Is A Career a Calling or Choice?
 by: Michelle L. Casto, M.Ed.

How much of our career path is destiny and how much is free will? In my opinion, it is 50/50. We are given a life map at the beginning of our lives, and there are things we are meant to learn, people we are meant to meet, work we are meant to perform. But many of us are not tuned into ourselves and the signs that are presented to us. We often miss important information, and miss out on those lessons, people, and jobs.

The use of free will comes about when we are presented with options. Choices are really curves in our path. We can choose to take the long route, or the quicker, easier route. No path is better, it just impacts how quickly we move along our route, but remember: when climbing the mountain of self discovery, taking the long, hard, scenic route can be a rather enjoyable, enlightening experience.

Confucius once said, “Choose a career you love and you will never work another day in your life.” If you think about this, what a different experience we could have in our work lives. If we actually loved the work we were doing, it wouldn’t seem so much like our traditional concept of work (drudgery/pain). Think about it! How many jobs have you had that you dreaded going to? What are some of the differences between a job, a career, and your life’s work? Let’s define it.

A job is something you get paid to do (money is the primary motivation). It is easy to perform because there is not much challenge, and you will eventually find other work to do.

It may or may not fully engage you. Spirit may or may not be present.

A career is something you get paid to do that is viewed as a profession (status or identity is the motivation). It may provide more challenge, but after a while, you may get burned out, and choose to stop doing it.

It may or may not fully engage you. Spirit may or may not be present.

Your life’s work is something you do whether you get paid for it or not (your soul’s need for expression is the motivation). There is plenty of challenge and personal meaning. You will always want to do it.

It definitely fully engages you. Spirit is present.

Remember that a job can get you started toward your life’s work. In fact, jobs provide the very important element of exposure to different kinds of industries. Take for example, a woman who started out working in a department store as a clerk, who moved into a management position, and finally created her life’s work as an independent contractor who trains others in customer service skills.

Get Smart!

If everyone in the world could create their life’s work (and they can!)—if everyone could find what they were meant to do in life, how much happier and fulfilled we all would be!