What are you going to do when you grow up?

The old man reached for my bag as soon as it was placed on the airport curbside.  I was startled.  And then he looked at me and smiled.  He was wearing a uniform.  He pulled my suitcase to the trolley.  He handed a baggage tag to me and smiled.

The man looked old enough to be retired.  He moved slow.  He moved purposefully.  I wrote down my contact information on the tag, secured it on the suitcase and handed him the pen.  He smiled again. 

And I knew this was a man who enjoyed his work. 

Often when people think about work that would engage them, they can’t imagine being a luggage attendant at Tampa Bay airport. 

Perhaps the man hadn’t considered this to be his dream job. 

Most people say they found their lifework via a circuitous path that feels more like a stumble than a choice. 

But is that really true?

What I know about life in general is what may look like one choice is actually a series of choices.  Small daily choices.  That add up. 

What accompanies those choices is what I like to think of as the “curious dog phenomenon.”

The dog doesn’t really understand what is going on so it tilts its head, one direction and sometimes the other.  The dog is fully engaged, looking like it is just trying to figure it out. 

 A very curious look.

In hindsight, I see that the curious dog phenomenon was behind the choices I made.

 When I was working in a job that was an awkward fit, I found myself looking across the hall at the next department, much like a curious dog.  What was it that they were doing?  I started asking questions.  Within a couple of months, I was working in the education department.

Though I was not thinking of my dream job at the time, what I know now is I was connecting some dots.

By looking back at my work, I can see that there were not only clues about what fits for me but I was gravitating towards what intrigued me. 

On an internal level I was getting clearer and clearer about my dream job. 

And this is true for you as well.  If you look back at your work or volunteer or life experience, think of times when you acted like a curious dog. 

This will give you some good clues about work that fits for you.  Below are some questions to help the process:

1.  What did you love to do as a child?  What were some activities that you did again and again? 

Carl Jung, the Swiss psychologist, loved to dig in the mud.  Later in his life, he reflected that what he ended up doing for his work was connected to the mud experiences – he would delve deeply into the unconscious and bring it to light. 

2. What comes naturally to you? 

Often people dismiss what they do well because they think that anybody can do it.  Think of those activities that you do with ease and when you experience “flow experience,” a term from Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.  Flow is a heightened focus and immersion into activities.  In this video, Csikszentmihalyi outlines the flow experience:

Another way to look at what comes naturally to you is to do the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), an assessment that provides cool information about your psychological preferences.  For more information about MBTI, check it out here. 

3.  What would you do if money was no object? 

One of the intriguing characteristics of millionaires when they talk about their beginnings is that money was not the primary factor in what they were doing.  Money clouds our perspective.  In asking the question of money not being an object, the answer may not provide precisely what you want to do, but you can get some good clues. 

Let’s say you want to be philanthropist, spending your money and time on important causes.  The clue in that might be that you would like to help ease other people’s suffering – this is what you can bring to many jobs. 

4.  Who inspires you? 

This could be a celebrity, friend, family member or whoever has touched your life in a way that makes you think bigger.  What specifically about that person inspires you?  What qualities or contributions that they make may be connected to what you want in your work life? 

I have thought frequently about the brief encounter with the old man at the airport over the years.  What I remember is that in an instant, I saw someone who was totally engaged.

He reminded me that people doing work that enlivens them happens everywhere.  Even in a whirl of an airport. I know the litmus test of seeing someone truly engaged in their work – I want to do it too.  I am inspired.

Meeting that man taught me that finding work that matters is a personal matter and the most satisfying work isn’t about being big and grand. And perhaps grand is what you make it. 

Now it's your turn.

Who has influenced you?  How has it changed your life?  You are welcome to add your thoughts in the comments below – I would love to hear from you!!

Ocean Lessons

Feeling alive!  What I know for sure is that the more you feel alive, the more likely you are to get closer to the work that truly engages you!

A weekend by the ocean.  I had been to Tofino a long time ago, before its popularity exploded.  The community of 1,800 expands to about 22,000 on a summer day.  Though its appeal also includes winter storm watching, the promises of sun and surf calls visitors.

