The Difference Between Your Work and Your Job
Our lives are much bigger than our work and our work is much more than our job. When we feel we aren’t making a difference, perhaps a little reframing of what you each day will help.
Your work and your job are not the same
When I began my career, I thought going to work and my job was the same thing. I put everything into my job and gave 100% and more to my employer. I still do. But I do it differently.
Your work (what you choose to do in making a difference in the world) most likely is bigger than your job or role you play. This is normal and okay. Right now you have an opportunity to reframe your job as part of your work. When you do this you take responsibility and are no longer a subject of a story. You get to write your own story.
To be fully engaged, we need to find ways to bring our best selves to work each day. You may need to bring your other talents to the job you get paid to do. When you share more of who you are with others it can inspire others to do the same and your workplace gets healthier. It is worth it!
Your most precious gift
The most precious resource you have to give is your time. And the best way to make your time count most is to invest it in efforts worthy of your calling. Applying your best efforts to endeavors making a lasting impact. What on Earth deserves your attention today?
Answer these 3 questions and you will have a new lens on which to help focus your efforts.
1) Where should you be spending your time?
This question could be instead, what work are you uniquely designed to perform? Take some time to learn more about yourself. What gives energy? In what environment do you excel? Research your strengths, enneagram, temperament, or spaketype. What you learn may amaze you and provide helpful insights.
2) What causes do you give money to?
What organization missions are you fully aligned with and feel compelled to give money to help them succeed? Where we spend money tells us a great deal about where our hearts are resting. Do we gain wealth only for ourselves or do we look for ways to give to causes bigger than ourselves? Most people have at least one they give to. What is it? It may provide you another piece of your puzzle of the cause you want to ensure you spend time investing in too.
3) Who could you serve?
Who do you connect with most? While we don’t connect with everyone, we do connect with someone. At times we may find there are particular attributes that our design connects with best. Just as how you spend your money reflects your values, how you spend your time is an indicator of who you should serve. If you work in a place where you feel the environment could be better “only if”. Then, guess what? You may be the spark to start the change. Others around you may help when you show the way and ask them to follow. Serving others works best when they are close by.
Last thoughts
When you answer the 3 questions (and others you will think of), your purpose will become more clear. In my case, I express my purpose through equipping and leading others. My personal development includes practicing servant-leadership and becoming a better steward. Today I become curious where I used to be more judgemental. Doing so has increased my effectiveness and adaptability. I spend time developing my voice by sharing my own story and showing others how to do it. I even wrote my own personal mission statement to stay focused. You could do that too
Postscript
I have so many people to thank for their help. I learned how to integrate my work and my life more effectively from Stew Friedman, author of the book, Total Leadership and how to become a change agent from Seth Godin's book Linchpin. I was accepted into the AltMBA intensive workshop crafted to help me take responsibility for the change I was seeking to make and even started my own blog called Shepherd Leadership based on a 6 principle framework I use every day to get better results from me and my teams.