Are you your true self at work? Steve Jobs said, “Follow your heart and your intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become.”
Our cities, counties, and country are reopening as pandemic precautions are being eased. At the same time, we are facing tragic human rights failures. Life and work as we knew it may never be the same. However, we do have control over how we respond. I touched on this in my post “Are you living on purpose?”
There is an ironic parallel here between current events and the careers many of us have (or have had in the past). If we are honest, many of us have not been our true self at work or in life. For the most part, we have done the best we could, given the circumstances. We have met other people’s expectations. We have even been successful at things we weren’t whole-heartedly committed to. What would happen if the career you chose reflected your passions, your skills, your personality, your needs, and who you really are instead of what someone else wants or expects?
Your Work
This pandemic has been difficult on workers everywhere. If you are an essential worker, you are in danger on a daily basis. If your company is considered non-essential, you lost income and benefits, which affects your ability to provide food, shelter, and other life necessities. Worse, your job may never come back. If you were fortunate and able to either work from home or retire early, you are still not living the life you imagined at this point. So how can you be your true self at work now?
For many, this is a time of part-time work. For others, it is a time to align your interests and abilities with your instincts instead of just doing what you are told. When you were young, you might have followed the recommendations of parents, teachers, or counselors. If you were lucky, serendipity, coincidences, or random events may have allowed you to be your true self at work.
Now is the time to take steps to head in the direction you want to go, to pursue a different path, to have the career that you love. Even if “everyone” said you would be good at a job, you can still struggle, feeling emotionally and physiologically overwhelmed by a poor job fit. Follow your own dreams, your own career path. This is especially difficult if you are expected to keep the family business thriving for generations to come. You don’t have to become what others expect of you. Become who you really are.
When you are allowed to be your true self at work, coming from your strengths, your work will seem effortless most of the time. You will feel fulfilled. You will look forward to making a difference and creating something of lasting value. It’s not too late to make that change.