Surely, every person, without exaggeration, dreams of finding something they love. It’s so great when you can do something that brings you real pleasure, while also receiving material rewards.
Alas, for some reason in the modern world it is becoming increasingly difficult for people to find their true selves. We spend our lives getting several educations, completing regular courses, attending master classes, but this does not bring us a state of high and happiness. How to find your calling? Let's figure it out.
Why choose an activity you like?
Society is structured in such a way that each of its members must occupy a certain niche and make their most significant contribution to its development. By and large, the question of how to find a job to your liking concerns only individuals. Most people prefer to choose the path of least resistance.
Walking along the path outlined by someone else, a person may not even think about why there is a lack of fullness of life, there is no feeling of joy and lightness. Our life consists of many moments, happiness is multifaceted. The work takes at least 40 hours a week, and if you don’t have a passion for the chosen occupation, then a significant part of the effort will be spent on overcoming the rejection of empty time that brings nothing but money.
If you can say about something: “Yes, this is my business!”, then there will be no feeling of emptiness. On the contrary, your favorite activity will evoke positive emotions and bring satisfaction from the results. Happy people who say with confidence: “I love my job” don’t grumble about getting up early, don’t count the minutes until the end of their shift, and on weekends they relax, not tormented by the thought of the rigors of everyday life. Such people are happy and harmonious.
From the author
This book was not born by chance. Working with creative people for many years, I began to notice that their stories are in many ways similar: they get the “correct”, “money” specialty, work conscientiously in their profession, but do not feel happy. And instead of helping such people develop their talents, I often had to explain that what they love can also be a profession and generate income. Only by believing in this did they begin their path to success.
Over time, my clients, partners and acquaintances increasingly began to ask how to sign up for training with me, where to read about my “method”. I didn’t have any courses or books. But it turned out that my experience and confidence in success were needed and in demand.
I started conducting seminars and webinars and tried to convey my knowledge in the simplest possible form, because I know from myself that creative people think in a special way. And it worked - I get a lot of feedback and see new creative brands being born. But I want there to be even more of them, and most importantly, I want to instill confidence that you can do it too. This is how the idea for the book was born. In it you will find a detailed and accessible story with many examples of how to start and grow a creative business. I will also tell my story, because I myself am the best proof that my method works.
Signs that a person is minding his own business
A job you don't like can really harm your health. Long-term stress leads to certain hormonal changes, which, in turn, negatively affect the functioning of all systems of the human body. However, a number of signs can be identified before serious problems arise.
Not knowing how to find a job to their liking, a person does not do what he wants, often without even realizing the scale of the problem. Here are the signs by which you can determine that the job is not suitable:
- there is no satisfaction from the results of work - the salary is not pleasing, even if it is high, the winning tender does not cause inspiration, and the praise of the authorities is perceived rather with irritation;
- there is neither the opportunity nor, most importantly, the desire to develop in the chosen profession;
- the process of the work being performed does not give pleasure; it seems boring, tedious and completely useless;
- I categorically dislike neither the work team nor the management; This, of course, is an indirect sign, but if after changing jobs everything happens again, think: perhaps the fact is that this business is not what you want to devote your whole life to;
- there is a constant feeling that you are giving much more than you receive; bonuses, salary, bonuses, praise - everything seems insufficient;
- the thought of Monday morning poisons Sunday rest, and work hours drag on endlessly.
Of course, all these signs must be considered as a whole; both banal fatigue and professional burnout are possible. But when a job is chosen according to the call of the heart, fatigue goes away after vacation, and the problem of burnout is solved with a psychologist. If you answered yes to at least half of the questions, then it’s time to think about how to choose a business to your liking. And perhaps it’s worth changing your field of activity, getting additional education or trying to open your own business.
Secret 5: Work hard in your chosen direction
Many of you have read the book “Geniuses and Outsiders”, which states that you need to spend at least 10,000 hours on your chosen business, then you can achieve success in it. The exact number of hours, I'm sure, varies greatly from profession to profession, but the essence of the book most definitely reflects reality.
The more you work in your chosen direction, the more successful a person you become in it.
Example from life
I interviewed fashion historian Alexander Vasiliev on the go, in parallel with his daily affairs - and in that one day I understood and felt the secret of his success.
Alexander had just arrived from another country from a performance for which he had designed more than 200 costumes, but in the morning he went to the exhibition of his collection at TSUM, prepared all the costumes there, gave an interview to me and another journalist, then we went to the needlewomen of his collection, of which there are more than 6 and he remembers about each one, what kind of costume she is currently wearing and what other work options have appeared for her.
He says that the secret of success is simple - always be ready for luck (if you are a designer, create a portfolio for yourself and always carry it in your phone) and a lot of work - he has no days off, because the number of ideas is much greater than the time he has.
