3 Powerful Questions to Know if You're in the Perfect Job

I re-read a little known book recently titled "The Great Work of Your Life - A Guide for the Journey of Your True Calling," by Stephen Cope. This was my third time reading it and each time I get something new out of it. The book provides several great stories from famous and unknown individuals and how they found their true calling and what made it their true calling. Bottom line is that it made me conclude that if you want to know if you are doing the right job, ask yourself the following (when you read these, keep in mind that missing by an inch is as bad as missing by a mile).

1. Are you working on something you love and are you doing it on purpose? Think about the job you have and do you love doing it and are you conscious as to why you love it? Do you work at it on purpose each day or are you just going through the motions? Does it resonate most profoundly within you? It is that resonance that points you to your life's true purpose.

2. Do you work with the welfare of others always in mind? Are you working in a job that allows you to think of the welfare of others you work for, that work for you, or of the welfare of your clients, suppliers, or partners? If not, then the role is not filling you with positive energy and you likely do not arrive home after work thinking, "what a great day I've had." This negative energy actually has a double edge sword to it because not only are you not getting what you need but it also further clouds your view of what the best job for you might be.

3. Are you working at making somebody else exceed at their dharma or are you working at shining in your own dharma? This is the heart of the issue. Many people are great at convincing others to join them in executing their dharma and this is what might have happened to you. The problem is that these same people often do not care about their subordinates following their own dharma. They know how to manipulate incentive plans and use reward techniques to keep you thinking you are getting what you need but deep down, you know something is missing. You might be working for such a person and you need to pause. This does not mean that your dharma cannot involve working in support of someone else. Quite the contrary, but it should give you (1) and (2) above.

Think about these 3 questions and reflect on them deeply and if your inner self is not responding with a resounding "Yes" to all 3, then it is time to think of what role will get you the perfect score of 3. Keep in mind, that you might have started in a role that truly was a perfect 3, but over time your true calling has evolved to something else, and you just haven't realized it.