doing what you’re meant to be doing.

Now that I’ve gone over the four ways – where do you stand?  In the profession you were meant to have?

Either way share with me! And if this brings up questions or excitement or the thought of creating a change then let’s talk. I offer Strategy Sessions along with my Coaching Sessions to bring clarity, confidence and action around whatever struggle or opportunity you have.

Mwah!

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