How to Find a Career You Love
Author: Jay Earley, Ph.D.

Does your current job feel satisfying? Is your life missing excitement and passion? Do you feel alive only in your spare time outside of work?

Careers that Satisfy the Soul. Most people don't find their careers fulfilling or meaningful. And today more and more people are dissatisfied with this situation. They say, "If I'm going to devote so much of my time and life energy to work, I want my career to be worth it." However, it isn't easy to find or create work that truly satisfies the soul. That's where Life Purpose Coaching comes in.

Jim Daniels came to me because he wasn't happy with his career in physics. After completing a Ph.D. and a couple of years of research, he realized he didn't want to be a physicist. But he had no idea what he did want.

Your Life Purpose. In Life Purpose Coaching, people ask themselves fundamental questions such as: What is my life really all about? What would be truly fulfilling? Do I want to be part of something greater than myself, to have a mission? What is my unique gift to the world? I see "life purpose" as a contribution to the world that gives your life passion, fulfillment, and meaning through dedication to something larger than yourself.

The Need for Meaning. Once the basics of your life are OK, you become interested in these questions. We all need to find meaning in life. If you ignore this need, it can lead to restlessness, boredom, or depression. You may wonder, "Now that I've got a good job, money, and a relationship, why am I not happy? Isn't there more to life?"

Joy in Life. The good news is: There is much more. And many people can find it through career. It will take effort and creativity. It might take years; it might involve sacrifice. But in the end it is well worth it. Living your life purpose leads to joy and deep satisfaction.

Jim's Story. In our coaching work, Jim started out exploring his interests, talents, and special qualities-just as he might have with a career counselor. Then we went deeper. He examined his values, what's really important to him in life. He recognized a strong desire to help others, and also a deep connection to the verdant richness of nature.

Finding his Calling. Through guided meditations he uncovered his sense of mission or calling. It became clear that he wanted to do something to protect and restore the integrity of the natural world, though not as a traditional environmental activist.

We brainstormed options for careers in this area-teaching, consulting, research, advocacy. Right now, he is pondering them and discussing them with friends. In later sessions, I will help him narrow this down to specifics, check out each option, make choices, and move ahead with his new career. However, for Jim the most important life purpose work has been accomplished. He knows what truly calls to him; his passion is aroused. He will pursue this new career direction with commitment and vigor.

Access to Wisdom. Jim has gained more than just an answer to the question of his life purpose. He has also learned to access his depths. As with each of us, there is a wise and loving part of Jim that lives in the deeper flow of life, the meaning underlying day-to-day events. This is sometimes called the "higher self." To discover life purpose, you must get to know this aspect of yourself. You may access it when you are quiet and alone and go deeply inside. Jim accessed it during our coaching sessions, and learned how to inquire about his life purpose from that inner place.

Checking Deep Inside. As he pursues his steps toward a new career, he will sometimes need to ask: Does a particular choice really match his life purpose? Should he attend that school, take that job, join that team, create that project? Each time, he will need to check inside to see if it truly aligns with his life purpose. And now he knows how to do that-either on his own or with my help.

Jim is on his way to a true vocation, one that will invoke his passion and lead to a fulfilling and meaningful life. For more information on Life Purpose Coaching, see www.lifepurposecoaching.com.








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Jay Earley, Ph.D., is a psychologist, coach, social change agent and theorist. A former computer scientist, he is nationally known for innovation in the group psychotherapy field. He leads Transformation Groups involving personal and spiritual growth, oriented toward social transformation. Jay studied extensively with Jean Houston and Joanna Macy, and is a student of the Diamond Approach. He has authored numerous articles and three books: Inner Journeys: A Guide to Personal and Social Transformation Based on the Work of Jean Houston, Samuel Weiser, Inc.; Transforming Human Culture: Social Evolution and the Planetary Crisis, SUNY Press; and Interactive Group Therapy, Brunner/Mazel.

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