How to use?
Remember that even a hobby in 10-12 years can become a professional business if you put the right effort into it.
Nowadays, a huge number of yesterday’s graduates work during the day at jobs that they could find close to home, and in the evenings they conduct experiments on various scientific topics from the giants of the perfume and chemical industries.
Thus, a person continues to develop in the scientific field and can even receive from 10 to 100 thousand dollars if he can solve the problem set by the corporation.
What does work do for the soul?
Each person has a vocation, certain inclinations and predispositions to one or another activity. Once and for all, having solved the question “What business do I like?”, you will receive the happiness of realizing your true purpose.
Any person should strive to bring as much benefit to society as possible. Only by doing what you love with full dedication and putting in all your strength will you get maximum results. A brilliant career and worthy compensation for the efforts spent will await those who find their true calling.
Secret 7: Follow your dreams
We often think that we need to go where there are great prospects. I agree with this, but you need to choose your own from the promising options.
Example from life
Valentin Dikul was a circus performer and one day a steel crossbar burst and he fell from a 13-meter height, resulting in severe injuries and 10 fractures. Doctors said that he would never be able to walk again, but within 6 years he put himself on his feet and created an entire healing system, thanks to which today people from all over the world are recovering.
Moreover, he didn’t just get out of his wheelchair - after that he received the title of Guinness World Record Holder. And later, from an artist, winner of a book of records, he turned into an academician and head of a network of medical centers.
How to use?
Write 10-20 options for professions that you have ever dreamed of, think about what exactly you liked about them and how you could do similar things today. For example, if you dreamed of performing in the theater, perhaps what you really wanted was to perform in front of large audiences, and today you could satisfy this by starting to teach or participate in conferences in your industry.
How to understand that the chosen business is your favorite?
It also happens that you seem to like the chosen job, but you can’t determine whether your calling is being realized. There are a number of signs indicating that the answer to the question of how to find a job you like has been given correctly:
- work is not only a source of income, but also brings satisfaction;
- there is a desire and opportunity for self-development and professional growth;
- you get real pleasure from the results of your activities, the heights achieved are pleasing, the encouragement from your superiors is deserved and pleasant;
- I like the place of work itself - a building, an office, a workplace; colleagues, subordinates and superiors - all, or most, evoke positive emotions;
- there is a desire to grow and develop in this industry and transfer your knowledge to others;
- there is a feeling of adequacy of the assessment of the efforts expended.
If you answered positively to half or more of the points, then rejoice - the chosen business is your true calling.
Secret 1: try as much as possible
It sounds logical, but how many of your friends have used such a simple principle? Sometimes a person may be interested in a certain field, for example, working in television or in the IT industry, but he does not know which options will suit him.
It’s worth trying out different roles – without real experience, most often we are ruled by clichés and illusions about each profession.
And if you don’t know what to do at all, try literally all the options you can get your hands on - because every step gives you a chance to find a path that’s interesting to you and meet the right people.
Example from life
This is what Leonid Grokhovsky did, who through his own experience has tried more than 30 professions, most of which are related specifically to Internet marketing. He was engaged in:
- sales,
- managing clients,
- project management,
- was a software architect
- web designer,
- art director,
- engaged in guerrilla marketing,
- website promotion
- and website creation.
As a result, he chose his niche at the intersection of several areas that were most interesting to him - he created a training center for SEO specialists, where he has already trained hundreds of professionals.
How to use?
Today there are more and more opportunities to try new things. You can find a guru in the specified area and offer him your free help. Most often, you don’t even need to quit your current job to do this; help him in your free time from work. This way, you can dive into a new area without the risk of losing your current source of income.
There are times when our clients have tried many options that they had dreamed about, and were surprised to realize in the end that their current place suits them best, they just need to change the industry or direction of development.
Finding something you like
It happens that a person does not immediately realize his place in this world and does not consider it necessary to change anything. The older we get, the harder it is to turn around and change our lives. However, you should not be afraid of this. Whether you're 20 or 60, it's never too late to start over.
In order to decide that the time has come to look for something you like, it is enough to understand: your current occupation not only does not bring satisfaction, but also requires you to spend your mental energy on overcoming resistance. You shouldn’t walk along the beaten path all your life if it causes exclusively negative emotions. Having decided on the need for change, feel free to start looking for something new. Finding something you love can be a very interesting and productive activity.
First steps to change activities:
- consult with experts in various fields of activity;
- find out options for retraining or obtaining a second education;
- find out how to get a loan for small business development;
- try to radically change the situation, for example, go to the village for a month.
Who is this book for?
For those who dream of turning their passion into a successful business, and for those who have already created a creative brand and want to take it to the next level
For those who work during the day for a salary, but love to sing, embroider, or dream of writing a book or making a film.
