In our career-oriented society, it’s easy to forget that work is a part of life, NOT the whole thing. It gives you the resources to support yourself. It keeps the food on your table and the roof over your head.

But can you count on it for a sense of purpose?

Not so much 😬

Work often distracts us from the purpose we’re trying to fulfill. In a perfect world, we’d hand in our resignation and find something that supports, rather than detracts from it, but, realistically, that takes time.

So, let’s start by bringing awareness to how your current job impacts your table and set some boundaries.

Grab a pen and paper and answer the following questions:

1. How is work affecting your mental and physical health?
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2. How is work affecting your relationships?

And…

3. How can you protect those other parts of your life? Can you commit to saying no to meetings where your presence isn’t necessary, setting and sticking to your working hours, or silencing Slack and work email notifications after 6 PM?
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Now, pick a couple of boundaries from your answer to that last question and implement them, knowing that, by doing so, you’re reclaiming confidence AND control.

So, how do you find a career that contributes to your purpose? A personal vision statement can help. It describes your long-term values, strengths, and goals and makes following through on them easy.

Go ahead and write down your responses to the following questions:

Professionally

1. What are you good at?

2. What does the world need?

3. What activities make you feel energized?

Values

4. What makes you angry? List 3-6.

5. What problems in the world do you want to solve?

6. Who are the most important people in your life?

Personal

7. What is your ideal lifestyle in five, 10 and 20 years? Circle any common themes.

8. Who do you want in your life in five, 10 and 20 years? Circle any common themes.

9. How would you like to be remembered at the end of your days?

Fill in the blanks:

I want to ____. This connects me to my values of ___. This is important because ____.

you to own something else on the side. I’m talking about an income source that you own and manage for yourself: A side hustle.

Why do I recommend that? It’s never a good idea for someone other than yourself or your spouse to have control over your life.

That includes your boss—even if you like your boss. Even if your boss is a wonderful person. Because you know what? Bosses can retire or be replaced. Situations can change.
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And if the stability of your table is dependent on a
a company providing you with a job and a salary, then you’re in a precarious position.

Again, let’s look at your life. If you were to lose your job tomorrow, what would happen to your financial situation? To your family? To your lifestyle? If you are currently dependent on a paycheck to make ends meet, you could be in real trouble once that paycheck is no longer available.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

- If you’re a people person, start an Uber or Turo business in your free time. You’ll get some great tax write-offs, you’ll meet lots of new people, and you’ll earn extra income.

- If you’re a teacher and you never want to leave the classroom, use this coming summer to develop video courses that help train new teachers. You can sell those courses to earn extra income and help the next generation get started well.

- If you’re a construction worker, a plumber, or an electrician, find a way to buy a discounted home and then spend a year flipping it in your spare time. When you’re done, you can rent it out for passive income.