A few months back I had lunch with a colleague who was more advanced in his career. The conversation eventually turned to how I was doing at work and my goals.
I panicked slightly at that point. Up to that point, I never really thought about it. Sure, I knew what I loved about my job and also had gripes that everyone is bound to have. But goals? That felt lofty and far away. He then followed up with two questions that stuck with me:
- What do you want out of your job?
- What are you doing to get there?
At times it can feel like we are hired to fulfill a specific role. A job can be transactional and alienating. In many ways, it is at the most basic level. In a capitalistic society, we are bartering our skills and time for wages.
But work can be so much more! Why can’t your work have a bigger purpose? If we expand our thinking and are willing to expend more of our time and effort, we would realise that we might learn something unexpected from things that “aren’t our jobs”.
The strongest barriers we face are those we put up for ourselves. What do you want out of your career? Go and make it happen. Don’t let the nagging feelings of inadequacy or hesitation stop you. Do, and you will find out for yourself.
Do. Do more. That’s an important lesson I have learnt for life.
