I have the privilege of working for a pretty great organization. Looking back, it’s pretty unbelievable how God led me to where I am now. I’d like to share seven things I’ve learned from working at WorkMatters that I think will help you grow in your career as well. Here we go!
- Have confidence in your path. Rather than mimicking what others do with their career, think about what it is God is actually calling you to do. Sometimes God asks us to take risks, whether it’s in your career or elsewhere. So be sure to be open to his voice, even when it means doing something completely out of your or your family’s comfort zone.
- God gives us multiple callings in life. Believe it or not, our careers are only a fraction of God’s calling for our life. Some may choose to be a doctor or lawyer for the financial stability, which is all well and good. But what about your personal gifts and talents that are specifically unique to you?
- Find your sweet spot. Your sweet spot is what mixes your occupation and vocation. Your vocation is tied to your personal skill set that correlates with something you’ve always enjoyed doing that comes easily to you. Your vocatio is something that happens when you mix both your occupation and vocation, resulting in what is called a sweet spot.
- Learn to listen. I’ve learned that 99 percent of the issues we experience with where we are at in life correlate with whether or not we are listening to God or those around us who are trying to help us grow. It’s important to focus on doing 90 percent listening and 10 percent talking even when it’s hard or seemingly unfair.
- Learn how to receive feedback well. A well-known political leader once said that after receiving feedback, be sure to write three things down – 1) What the person giving the feedback said 2) What you didn’t like about what they said and 3) The truth from what they said. This gives you the opportunity to vent out the things that upset you as well as allow you to swallow your pride and take action on the areas of truth.
- Make time for quiet time and exercise. Have you ever felt like you’re grinding, not grounded at work? I’ve found that, when I feel this way, days often seem to run together and work turns into more of an obligation than a joy. When I feel this way it’s typically because I haven’t found my pause time each day to quietly spend time with the Lord and gain energy from a good workout.
- Commit to being whole and complete – not superhuman. Life isn’t about getting A’s in everything we do. That simply isn’t possible. Instead of compartmentalizing every area of your life to perfection, aim to score a solid B in each area (work, family, health, etc.). In other words, focus on chasing a realistic composite scoreboard and you’ll have a healthy mindset of how to manage life’s expectations.
We also recommend:
Blogs:
Do You Talk Too Much?
How to Flourish in Difficult Circumstances
Podcasts:
Balancing Your Work and Home Life / David Roth
The Balance of Leading and Serving / Scott Street
