have you found your calling?

Erin Landells

Friday, January 09, 2015

Have you found your calling? And is the word ‘calling’ too strong? Too scary? Too personal? Too risky? Too religious?

A calling can be defined as “an occupation that an individual (1) feels drawn to pursue, (2) expects to be intrinsically enjoyable and meaningful, and (3) sees as a central part of his or her identity.” (p. 973, Berg, Grant & Johnson, 2010).

In his most recent book, Flourish, Dr Martin Seligman talks about those of us who view our work as our calling being more satisfied, happier, and more engaged.

Dr Seligman proposes that people view their work as

• a job (where we work for money),
• a career (where we work for progression and promotion opportunities), and
• a calling (where we would do the work whether we were paid or not)!

How do you view your work? Would you do it whether you were paid or not?

Adam Grant, distinguished Professor at Wharton Business School and world-renowned author of Give and Take, conducted research with Justin Berg and Victoria Johnson and found that people fell into one of three categories –

1. people who do not view any occupation as a calling,
2. people who view their current occupation as a calling, and
3. people who feel they have unanswered callings—who do not feel they are currently working in their calling.

I’m especially interested in people who feel they have unanswered callings. Grant and his colleagues found that people with unanswered callings had a range of strategies to help them pursue their calling.

These included 

1. Job crafting – shaping their current position to focus more on their calling, including adding desired tasks and changing assigned tasks
2. Leisure crafting – either participating in a hobby to fulfil their calling, or living vicariously through others who are in the desired field

Are you currently working in your calling? Or do you believe you could be doing something more? What strategies do you have to help you fulfil your calling?
I’d love to know what you think.