For those who consider their profession to be creativity, even if you are a seller of fire alarms or auto parts.
Perhaps you recently became a mother and you have time for creativity, or you recently retired and you have a lot of energy to realize the most daring creative ideas. This book will help bring them to life.
Obstacles on the way to your favorite job
Having found your calling, you may encounter a number of obstacles, but you should not give up and betray your dream. Take action and don’t stop at any obstacles.
Obstacles to your dream business:
- resistance from relatives and parents, they may consider the chosen business unpromising;
- lack of funds for retraining;
- lack of free time to learn new things;
- problems with employment in the chosen profile.
Despite all the problems, do not give up and do not give up. Go towards your cherished goal, even if the steps are very small, the main thing is to believe in yourself.
Secret 4: Communicate with a variety of people
This advice is also not new, but for some reason people continue to ignore it. First you need to better find out what the people around you are doing.
Often we do not know what exactly our spouse or closest friends do, let alone about some more distant people and their activities.
When meeting new people, try to understand what exactly the other person's job is - this can one day be of great service to you.
Example from life
Yuri Kuznetsov has been disabled since childhood; he dreamed of working on television, because it was his “Window to the World” - nannies in an orphanage constantly “dropped” children in front of the TV. But he was sure that with his data it was impossible to get on television.
Yuri was an activist in the public organization “We Are Together” and thanks to this he met a lot of journalists and politicians. One such acquaintance turned into a request to take Yuri to work at the St. Petersburg TV channel, where he still works with great pleasure and dedication to this day.
How to use?
Many books have been written on the topic of networking, I’ll just add that most often it’s the people around us who help us get positions that interest us, give us ideas for growth and development, as well as opportunities that we didn’t even think about.
Look for people in areas that interest you, be polite and help others, because you can never know in advance what kind of fleeting acquaintance could become fateful for you.
Establishing contact with the body
The senses are the main channels for receiving pleasure. Thanks to the body, we feel the joy of hugs and kisses, enjoy delicious food, beautiful music and nature, express feelings and emotions. Everyday bustle forces us to live “in our heads” - in thoughts, worries, plans, worries. The techniques below will help you “come down to earth” and feel the joy of the moment from contact with yourself.
- When you wake up in the morning, don’t immediately pick up your phone and don’t rush to check your email. Be in the moment - yawn, stretch, blink... Let your body awaken, be gentle with yourself. Then scan your body and describe how you feel in each part of it. Start at your toes and work your way up to the top of your head. Notice where there is tension, relaxation, cold, warmth, tingling, heaviness, comfort, itching. Feel the contact of your skin with clothing or bedding. It is advisable to comment on your feelings out loud in order to formulate them more clearly and not get lost in a tangle of thoughts.
- Consciously move every part of your body - this will help you establish contact with those muscles and areas that you hardly feel or do not use in everyday life. Gently stretch up to feel your back. Do leg swings to activate the muscles in your thighs and buttocks. Allow yourself to breathe deeply and freely, completely relaxing your chest and stomach. Take your time, be slow and smooth, and pay attention to the sensations. This practice is based on a statement by body-oriented therapist Alexander Lowen: “Being aware of a part of your body is described as “being in touch” with it. Contact with an intangible part of the body can be established through increasing the mobility of that part. […] all feelings, all perceptions depend on movement.” For the same reason, it is useful to engage in mindful exercise or stretching for at least 5-10 minutes a day.
- Gently patting the entire body (naked) helps relieve tension and clear the head. Let your movements be comfortable and gentle, do everything with love and care for yourself. Concentrate on the skin - feel your own touch.
Establishing contact with your body will not only help you receive more pleasure from tactile sensations (touch, pleasant fabric, etc.), but will also show you how often you ignore your own comfort. How you torture yourself with uncomfortable clothes or shoes, neglect breaks during work, suppress hunger and thirst. This is very good because by admitting to yourself your discomfort, you can take concrete steps to overcome it and thereby instantly improve your quality of life.
10+ ways to find your life's work
By nature, people are tirelessly in search of: happiness, love, the meaning of life.
A very important part of this process is finding your “life’s work.” Why did we write such a serious concept in quotation marks?
The fact is that in the fast pace of modern life this concept has become somewhat blurred.
Many initially do not plan to work in one place or even in the same specialty for the rest of their lives, knowing that a variety of opportunities will allow them to quickly change their field of activity if necessary.
Is it good or bad? One thing is certain: with this approach, we began to pay much less attention to what we actually like.
And that is why in adult life we so often encounter disappointment, vague anxiety and dissatisfaction with the work we are doing.
Most often we have to face the choice of profession more than once.
On the other hand, the variety of possibilities does open up many paths for us.
