Three Questions to Answer for a Fulfilling Career

June 13, 2023

With nearly every consulting or coaching engagement at my business, there is one topic that comes up with all clients: career satisfaction.

Whether I’m working one-on-one with a life coaching client or helping a team at work, people have a deep desire to enjoy their jobs. They want purpose. And they want to have a clear vision of where they are headed.

Britt Andreatta, author of Wired to Become writes: “Studies show that people’s hunger for purpose and meaningful work is at an all-time high. It’s one of the top reasons people give for leaving a job and it’s what they’re looking for in their next one” (Source).

But the unfortunate reality is that many people are unsatisfied with their careers and aren’t sure where they are headed. Aside from the impacts of the pandemic, I believe this trend stems from two main areas:

For one, career path is not something we are taught in school. We spend years helping students become competent in math, science, and writing, but virtually no time on mental health, financial  literacy, or career planning - i.e. the life skills.

Second, not everyone has the resources or tools that help them navigate this big ticket item - and we’re expected to just figure it out on our own. Not everyone has a mentor or parent who can support them in their decision-making, and not everyone can afford a career coach.

But I believe there are three questions everyone can ask that can move the needle on our career discernment, and create more fulfilling careers down the road:

1 - What are my core values?

Core values are the individual beliefs that a person holds and the things one feels are deeply important in their life. 

Different from organizational values, which provide a group of people with guiding principles as they work toward shared goals, a core value is something unique and true to an individual.

Core values are imperative to living a happy life. They are like a North Star that we can always turn to. When we are clear on our values and living in alignment with our values, we feel grounded, happy, peaceful, stable, and at home.

By contrast, when we are not living in alignment with our core values (or don’t even know what they are), we are likely to feel stuck, discontent, and frustrated. We may lack motivation, have a hard time making decisions, or feel a bit lost.

Different from what some people assume, core values are not fixed - they can evolve over time. As we go through life, we discover more of who we are and what matters to us. Thus, as we change and reprioritize, our values change. So when you are starting the process of identifying your core values, it’s extremely important to ask yourself where each value came from (how it originated), and whether or not it is still important to you today. 

Core values are essential for career and life satisfaction because they allow us to be happy at work. As James Clear says: “If we live and work in alignment with our values, then we're more likely to live a life we are proud of rather than one we regret” (Source).

The role you have, and the organization you work for should be a reflection of your values. And if those two things aren’t aligned, it may be time for a change.

2 – What are your greatest strengths and gifts to this world?

If you’re feeling a lack of motivation or enjoyment with your role at work, there is a strong chance that the role you’re in is not aligned well enough with your strengths.

Each of us have unique strengths and gifts to offer the world. And when we are putting our strengths to use, there are countless benefits.

People who use their strengths are more engaged and productive at work, have greater confidence and self-awareness, are more likely to achieve their goals, and are three times as likely to report having an excellent quality of life (Gallup). 

In addition, when companies use strengths-based leadership practices, it leads to higher employee engagement and impacts the bottom line because employees have a chance to do what they do best everyday and have better performance.

When I made my career pivot from nonprofit executive leadership to running my own coaching and consulting practice, I knew that the work of my business would need to not only be meaningful, but hyper-aligned with my top strengths.

Fortunately, I am thriving today because of this. My top five strengths of Positivity, Woo, Developer, Activator, and Empathy (Gallup) are still practiced every day at work, whether I am facilitating a small team retreat, working with someone one-on-one, or delivering a keynote address to 200 people.

Want to get clearer on your strengths? Go ahead and take the CliftonStrengths assessment. Pay particular attention to your top 10 strengths, your top two leading domains, and stay mindful about the strengths that are at the bottom of your list.

3 - What is your purpose?

Each of us has a unique purpose in this world. Our purpose takes some of your greatest strengths and superpowers, and gives them meaning and mission.

Author Sahara Rose uses the word “dharma” to capture the word purpose in a deeper way. In Discover Your Dharma, she writes: “Your dharma is your divine purpose on this planet, your soul’s essence, the unique vibration only you can carry out in the world.”

Knowing your purpose (or dharma) and getting clear on your why can play a huge role in driving career fulfillment. 

For some people, their purpose may be something outside of work, but usually your purpose makes its way into your work. Even if you switch jobs or take a break, you can still live your purpose and fulfill your life’s work. 

Professionally, my mission is to help people gain confidence and become who they are meant to be in work and in life. However, my purpose is to channel ideas that help people. 

As a Nurturer and Teacher, I am meant to care for and connect with others. I am an empath and believe deeply in using inextricable human connection for good. This has served me during the brightest spots of my career at every job I’ve had. My superpowers of helping others feel heard and seen (while bringing positive energy to the table) continue to fuel my purpose.

Not sure what your purpose might be? Carve out five minutes to take this quiz and learn more about your two primary dharma archetypes.

. . .

Each of us deserve to live a beautiful life and experience a meaningful career that brings us joy. In order to do that, we must first look inward to get rooted in who we are.

Once you gain clarity on your values, strengths, and unique purpose in this world, you are more likely to gain clarity and move in a positive professional direction.

Feeling a bit stuck on all the big life questions? Contact The Thirlby Co. to schedule a discovery session and get the process started.