by Howard Figler
Whatever you do, make sure your work has some soul in it. This will be the key to your career success and satisfaction. Let me clarify: I’m not referring to religion. Having “soul” in your career can include any of these words: purpose, meaning, enthusiasm, heart, challenge, adventure, commitment. The point is that you’re fired up, that you believe in what you’re doing, that your work makes you want to get up in the morning, rarin’ to go.
Otherwise, why work? I can hear the chorus of replies: “To make a living, to make money, to buy things.” Well, yes, I’m in favor of money, but you can make a lot of money and have no soul in your work. For some people, money equals soul; it’s all they care about. But many people want more than financial security. You have to decide for yourself whether money would satisfy your soul requirements.
Soul. The more you have it, the happier you will be in your work; here are three considerations for getting soul in your career:
- How do you find “soul?”
- What kinds of jobs do you take if you can’t find the job you want right away?
How do you gain financially while you’re feeding your soul? Ask yourself these questions:
- To answer who you want to be, first ask “Who am I already?”
- What would you like to do better than it has ever been done before?
- What “team” would you like to be a part of?
- What is there in the world that you believe needs doing?
- What can you do that would make your mother happy?
You don’t have to answer all five of these questions. Perhaps only one or two will reveal the clues about what you would value in your work.
But here are some notes to help you consider if each question is a good one for you:
Who are you already?
You’re not a blank slate. You’re not an empty vessel. You have already done many things that have meaning. Ask yourself: “What have been my most rewarding experiences to date? What did I like best about these? Which of these might I like to make part of my future work?”
Your successes—and even your failures—may reveal clues about your future work. Which experiences stick in your mind? Which things do you have the most energy attached to? Whatever rises to the surface, ask yourself: “How can I do more of this in a career?” People in their first 20 years often develop strong beliefs about what’s worth doing in the world. Idealism is good. What ideals do you believe are worth pursuing? Which have you already done something about?
What would you like to do better than it has ever been done before?
Challenge yourself. Find a career that lets you break new ground. Simply doing a job, earning a living, or even making partner in a firm is not necessarily enough. What would you like to do better than others have done it?
Setting a standard, excelling, innovating, and reaching new territory is where the excitement can be in a career. Everything that’s being done out there can be done better. But lots of people don’t want that challenge. Perhaps you do.
Think of every career as potentially a new invention, a new strategy for solving a heretofore unsolvable problem. What a kick to throw on the table an idea that unravels a problem that people have been trying to solve for years!
What kind of team do you want to be a part of?
Your career is not necessarily a lone-wolf experience. In fact, your career may be greatly enhanced by being part of a team effort. Such a team may be a company you believe in, a partnership with just two or three people, a nonprofit organization whose mission you strongly support, or some other group that interests you.
A team can tackle goals that are larger and more ambitious than what you might accomplish on your own. It can be “soulful” to be part of a team moving toward laudable goals that demand great effort from each team member.
These days, we worry that the “team” might fall apart if management decides to lay off people or if the government cuts funding. Nonetheless, you can make a career commitment to a “team.” If it breaks up, look for a team that has similar goals. Transitions and changes make you stronger.
What do you believe needs doing?
Many people find “soul” in their work by filling a pressing need that they see. Responding to a need can lead to compelling work and a feeling of ongoing involvement and commitment.
Not everyone cares about saving the world. However, if you do, ask yourself: “What is there a serious need for?” The more your work is tied to a sense of service, the more rewarding it may be. There’s plenty in the world that needs attention, and you can make choices based on your personal priorities. You’re beginning to write your personal mission statement. Here are some sub-questions. “Where might I make a difference?” “What skills do I have that can help with a particular problem?” “Where is good work already being done that I can become a part of?”
What can you do that would make your mother happy?
Maybe you don’t care about what your mother thinks. Give her a break. Your mother only wants the best for you. Mothers want their children’s work to be A Good Thing. They also wouldn’t mind if you became a little famous. They would also appreciate if you thanked them publicly (more than once) for all that they did to make you possible. Send roses.
