Re-Discovering Your Career Passion

By Ford R. Myers
President, Career Potential, LLC

Do you ever feel like you’ve lost touch with the enthusiasm and passion you once felt about your career?

Remember when you were just starting-out at your first job, or you were a recent graduate? You probably thought that any job would be available to you; that every employer would want to hire you. You were excited about your prospects and believed that you had something wonderful to share.

But now that you’ve been in the work-world for quite a while, and have had a series of jobs with several different companies, have you become cynical or resigned in your work-attitude? Are you unsure as to which direction to turn next?

As a professional Career Consultant, I have found that this loss of career passion and enthusiasm is very common – and it’s one of my most troubling observations.

To address this problem, I came up with an amazingly simple exercise, which I use with my clients. It helps them understand why this has happened to them, and what steps they need to take to re-discover their career passion.

If you’re thinking, “It’s too late for me,” I’d like to challenge you on that assumption. Allow me to show you how, by performing an internal evaluation and re-visiting your true priorities, you really can re-discover the career of your dreams!

Ready to get started?

Complete the following sentences without “over thinking” your answers. You may list multiple answers for each of the items below. Be sure to keep your responses focused only on the career/work aspects of your life:

1. In my free time, the activities or hobbies I like to do best are …
2. Whenever I go to a bookstore, the sections I always seem to be drawn to are …
3. My closest friends work in the following fields, businesses or professions …
4. The kinds of environments I feel most comfortable working in are …
5. My friends/colleagues/family members have often told me that I should be a …
6. The things that have always motivated me most are …
7. I have often been praised for my work in …
8. If I were to get involved in volunteer work (unpaid), I’d work in the field of …
9. I love to …
10. I am passionate about …
11. I am excited about …
12. What I really like is …
13. My greatest contribution is …
14. I am particularly good at …
15. I am known for …
16. I have an exceptional ability to …
17. Colleagues often ask for my help with …
18. I would feel disappointed, frustrated or sad if I couldn’t …

At this point, I suggest you go back and carefully review your answers to the questions above. Refer to those answers as you respond to the four additional questions below. Be as thorough and detailed as possible with your responses:

19. What do my answers above tell me about my core values, interests and motivational patterns?
20. Where in my work do I still find real energy and enthusiasm?
21. What implications do these answers have on my current and future career choices?
22. What is one thing I can do right now to improve my current career situation?

Your answers to all these questions are important for several reasons. First, they point to your natural talents, gifts and skills. Second, they point to areas where your own internal satisfaction will most likely match your external success – professionally, financially and as a “whole human being” who is able to bring your complete self to work.

And, finally, your answers will highlight the critical areas on which to focus your next career move – those areas where your talents and passions intersect with market demand!

Now that you’ve performed this brief internal evaluation, ask yourself this final question: Is your current career direction aligned with your true gifts, goals and passions? If not, remember: it’s never too late to correct course – as long as you have the right resources and support!

So, if you’ve been feeling resigned or cynical in your work-attitude, I urge you to take responsibility and take action NOW. Leverage the resources that are available to you, and commit to improving your career situation. You CAN STILL re-discover your career passion!