There are many reasons why people have different perspectives on work. 

 A lot of it has to do with where you are economically.  The need to feel economically safe sometimes must be met before you can start to think about “what you want to do with your life”. 

When I was in undergrad, I was not thinking about what I would like doing day to day.   I was focused on “working for a good company” and getting benefits.  Only after I was working for a few years and had some money saved up did I even allow myself to think about my options and future.

But I don’t think money is the only issue. 

Another reason is that our natural talents may not have been accepted by our families.  Many people are encouraged to play it safe:  go into law or medicine, work for a Fortune 500 company, etc.  To take a job with security and to aim for jobs with prestige.  If you are naturally drawn to politics (for example), but your parents despise politics, chances are you may have some conflicting feelings about pursuing  a career in politics.

If you love art, but your dad thinks art is a nice hobby but not a job, you may have a hard time getting in touch with this side of yourself. 

Finally, I believe that some people are on different stages of the same path.  For example, my father was a laborer and he only finished the 4th grade (he is an immigrant from Sicily).  For him, work was a way to provide for his family.  He had a love of history, but because of his circumstances he could not become a teacher or professor (which is what he really wanted to do).  However, he emphasized education, as did my mom, and both my brother and I went to college.  My father sacrificed and worked so that I could fulfill my potential. 

For some people, work is just work.  A means to an end, a way to make a living.  These people “work to live, not live to work”.

For other people, work is an expression of who they are and what they want to accomplish in their life.

Why do these differences exist?  Why are some people compelled to search for “what they want to do with their life” and other people do not seem to have this yearning? 

A few months before I was supposed to graduate from undergrad, I literally stopped sleeping for about two weeks.  I was interviewing for jobs and I had this horrible feeling I had chosen the wrong major and computer science was not the right field for me.  I eventually worked through this confusion, but this sense that I had taken a wrong turn gnawed at me for many years to come.  No matter what job I was in, I felt like I wasn’t being myself, that I wanted work which felt more meaningful to me.

After I left Intel and started trying on different jobs for size, I realized that actually computer science had a lot of characteristics I liked:  depth, analysis, problem solving, creativity, an element of bringing about change, etc.  That brought me a tremendous sense of relief.  When I talk to people who are just beginning their career transition, I can see how relieved they are to hear that they haven’t “wasted” all of their years in the wrong career.

I haven’t been on my blog for a long time, but I am happy to say I have returned. 

I’ve been pretty busy lately.  I have a new job which is just about perfect for me.  I love the kind of work I am doing, the people I work with, and the overall mission of the company. 

Making a career change is similar to putting a puzzle together:  you have a vision or a dream, but you create it step by step, one piece at a time. 
 

Though most of us would like to wake up one morning and know with absolute clarity what we want to do with our lives, making a career change is a process—something you surrender to with a rhythm and timing all its own. 
 

Here are my favorite books to help guide you during this period in your life: 
 

1. Transitions:  Making Sense of Life’s Changes by William Bridges
   Start with this book!  A must read for anyone trying to understand the transition process.  A book of great comfort as it helps you realize that personal transitions are fairly universal and common (and that, no, you are not going crazy!).  By taking you through the stages of transition, the author demonstrates that what you are experiencing is actually very natural and normal.
    
2. Developing Intuition by Shakti Gawain
   Many times a career transition signifies that it is time to start listening to your own inner guidance, your intuition, and time to turn away from what the outside world is telling you to do.  Shakti explains what intuition is, how to tap into our intuition, and how to trust and act on this inner source of wisdom.  Shakti teaches us we can rely on our intuition especially when we feel confused about what to do next (which happens often in a career transition!). 
    
3. Embracing Our Selves: The Voice Dialogue Manual by Drs. Hal and Sidra Stone
   Wonderful book for anyone who is feeling stuck.  Hal and Sidra Stone explain we are each made up of many “selves” and often these selves are in conflict with each other; thus, causing deep confusion.  They also talk about “disowned” selves—selves which we need to be made aware of if we are to reach our full potential.  Read the opening Prologue, “The Awakening”, and see if it does not deeply resonate with you. 
    
4. Do What You Are by Paul D. Tieger and Barbara Baron-Tieger
   The goal of this more traditional career guide is to help you find work which is more naturally suited to your personality type (Myer’s Briggs).  A most helpful book, it provides you with concrete examples of careers which might be personally satisfying to you.  The authors also provide detailed career profiles of people, common threads and characteristics of satisfying careers, and helpful tips for conducting a search—all tailored to your specific type. 
    
5. Working Identity by Herminia Ibarra
   Excellent book written mostly for mid-career professionals, particularly people who have invested a lot of time and money in their current profession.  The main premise is that traditional career assessment models do not work since they recommend “figuring out” what you want to do before taking action.  Herminia suggests that the “knowing” actually comes from stepping out–crafting experiments, trying different jobs on for size, and expanding your network of resources and people.  She also offers in-depth profiles of people who have made dramatic (and not so dramatic) changes in their lives. 
    

Would love to hear your feedback!  Please post your comments here or e-mail me at mlfavata@yahoo.com. 

 

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