Bottom line: Mothers want to be proud of you and you want to be proud of yourself, so you’re both on the same wave length. Do good deeds, and dedicate to Mom every book you write, each building you build, and every song you publish. And learn how to explain your career clearly enough that your mother can tell her friends what you do in 25 words or less. Even so, don’t be upset when she asks: “Now what was that again that you do?”
What kinds of jobs can you get if you can’t find the “soulful” work you want right away? This happens a lot. You know the career you want, but you have to earn a living. This means you will take interim jobs while you develop your longer-range opportunities.
Interim jobs involve using skills that connect with immediate employment. Such marketable skills typical of college graduates include writing, research, selling, computer-related skills, managing, and speaking. Career counselors at your college or university can help you identify ways of connecting your skills to the immediate job market.
While you’re pursuing interim jobs, be on the lookout for your “soul” work. You may even find interim work that gets you in the vicinity of the work you really want. For example, you might be interested in zoo management, but all you can get at the zoo is a job doing office work or field research. Or, you may want to promote new fiction writers, but you get a job as a proofreader with a publishing house.
Your interim jobs are proof that you’re committed to the soul work that lies out there. You’re willing to do what needs to be done, to stay in the game and work toward your larger objectives.
Can people really be committed to their work and still live comfortable lives? Yes. Money doesn’t fly out the window when you pursue soul work. In fact, in many cases, financial gain comes as a byproduct of your intense involvement in what you’re doing. Because you are so committed and bring such energy to your work, financial success tends to come along as a natural part of what you’re doing. You don’t aim for the money, but it often comes just the same.
There will be some “soulful” careers that require financial sacrifice, but that is a choice you make. “Soul workers” can learn how to market themselves more effectively, but often they choose not to. Often making money means being more entrepreneurial. To study entrepreneuring more closely, read Paul Hawken’s excellent book, Growing a Business.
If reconciling money and soul is proving to be difficult within a single career, try having one of each. Make your money job and soul job into separate enterprises. Decide how much you want of each. Remember: If you don’t feed your soul eventually, no amount of money will be enough.
Looking for more answers? Take the “soul” career exercise.
- Don’t make assumptions based on second- or third-hand information.
You may have heard that social work doesn’t pay well, and the low pay is keeping you from pursuing the field. Investigate matters for yourself. If you’re thinking about social work, talk to social workers in private practice as well as those working for human service agencies. You might find a career in social work can pay better than you’ve been led to believe. Whenever possible, get the facts for yourself.
- Remember: Nothing is forever in the world of careers.
No career decision is irrevocable. Anything can be gotten out of, modified, reversed, or reshaped. Grant yourself the freedom to move around, out, or elsewhere if things don’t work out.
- Explain your career aspirations to others.
As you’re weighing your possibilities, explain your ambitions to friends, classmates, and family members. This helps focus your understanding of the fields you’re considering.
- Recognize that choosing a career direction is not an exercise in certainty.
You’re not predicting what will happen. You wouldn’t even come close if you tried to guess exactly what you’ll be doing in five years. Career choice is more about tuning into where your energy is right now, and allowing that energy to have its way. The more enthusiastic you are about your career direction, the better you will do.
- Understand that not everyone around you will be as excited about your career direction as you are.
Well, that’s natural; they’re not you. Some of your close friends or relatives may even disagree with your chosen direction. That’s okay. A certain amount of dissension in the ranks lets you know that you’re doing your own thinking.
- Don’t let anyone discourage you from entering a career because “the chances of making it do not appear good.”
There will always be people who will counsel you to look for the sure thing. There is no such thing. If your inner enthusiasm tells you to give it a try, then go for it. Better for you to find out through experience what your possibilities are than to have someone guess what will happen to you.
As you contemplate a possible career, ask yourself these “soul” questions. Rate yourself 1 to 4 on each question (4=Strong YES; 3=Yes; 2=No; 1=Strong NO)
- This career would enable me to make a difference in others’ lives.
- I enjoy telling other people about my plans for this career.
- I believe I have something unique to offer in this field.
- This career has potential for growth, learning, and new developments.
- The challenge of this career makes me want to work harder.