The last weekend of September was perfect in the weather department.  I was sitting on the sand at Chesterman Beach when I thought how much being out in the wind and elements was connecting me to what it means to be alive.

On this part of the West Coast, the shore stretches out like a fan and the ocean goes on forever.  Surfers in wet suits dot water and sand.  The beach area expands and contracts with the tides.

As I walked along the waves’ edge, I watched the spray of seawater as it crashed against a rocky outcrop.  When I felt the cold water touching my feet, I looked down.

The minnow was stranded on the sand, flapping its head and tail.  The next wave was no where near the tiny fish so I used a shell to toss it back into the water. 

 It swam away from the ocean to a pool of water which was full of its buddies.  I couldn’t distinguish it anymore.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a movement.  A crow sitting higher up on the outcrop.  It was bending over.

When I looked closer, I could see the crow was near a tidal pool.  The next moment I saw the crow.    

3 fishes in its beak!

My heroic rescue was in vain. 

Nature has blatant lessons.  Harsh even.  And yet life and its perpetual change is what underpins everything we do.

From our day-to-day work activities to choosing what work we want to all of our dreams and passions, we understand everything is always in motion.

Through looking at the world from that tiny fish’s perspective and then the crow, I saw some connections to finding work that matters.

There will always be a squirm factor.

“You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.”  Anonymous

There is a discomfort in following your dreams.  In order to grow in the way that you want, it will require stepping out of the coziness of your life and into something new.

The challenge is to develop some sort of ease with the uncertainty. 

The Art of Surrender

“Surrender isn’t about giving up.  It’s about letting go.”  Anonymous

At first when I watched that little fish flopping on the ground, I saw it suddenly stop. I figured it was conserving energy. I can imagine that it was feeling some discomfort. Was it surrendering?

Waiting for the wave also reminded me that at some point there is a need to surrender when wanting to embark on a new career path.  Like the fish though, it doesn’t mean giving up, it means understanding that something much bigger is happening. 

That fish had no idea when the next wave was coming, but indeed it knew that it would happen because that’s the way it has always worked. 

The surrender to me is about not pushing too hard, but to pay attention really to what is pulling you.  What is capturing your attention?  What really inspires you?  Where lies your desire? 

The idea is to listen carefully because some of what pushes is what needs to be let go. 

Helping each other

“Individually, we are one drop.  Together, we are an ocean.”  Ryunosuke Satoro

I know that fish just wanted to get back to the rest of the school.  Indeed when I tossed it back into the water, it took no time to find its buddies.  That crew knew about the strength in numbers. 

What I hear from people who have experienced success in life is how much their success has happened because of all their helpers along the way, people who have rooted and encouraged and been there for them. 

In finding work that matters to you, the chances are you will come to a point where you question yourself, where you wonder if you should choose an easier road.  At this moment, you need someone who believes in you more than you are believing in yourself.

Surround yourself with those people

We are all interconnected. 

"Each of us is a unique strand in the intricate web of life and here to make a contribution."  Deepak Chopra

Watching the crow holding 3 fishes in its mouth reminded me of the chain of life, that there is a place for fishes and crows.  Each part of the chain is critical to the next. 

And so it is with finding that work where you will shine your best.  Where is your place? 

It reminds me of the lyrics from a Fred Penner song:

“Always search for an answer until your strength is found.” 

For more inspiration about how nature can help you, check out this video:

Put Your Strengths to Work

“What do you call something you do well but you hate?”  

This question was posed by Marcus Buckingham, a man who originally worked for the Gallup Poll. He was intrigued with survey results showing only 20% of people are doing work where they feel engaged.

old growth forest - Cathedral grove, bc

Marcus Buckingham is the author of Go Put Your Strengths to Work. 

Consider the information you put on a resume. Often the emphasis is on what you have done well in the past.  But what if you don’t enjoy doing the work? 

By emphasizing what you think makes sense to put on a resume, you may be offered a job that doesn’t fit for you.

You can probably see how you can wind up in a job that you hate. 

Climbing up the wrong career ladder happens inadvertently.  When I was a young single parent, I found work where I could.  Through a series of circumstances, I found myself in the financial area of organizations.  A large part of the job was doing detailed tasks.  Not my thing.    

