Turning Work into Vocation (New Thoughts for New Year)

January, 2008
By Craig Nathanson - The Vocational Coach

Evaluate where you are

Evaluate where you have been in your life and ask yourself, “Is this enough?”
The beginning of the New Year is a great time for re-evaluating your life and plans.

What would you do with free time?

If you had a day to yourself, what would you do and why?
The answer to this question may provide the answers you are seeking for vocational happiness.

What inspires you and why?

Who inspires you?
What movies inspire you?

Others and their work can encourage you to seek your own true vocational path.

How long could you take to make your change?

If you quit your unfulfilling job today, how long could you go without making an income? Would it be one month, six months, one year? How could you lengthen your time? The more time you can allow yourself, the better.

Ask the right question

Your authentic life starts with finally asking the question, “What would my perfect work be?”
This may be the most important question to ask yourself after you turn 40.

How do you grade yourself?

Is your work life significant?
Does your work give you meaning?
Is your work fulfilling?
Does your work make sense to you?
Do you find joy in your work?

Only you can grade yourself.

Don’t wait any longer

Don’t wait for your spouse or your boss or your kids or society to give you approval. The permission to start to create and live your perfect vocational day must come from within yourself.

Your approval muscle just takes use and practice.

Envision a better future

Many times, your mind can’t tell the difference between what you imagine and what is real, when thinking about the future. This is good news when you start to envision your perfect vocational day.

Feed your mind with new—and more fulfilling—ideas.

Do you feel alive each day, or are you just surviving?

How is your energy each day? Do you wake up fully alert and ready to work?
Do you jump out of bed each morning at the thought of starting work?
Does your mind race during the night because you can’t wait to get up in the morning?
Before going to bed, do you get excited just thinking of the work that you get to do the next day?

Much better to jump out of bed, than to need help getting out!

Listen to your loved ones

How are you feeling about your loved ones? Are you supportive and always ready to listen to them in a calm and supportive way?
When you are doing what you love, you will have more patience for the people you love.

Do you have JUST a job?

Is yours “just a job,” with empty days and wasted staff meetings? Does it seem like it’s always all about the money? Does your employer have a “what have you done for me lately” attitude toward you and your work? Does it seem like you don’t have control of your work, and what you do? Do you feel trapped?

The only way out of job prison is to find the key yourself.

Purpose

Find a purpose for your life.
If you don’t, you will end up with someone else’s dream life.

New Beliefs

Replace old beliefs that are no longer useful to you.
If you believe you are not smart enough, for example, start believing you are just as smart as anybody else! Now, that was easy, wasn’t it?

Passion

Figure out what you are passionate about.
What activities get you most excited about life? This is a great place to start.

The New Year is a great time to recreate your life for more fulfillment, more joy, and more happiness in your work and life. What can you do today to get started?

As always, I’ll be cheering you on as you go- Craig Nathanson

Craig Nathanson is the author of P Is For Perfect: Your Perfect Vocational Day and a coaching expert who works with people over forty. Craig’s new E-book, Discover and live your passion 365 days a year is a workshop in a box designed to help busy adults go insane with their work. Craig’s systematic approach, the trademark "Ten P" process,’’ helps people break free and move toward the work they love. Visit Craig’s online community at http://www.thevocationalcoach.com where you can take a class, get more ideas through Craig Nathanson’s books and CD’s, get some private coaching over the phone or read other stories of mid-life change and renewal.

Craig lives and works in Petaluma, California. His office is located atP.O Box 2823, Petaluma Ca, 94953. You can reach him at 707-775-4020 or at craig@thevocationalcoach.com.

Craig's Vocational Passion Newsletters are edited by Anita Flegg at The Sharp Quill. The Sharp Quill -- www.sharpquill.com -- specializes in writing and editing for small business. You can see Anita's vocational story at http://www.thevocationalcoach.com/_vocational_community/_real_stories/story_anita.html

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