Carmelina Piedra | Founder, Certified Career Coach, and Executive Innovation Coach & Facilitator at CareerCoachingPro.
getty
Most people in life just want true happiness. While money seems to make things better and seems like the logical way to bring true happiness, there is a lot of research that tells us differently. In fact, in my travels abroad, I’ve seen others being genuinely happy with far fewer material goods. How is this possible?
Over the years, I’ve begun to study and research happiness. As I moved up the ranks of some of the most successful companies as a design leader and executive, I always seemed to crave something else. This is why I coached and mentored on the side very early in my career and continued to do so for 15-plus years. Somehow the job I wasn’t getting paid for made me feel the happiest because I was helping others rise to the top. So how could I leave my full-time job to pursue coaching full-time and attain more of that happiness for which I longed? In 2020, I finally took the risk, and it’s paid off not in the sense of monetary gains but more so in the sense that I’ve found true happiness through my work.
Coaches are aware of the Wheel of Life. There are multiple variations regarding the number and type of aspects in the Wheel of Life, and you can modify it based on what represents a balanced life for you. I’ve found seven that work in my practice: social, health and wellness, family, intellectual, spiritual, financial and career. And while all seven are given equal weight in pie diagrams, I believe that career should have a much larger piece of the pie. We spend 40 to 60 hours at work each week, which might be more hours than we spend with family and friends or at the gym in a given week. So this would mean being happiest in our career gets us much closer to true happiness.
So why is it that people do not put more into their careers and invest in career coaches who can help them be the most successful, most fulfilled and happiest? In his book Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose, Tony Hsieh talks about three different types of happiness: pleasure, passion and higher purpose. Pleasure is like the “rock star” lifestyle. One would get a quick jolt of happiness with this type. Out of the three types of happiness, this is the shortest-lasting. Passion happiness is like “being in the zone” in sports. This type of happiness is the second longest-lasting. Whereas, the higher purpose is the longest-lasting type. The faster you can find it, the happier you will be. So the burning question really becomes how is it possible to find your higher purpose to attain true happiness?
From my perspective as a career coach, I have outlined nine steps that I feel are most helpful when it comes to finding your higher purpose in your career. I’ve used Tony Robbins’ 12 steps on how to find purpose in life as a launching point.
1. Search inward. Coaches can ask the right questions and use intuition and experience to help guide you, but they cannot make decisions for you. The answers are really within yourself, and you will have to make ultimate decisions.
2. Put purpose before money (and don’t settle). Find ideal roles that serve your higher purpose, not just ones that are in the highest demand or make the most money.
3. Focus on what you have, not what you don’t have (and show gratitude). Mindset is everything. To attract abundance, it is important to stop fear-based thinking. This can help combat imposter syndrome and negative self-talk as well as give you the confidence you need to be successful in your career.
4. Think about what brings you joy (and what you dislike, as well). Keeping a journal of the pros and cons of past experiences and jobs can help you uncover what you really desire. Look at job descriptions and ask if you can see yourself in those roles in the future. Think about childhood memories and times when you were the happiest. Uncovering what brings you joy can lead you to your purpose.
5. Discover your true needs. Make sure that these needs are being met by current and potential employers. Create boundaries and stick to them, or else you might not be fulfilled in a career or job.
6. Write your story. Ask yourself: In tough times, what strengths helped you get through them? What and how did you help others in the past? Look for patterns in what you wrote that can help you uncover your purpose.
7. Take time for yourself. A clear, relaxed mind is needed to help you focus on discovery. Go to a spa, exercise, meditate and take breaks throughout the day while working in two-hour increments so you don't burn out.
8. Find a community. You can find your community in places where you feel joyful. Oftentimes, people volunteer their time for the things they love the most, which can help you find your higher purpose.
9. Be flexible and patient. You can also hire a coach to help guide you, be open-minded and pivot when necessary. You may need to leave your past behind to open yourself up to the future.
Needing to work in order to pay bills is imperative, but over time it does not always give us the long-lasting happiness that we crave. Taking a step back to help you decide exactly what you want to do based on this purpose allows you to be laser-focused, making it easier to attain your goals. This purpose can make you happier in your job searches and careers and build the foundation for a successful future.
Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?
