Find Work You Love

 

You know the famous words attributed to Confucius, "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life." You know it and you want it, but how can you find a job that is satisfying let alone that you love? Even if you aren't confused about what you want, you don't know how to get it. You aren't alone.
According to the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index*, fewer American employees are satisfied with their jobs or the work they do than were before
the economic crisis began in 2008. As of the end of April 2011, 87.5-percent of Americans aged 18 and older employed by an employer or self-employed are satisfied with their work. And those are the Americans that have jobs. When looking at all of last year as a whole (since 2011's data is not yet complete), the state of California's Work Environment Index dropped to the ranking of 21 out of the 50 states for work environment. The Work Environment Index measures Americans' perception of their job satisfaction, ability to use one's strengths at work, supervisor's treatment (more like a boss or a partner), and that the supervisor creates an open and trusting work environment. Fortunately, San Diego is ranked 52nd out of the 188 cities ranked. Los Angeles is ranked as 80th while nearby Ventura is 132nd and Riverside is 139th out of 188 cities. The Work Environment Index does not take into account the Emotional Health, Physical Health, Healthy Behavior, Basic Access or Life Evaluation Indexes that Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index also showcases.
Often people feel the need to fit themselves into a job that's open in order to have job security. No wonder 22.5-percent of employed Americans are unsatisfied at work. What is the alternative, you ask? Clarify what you really want. Of course, that's more complex that it sounds (otherwise you would have done it already). Explore your unique talents, gifts, natural abilities, interests and experiences. Assess what you truly want whether it's the freedom to be creative or freedom of schedule or both, among other wants. If you would like to be creative with your work, how would you like to be creative? There are 23 different ways to be creative according to The Life Purpose Institute in San Diego.
Once you have done deep self-exploration, you can design a career around yourself. First, are you aware of all of the career options out there? If not, you may want to seek more information and professional guidance. In the Dictionary of Occupational Titles more than 12,000 occupations are listed, but why limit yourself to those career titles only? By seeking professional guidance (for instance, through a certified career coach) you can tailor-make a career just for you and help yourself achieve that career faster and easier than if you were working alone. Talk about finding work you love!
Finding work you love takes exploration, clarity and knowing your options. No matter what your circumstances, having a strategic plan can move you toward your goals quickly. People who are focused on finding a job they love and doing meaningful work stand the best chance of success during these hard economic times.
*The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index's tracks U.S. and U.K. wellbeing and provides best-in-class solutions for a healthier world, and it interviews no fewer than 1,000 U.S. adults nationwide each day, nearly 350 days a year.

Ezine Articles Resource Box Bio: Angela Martin is the owner of Defining Success Coaching. She is a certified career and life coach who uses proven techniques to help people make a great living doing work they love. Her specialities are helping people land the perfect job and market themselves and/or their business.
She is also the Work-Life Balance Writer for San Diego's Examiner.com and serves on the San Diego Professional Coaches' Alliance Board.
Website: http://www.definingsuccesscoaching.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DefiningSuccessCoaching

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