You can master a new specialty, no matter how unusual it may be, and set out to conquer new horizons at any time - if you have the desire.
And since you are here, it is there, isn’t it? Then let's get down to business!
For adults
The famous saying of Confucius says: “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
It sounds very cool (and it’s interesting that an ancient Chinese sage thought about this!).
The main secret in this matter is knowing yourself. How else can you find out what you like if you don’t listen to your own inner voice?
Stress, anxiety, worry, depression and even many physical ailments originate precisely in the imbalance of a person’s external and internal will.
You need to understand that any work should bring joy and not make you depressed
Even being successful in the generally accepted sense of the word, you may not feel happy and understand that you are doing something wrong.
And the idea of giving up everything and going in search of oneself may seem crazy and irresponsible - after all, “adults are already people.”
Advice: the main thing to remember is that it’s never too late. Many businessmen, founders of world-famous brands, began their journey at the age of 40 or even older - and this did not stop them from becoming truly successful in what they really liked.
Of course, you shouldn’t thoughtlessly drop everything and jump headlong into the abyss of the unknown.
In a month, you will run out of money, thoughts about your dream job will be shelved, and all your activities will be focused on how to get back into the flow of an unloved, but profitable business.
Everything should be approached wisely - and the search for answers to the question of how to find a job to your liking is no exception.
Already being an accomplished specialist, you often come to the realization that you are doing the wrong thing.
Here are some ways to get in touch with your inner voice and understand what you love:
- Take a walk. It has been proven that during long walks in the fresh air, fresh and interesting thoughts come to us, which are very difficult to “catch” while sitting at home or in the office. If possible, prefer walking to traveling by transport and relax: even if at first there is an unusual vacuum in your thoughts, new ideas will soon come.
- Take your notebook with you into the shower. It is during water procedures that people often have truly creative thoughts, memorizing and analyzing which you can understand yourself better.
- Fantasize. Try to imagine an ideal life - the way you understand it. Do not deny yourself anything (after all, where else can you turn around except in your own dreams?). Create a vision board. And then just ask yourself: how can you achieve this?
- Remember your childhood. Those activities that you were passionate about when you were a child can suggest the path to finding yourself in adulthood. Perhaps you once wrote an essay about how to find a job you love. Remember it - or write it again, trying to imagine yourself at the age of eight. And listen to your own inner child.
- Ask yourself questions. This is where the practice of mindfulness begins, which is the best way to establish contact with the inner will. When making any decision, ask yourself: will the chosen path make you happier? Why did you act this way and not otherwise?
- Get plenty of rest and meditation. This way you can disconnect from stress and find harmony within yourself, and this is the first step to finding your life’s work.
Ideally, you should do only what evokes the most positive emotions.
You can also find a test online on how to find something you like.
There are a lot of such questionnaires, and their approach is very different: some are similar to career guidance tests, others use a psychological analysis of your personality to create advice.
Try a few and see what the tests recommend.
For children and teenagers
Sometimes children come to us with the problem of choosing a path.
Now the question of how to find something you like is in the social studies curriculum for 6th grade.
The answers to it are very different, and this makes sense - in discussing different options, everyone can find their own grain of truth.
Advice: do not impose your point of view on children. It’s better to have a dialogue discussing the various options, their pros and cons. This way you can not only help the younger generation, but also understand whether you like your own work - and whether it’s time to change something.
Don't try to decide for your children, but guide them.
If your child is thinking about how to find a job they like as early as 10-12 years old, that's great.
He has a lot of time to find the answer to this question. And you, as parents (educators, teachers and just a role model), can guide him on the right path.
Pay attention to your child's hobbies.
Teenage hobbies, no matter how frivolous they may seem from an adult’s point of view, are a powerful source of inspiration and active energy for a young person.
A passion for music can be turned into a profitable and profitable occupation in sound engineering, artistic talent can be directed towards conquering the path of an illustrator, and amateur achievements in sports can be turned into professional ones.
Brainstorm with your child how his or her hobbies might change in the future.
Look for information about where they teach this or that profession, what specialists in different fields do in practice.
Try different “adult” activities:
- Instead of another children's club, take him on an excursion to a film studio or factory
- Let me read the memoirs of athletes or writers
- Sign up for a cooking or science class
Children, teenagers and students have many opportunities to find something that will give them a feeling of productivity, usefulness and fulfillment in life.
If a child is instilled with the habit of consciously approaching everything he does, the answer to the question of how to find something he likes can be found during social studies lessons in the 6th grade, and in the process of writing an essay on the topic of how to find something he likes.
Advice: During such searches, please forget about your own ideas about the profitability or prestige of various jobs. It's about finding something you love, and a variety of activities can bring happiness.
When choosing a profession, you cannot be guided only by the question of earnings.
