How to Find Your True Calling and Live a More Fulfilling Life

Have you ever felt like you were meant for something bigger, more meaningful? That you were put on this planet to do something amazing and that you just haven’t figured out what is it yet? 

 

But what about your current job that you have developed skills for all these years? Is it worth pondering over what your true calling is? What if you can't make much money out of your passion? 

Have such thoughts ever crossed your mind? If yes, you’re not alone.

 Do you feel like you’re just going through the grind, without deriving any joy or meaning out of your job? This sure can be frustrating. Many people struggle to find their true calling, but it doesn’t have to be a daunting task. With the right approach, you can find your inner calling and live a more content life.

 Most people who dislike their job tend to display certain behaviors. These can range from lethargy and disengagement to disruptive and unproductive actions. What are the types of behavioral changes you notice in yourself? Do you think it’s just the work pile, routine, or the need to do something more meaningful?

 

Let’s take a look at some of these and understand how they could hamper your growth.

 

1. Disengagement and Apathy – People who don’t enjoy their jobs often display apathy, which is a lack of interest and enthusiasm. They feel aloof and disengaged from work most of the time and push through tasks merely to get past the task at hand.

 

2. Negative Attitude – People who are not content with their jobs may often display a negative attitude towards their work and colleagues. They may be skeptical about tasks or projects, complain about things constantly, and focus more on the negative aspects of their job.

 

3. Complaining – Complaining is another common behavior among people who don’t enjoy their jobs. This can range from minor gripes to more serious grievances about working conditions or management decisions. Complaining can be disruptive, and unproductive, and can also create a negative vibe in the workplace.

 

4. Low Productivity – Low productivity is another common symptom of people who don’t enjoy their jobs. They may take longer than necessary to complete tasks, procrastinate on projects, or generally be less efficient than usual. This can cause problems for the team and the organization eventually.

 

If you happen to witness any of these, take a moment to pause, reflect, and identify how can you derive more meaning out of your job where you spend close to 80% of your time.

 

Identifying what you are passionate about is an important step to take in order to have a more fulfilling career and life. But when is the best time to do this? Discovering your passions and interests will help you make better decisions about what job roles or industries to pursue. It will also help you make sure that you are doing something you love and are passionate about – even if this means it is not your full-time job. 

 

But what if you can’t make much money out of your passion? This is a valid concern, as many of us need to make an income in order to survive. The good news is that there are ways to make money out of your passion even if it doesn’t lead directly to a full-time job. You could explore something as a side gig, and test the waters before taking a leap into it full-time. It’s also great to find ways to monetize your passion through other creative avenues like creating YouTube videos, starting a blog, or writing books. The options are plenty if you are willing to get creative and give it a try! 

How to find your calling - Here are a few steps that can help you get started 

Step 1: Understand Your Priorities

 

Before you can even begin to understand what your calling is, it’s important to take the time to understand yourself and what matters most to you right now. This is the first key step as there’s no point contemplating what your true calling is when you know you have loans and other financial commitments at the moment that you will be able to manage only with your full-time job.

Step 2: Do What aligns with Your Values

 

What values are most important to you? Make a note of these. It is extremely essential that your passion aligns with your values to ensure a sense of fulfillment. If you are driven toward serving the less privileged it is most unlikely that you will enjoy a commission-based sales job and derive meaning from it. The more clarity you have around these things, the easier it will be to move forward on your journey to finding your calling.

 

Step 3: Get Clear on Your Passions & Interests

Now that you’ve taken the time to get clear on your values and priorities in life, it’s time to identify what truly motivates and excites you. What do you love doing? What do you completely get absorbed into? What activities bring you joy? Take the time to explore different passions and interests and don’t be afraid to try something new. 

Step 4: Visualize the Life You Want

Once you have a better understanding of what drives and motivates you, it’s time to visualize the kind of life that would be most meaningful and fulfilling to you. Close your eyes and imagine yourself living a life that is in alignment with your passions and interests. How does that feel? What does that look like? Get as detailed as possible and make a journal all throughout the process.

Step 5: Set Goals & Take Action

Now that you have a clearer understanding of what your calling may be, it’s time to take action. Set small achievable goals that will help move you closer towards your goal. Allow yourself to make mistakes, learn from them, and keep going forward. Trust that small steps in the right direction will eventually lead you toward where you want to go even if they seem too small. 

Step 6: Have Patience & Stay Motivated

Finding your calling is not a linear process and it won’t happen overnight. It may take some time to get clear on what makes you truly come alive, so make sure to stay patient throughout the process. Additionally, it’s important to stay motivated even when things seem tough or overwhelming. Remind yourself why this journey is so important for your growth and well-being.

Doing What You Love & Its Impact on Your Well-Being

Once you have found your inner calling, everything else will start falling into place. Doing what you love can have a powerful effect on your physical, mental, spiritual, and social well-being. Physically, when we do something we love our bodies release endorphins which help reduce stress levels as well as improve our overall health. Mentally, pursuing our passions can help us develop a sense of purpose which often boosts our self-esteem and confidence. Spiritually, following our calling can help us cultivate deeper connections with ourselves as well as others. And socially, when we do what we love we often inspire others around us which creates a positive ripple effect across our communities.

If you don’t enjoy your job, it can’t be of purpose to you, and the organization in the long run. Identifying what you are passionate about is a crucial step toward accomplishing joy and fulfillment in your career. Even if you can’t make much money out of your passion at first, there are still ways to make some progress while pursuing something that brings you joy and satisfaction.

No matter how long it takes or how challenging it may be along the way, finding your inner calling will be worth it in the end. It takes courage to take the steps needed to live a life true to yourself, but trust that if you stay focused on the journey the destination will come into view eventually.