In the middle of the afternoon, when I was doing accounts or payroll, I found myself exhausted. I sought out coffee or chocolate.  Or both. I continued doing the work because I needed the money and I didn’t know what else to do.

Soon I was getting referred by former colleagues and employers for openings in finance departments.

I was grateful.  I was pigeon holed. 

What I didn’t know then was that I was getting some good clues about work that fits for me.  Even those afternoons that dragged on were telling me a lot.

Buckingham says when you are doing an activity you hate, it is a weakness.  A weakness is anything you do that leaves you feeling weak. Drained. 

What a brilliant definition!  I was struck by the simplicity and logic. 

When I started thinking about weaknesses, I realized figuring out my weaknesses is an inside job.  No one else can tell what a weakness is because it is connected to feelings.

What about a strength?  A strength is anything you do that leaves you feeling strong. Energized. 

When you think of strengths in this way, you turn towards what energizes you versus what you do well.  And you are more likely to be doing work that is alignment with who you are.

If you are feeling like doing work you love, work where you are using your strengths is only for the privileged, you may want to look at employer surveys of what they are looking for in new hires.

In a survey I saw in 2012, one of the qualities employers were seeking was passion. Considering that the employee is representing the company with each customer interaction, it makes sense that the employer would want someone who were as invested in their business as they are. 

By being clear about your strengths, not only will you find work that engages you, you are more likely to find that workplace where you will be most valued.

So how do you discover your strengths?

Finding your strengths is easier than you might first imagine.  What I have noticed is there is natural inclination to do activities that make you feel strong.

To find your strengths, Buckingham suggests writing down what makes you feel energized as you go through a day.  Because by the end of the day you will forget what it was that energized you, the idea is to do it in the moment.

Don’t expect that you will capture all of your strengths in a day.  Take a week or so to write down a lengthy list. 

Once you have your list, go through each of the activities and consider what it was about the activity that makes you feel strong. 

For example, I wrote down gardening as a strength.  When I started thinking about what it was that energized me, I realized I was fascinated with how plants complement each other, how one repeals the insects that are drawn to another.  After my exploration, I determined my strength is seeing the big picture on how things work together.

This is a strength that I can bring to many jobs.  For example, as a career counsellor I look at the labour market and how it affects employment or as a nurse I may want to find a position where I am looking at the social determinants of health. 

Strengths are transferrable!

While strengths are a key element in finding work that matters to you, you don’t have to quit your job to move towards your dream job.

Find the opportunities where you can contribute your strengths.  Where, on a regular basis, can you do an activity where you are using your strengths? 

Because you are most energized when you are using your strengths, you will get noticed.  When you are using your strengths, you will work harder and develop even more skills to make you even more valuable. 

When you are using your strengths, you will be drawn to doing courses and going to conferences and learning even more.  The more you use your strengths, the more opportunities will open for you.

When you look at others who have become masterful at what they do, you will see that working in their strengths has everything to do with their success.

What are your strengths?  Where will you make your contribution?

Loving what you do

At the information centre, I ask for a copy of the tide table.   I want to find the tidal pools, those delicate environments with stranded creatures we get to see only when the water is receding. 

I am ready to immerse myself in this fresh world. 

Tidal pools are home to some hearty sea life.  When the sun beats down, the water heats up considerably.  Less than 6 hours later, those same marine animals are exposed to the cold blasts from ocean water. 

What a resilient bunch! 

I have come to the west side of Vancouver Island for the long weekend in September, still a busy time for travellers.

The roads are crowded, as is the ocean.  Surfers flock to the ocean side on a clear, warm day. Wetsuits are the look of the day.

I look toward the horizon where I see no land.  The vastness is immense.

I see a person climb on their board and slide along the water.  I know the surfer is in her element, knowing how waves behave, when to ride the right one.

What I know too is that because this person loves what she is doing, she is motivated to do it again and again. The practice that she gains will improve her abilities. The connection between her love of what she does and her mastery would have a strong correlation if they were graphed.  

I walk along the sides of the surfer’s lives, observing them from my ringside seat.  I am partly inspired and partly awed.  That is what happens when we see people doing what they love.

