Love What You Do

Copyright 2001-2003 by Deirdre McEachern. May be distributed if full attribution is given and copyright notice is included.

"To love what you do and feel that it matters, how on earth could anything be more fun?" --Katherine Graham

Susan had been working in the computer industry since college (8-10 years) and though she was financially and professionally successful, she felt dissatisfied with her career. Her heart was just not in it anymore.
Susan did a brave thing - she decided to make the effort to pursue a career change. For about six months she worked to uncover her core interests, identify her values, test her natural abilities, and outline the parameters required for fulfilling work for her.
Making a change at this point in her career was a risk and the process took time but Susan tells me it was well worth the effort. Susan made a move from computer database programming into bio-informatics and is now working on a life saving new medical product. Susan had always had an interest in biology and human medicine. Sadly, she had put her interests and values on the shelf after she completed graduate school, like many of us, because the job market was tight when she entered the work force. By finding work that felt meaningful to her, Susan has started a new career that fits who she is along with what she believes in and what she can do.
Susan called me last week, after her first day at her new job in bio-informatics. She left me a message. In it she said: "I wanted to let you know I had the best day at work that I think I have ever had. It was just unbelievable." Congratulations Susan! Congratulations for standing up to the doldrums and not accepting a lifetime of unfulfilling work.
Life is just too short to be unhappy with your work. When we are unhappy in our work our friendships and relationships suffer, our physical health suffers and our mental health suffers. Everyone deserved work-life satisfaction. After all, our work takes up at least one half of our waking hours in life.
Are you happy in your work? If you are - you have a gift. If not, now is a the perfect time to do something about it!