A vocation is one of the most important ingredients for success and its impact should not be underestimated. Many people choose promising professions that will give more money or higher status, without thinking about whether such a job will make them happy. Today we’ll talk about how to find your calling, but first, let’s figure out what a calling is all about.
What is a calling?
A vocation is a predisposition to a certain occupation, which implies that a person does a job well and at the same time enjoys it. He also learns faster and improves his skills, works more motivated, perceives and studies various work situations with interest.
Each person feels the need to work, producing some value for himself and for other people. And yet some get real pleasure from their work, while others are constantly waiting for the end of the working week. The former are usually distinguished from the latter by the fact that they managed to find their calling, and therefore the work pleases them and gives them the feeling that they are in the right place.
A vocation is a deed that a person does simultaneously for others (benefiting them) and for himself (enjoying, developing and seeking recognition).
Writers often put a sublime sense in the word “calling”, implying that a person is “called” into this world for some purpose. That is, the vocation is equated with the mission – the goal of all life. But this is only a literary device, and from the point of view of psychology, vocation is a person’s predisposition to a certain type of activity.
5 signs of a calling
If you like your job, you probably thought that this is your calling. This is not so difficult to understand. It is enough to make sure that five conditions are met:
- You cannot imagine your life without this activity. Yes, you might be interested in trying something else. But you know for sure that you cannot help but do what you are doing now.
- You continue to enjoy your work. Despite many years of experience, you are not aware of emotional burnout, you still enjoy work and love to discuss professional curiosities outside of working hours.
- Your colleagues like and suit you. If your job is in line with your calling, it’s easier for you to find common ground with everyone you come into contact with at work. You have many common interests with your colleagues and business partners, so you can have a good time with them in any environment.
- Everything is going in the best way. When you go about your business, you get the impression that the universe itself is playing along with you. Everything is going well around. An excellent team is gathering, successful events are taking place. Carl Jung described this phenomenon in detail, calling it synchronicity.
- You are drawn into the realm of your calling. You may be doing something else now, but have already begun to take an interest in activities that fit your calling. In this case, you will feel that this is something close, not just interesting, but catchy and exciting for you.
Differences between vocation and purpose
The term “calling” can be interpreted in different ways, depending on the context. Sometimes this concept is equated with purpose, although this is not entirely correct. Purpose is, in fact, the role of a person in this world. For those who believe in fate, purpose is it is a certain higher goal of a particular individual, which arose even before his birth. Someone is destined to create an ideology or doctrine, someone has to design a building, ship or plane, and someone’s mission is to improve the life of all mankind by creating something that will increase the level of education or the quality of medicine around the world. .
Thus, predestination is a kind of mission with which a person comes into this world. A vocation implies the kind of activity for which this person is ideally suited. This does not mean that he has a mission. There is simply an occupation that he will do with pleasure, demonstrating talent and maximum disposition. A vocation can be called a type of activity, in which a person is in harmony with himself and feels the joy of understanding what is in the right place in the world.
How to find your calling: 7 easy steps
Happy is the one who immediately found his calling and is engaged in his favorite activities all his life, bringing him joy and giving him a feeling of contentment. But what about those who, after many years, suddenly realized that they were doing the wrong thing and did not feel harmony with themselves? The good news is that everyone can find their calling, and it’s never too late to do so. Psychologists advise you to perform a few simple steps that will help with this.
one. Reflect on your interests and desires
Directly or indirectly, we are faced with different types of activities. We have never even dealt with many of them, and yet we observe with interest how others are doing them. In search of a vocation, it is worth listening to your inner voice, paying attention to what activities arouse enthusiasm and a feeling of joy. It is important to notice every clue here, and if something evokes pleasant emotions, it is worth trying to make a hobby out of it. Who knows, maybe over time, a simple hobby will develop into the work of a lifetime.
2. Think critically about your abilities
Just as children dream of becoming astronauts and wizards, so adults often want to engage in some kind of activity that they are unlikely to be able to cope with. Therefore, in search of a vocation, it is necessary to clearly distinguish between “I want” and “I can.” You need to look only towards those activities that really have a chance to succeed. Of course, it is not necessary to despair if there is no opportunity to get into the “big league”. However, it is important to be sure that adequate success can be achieved in the chosen activity.
3. Interested in other areas of activity
Perhaps one of the main reasons that people do not find their calling is that they simply do not know about the existence of a profession that would ideally suit them. That is, the only thing that prevents a person from making the right choice is that he does not know about the existence of the option he needs. Therefore, you should purposefully look for information about what areas of activity and professions exist.
4. Get rid of the trash
One of the features of our psyche is that a large number of things of varying degrees of need gives a person the illusion that he is living his life correctly, accumulating property, making his home cozy and comfortable. In fact, a significant portion of these things are often just junk taking up space and requiring care, but not being useful. shl. And the more such trash accumulates, the more difficult it is for a person to make serious changes in his life. all. Nevertheless, it is worth taking an inventory periodically, getting rid of things whose usefulness is in doubt.
5. Remember childhood
With age, a person learns to drive himself into a frame in order to meet the expectations of society. It is much easier for a child to show their individuality. Therefore, it is worth remembering your childhood at different stages. Think about what kind of child you were, what you loved, what made you happy, what books and cartoons you liked, what games you preferred to play with your friends. By the way, viewing photos helps to refresh childhood memories.
6. Determine your usefulness
Each person is a part of society, therefore, when choosing a vocation, it is important to think about what kind of activity can benefit others. Even the most self-centered and selfish people, who prefer to think only of themselves, still feel satisfaction when they realize that a large number of people have benefited from their work. It is worth considering which activities can be most beneficial.
7. Focus on your idols
This is an interesting technique that can sometimes help with the search for a vocation, giving completely unexpected results. You need to make a list of all the people you like, both real and fictional. These can be historical figures, celebrities, characters from books, films and even computer games. After that, you need to see what they have in common. It may turn out that they are united by a common profession or field of activity, hobby or some kind of goal.
Sometimes your vocation can be found or realized in a completely unexpected way. For example, George Bernard Shaw said that his plans for life often changed. In his youth, he wanted to become an architect or actor, made and changed plans, thought about other professions. And only a writer he never wanted to become, because he had been like that all his life.
Conclusion
Nowadays, many people try to be who they are not, hoping that it will bring them a lot of money. They choose the “monetary” sphere of activity and try to realize themselves in it, despite the fact that they are not at all interested in it. As a result, it turns out that a completely hardworking person cannot succeed. Even if at first he likes the job, he burns out very quickly, losing all interest and ability to work. Therefore, when choosing a profession, it is very important to make sure that it suits your taste. If it becomes obvious that this is not so, it is never too late to find your calling and change your occupation.