There is an infectiousness when we are enthused.  I remember the crowd at a Fleetwood Mac concert a couple years ago, positively wired listening to musicians who have become masterful at what they do.

I suspect what we observe about others following their bliss is that sense of being alive.

The skin on my face is smooth from the westerly wind blowing on it all afternoon. Being outdoors for a long time clears the cobwebs.

I grab my camera and walk along the beach. Can I really capture the vastness of Long Beach, so aptly named for miles and miles of sand? I promised myself that I will take my camera out more frequently, an artist date as was first suggested years ago by Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way.

I walk for a considerable time in one direction, barely remembering that I have to walk back.  The rocky shore ahead beckons me but I am distracted by waves.  I wander out to my ankles and a wave splashes up to my knees.

Icy cold.

I am loving what I am doing. I love being a part of that lively exchange of water in and out. I love looking through the lens of my camera to find what presents itself.  The way the sky is reflected back in the shallow water, the sand formed into ridges by the water’s movement. 

I want to catch a moment.  I find it later when I am walking along a rocky shore, freezing the spray of the water coming over the rocks.

I am grateful for this time that I have, for being able to come to such a beautiful place. This fuels me.

What I know for sure is that loving what I am doing here is going to spill out into the rest of my life. I just don’t know how.

There is a connection between loving what I do in one moment connecting me to the rest of my life.

When I facilitate workshops on finding work that matters, I encourage everyone to do something that they love, even if they haven’t yet found the career that they love. Doing any activity that you love creates the right environment for figuring out the career. Because of the contagious nature of observing people loving what they do.  That person can even be us, inspiring ourselves.

So if you are struggling with finding the work that matters to you, take some time to do something you love, paying attention to that feeling.  Really enjoy the moment. 

I would love to hear your thoughts.  Try this:  I feel most alive when_______________.  In the comments section below, add your response to the statement. 

How can I help?

A great question!  Especially where it relates to work.

Last week as I was putting my groceries in the car, an onion dropped to the ground and disappeared underneath the car behind me. When I bent to look, I saw it was too far to reach.  I tried to rescue it with the ice scraper from my car. 

A young boy said, “I can help.”  He shimmied under the car and brushed the onion to the side where his mother retrieved it. 

Even before I thanked him, I noticed he was beaming. As he said goodbye, he skipped down the street.

Though I was happy my onion was retrieved, I was more taken with this boy’s delight.  The act of helping is contagious.

Later I thought of Anthony Robbins’ list of human needs and in particular, the one on contribution.  We all have a deep desire to be of service, to support others.  Contributing to others is hard-wired as I saw in that young boy. 

When I was work on the meaningfulness module for the Finding Work That Matters  model, I realized that helping others was inherent to meaningfulness.

To get at the root of what is meaningful to you, ask yourself the question, what is my greatest contribution to others?  This will translate directly into job satisfaction.

But job satisfaction is in short supply.

A 2013 Report conducted by the Gallup organization found 70% of workers were not engaged at work.  With only 30% of people experiencing job satisfaction, what does this say about the state of our workplaces?   

In addition to the demands of the modern work life, dissatisfaction is also a measurement of people not doing work where they are using their gifts and talents.  In the Gallup survey, only 36% of the respondents said they had opportunities to do what they did best. 

What a loss for the workplace!

When workers are contributing in their own best way, they make their businesses shine because they will get better and better at what they do and then do better and better work.  Motivation to learn more increases and impacts directly on the business’ success. 

Work becomes more meaningful when we are contributing our best.  But contributing our best also needs to help others. 

The desire to help we expressed as a child is intrinsic to a motivated employee.

How to create such workplaces?  We develop a “how can I help?” attitude.  Here are some thoughts:

1.         Look for the opportunities where you can contribute your best. 

The first step is to find out what your gifts and talents are and the next one is to find places where you can contribute. 

2.         Become a giver. 

What this means is giving to others without expecting anything in return.  The value of being of service is what you see in admired leaders. 

3.         Look at the big picture.

How do you see what you do as making an impact?  Understand this will be unique to you. 

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