Now What?® Coaching
from Laura Berman Fortgang
Some people are lucky enough to “follow their passion” and find joy and abundance, but often passion alone is not enough.
It is frequently interpreted as “interest at the moment,” and interests change over time.
Passion is part of the equation toward fulfillment, but there’s more…
There’s So Much More to a Fulfilling Career than Following Your Passion
The idea of turning your passion into a business may sound terrific, but what does it take to do that authentically – to create a profitable business and keep the passion alive? Today’s article addresses this question and offers some important points to consider before starting down the path of entrepreneurship.
“Six Steps Turning Passion into Profit.”
Flip through this summary of current job openings at the “25 Best Companies to Work For” and read what lead recruiters are looking for in candidates. As you might expect, many recruiters emphasize the importance of demonstrating your knowledge of the company and your fit with company culture and values, as well as being curious and able to think beyond today. Here are a few of our favorite tips which echo the Now What?© mantra of connecting who you are with what you do:
“We know that candidates are good at many things, but we’re most interested in what exactly makes them each a rock star. What do they do so well that no one else can compete with them in this area.” —Jeff Vijungco, Adobe Systems
“Don’t be afraid to demonstrate your passions and your personal brand.” —Holly Paul, PricewaterhouseCoopers
“Don’t feel limited by your past… Consider how your skills translate to the role you’re seeking and help us make that connection when we interview you.” —Oriana Vogel, American Express
“What impresses a recruiter is a well-prepared candidate with clear accomplishments, tremendous passion, and the ability to connect his or her experience and skills directly to the job he or she is going after.” —Pam Anderson, Intel
Last month, I wrote about finding your purpose. This month we are going to explore how to express your purpose
and the work you most want to do in the world.
The surprising thing for most people when they become clear on the impact they want to make is how many choices (vehicles) there are for expressing their work in the world.
If your gift and passion is in creating bridges between cultures, for example, you might do that through diplomatic leadership, international ministry, community organizing, diversity training in corporations or a myriad of other ways. It’s not been surprising after so many years to see people more overwhelmed once they’ve gained clarity than they were when they were stuck and clueless on how to proceed!
How to narrow the choices and find the right kind of work for you? The tried and true process of elimination seems to work best for our career transition coaching clients. We ask our Now What? participants to narrow their list of possibilities to three or four that appeal to them. It does not have to seem feasible or possible just yet, only appealing. Their next step is to do the research by speaking to at least three people in each possible field. It’s not that hard to find people once you have the specifics and start asking around.
What undoubtedly starts to happen is that traction starts to take place in one of the areas that are being researched. Doors keep opening, connections keep being made, and often, offers of support or even jobs get made. It is amazing how quickly some people go from what they think is an impossible leap to something new, to being on their way.
Surprisingly, some people get frightened when things happen so quickly or they somehow feel they are not as ready to commit to a change so they put the brakes on. However, in almost every case where that has happened, I eventually hear from the person that they did make the transition to what they discovered they wanted to do. It’s been three years or five at the longest, but once the truth is out, it’s very hard to take it back. Eventually the purpose and the vehicle wait out your fear and are poised and ready when you are.
The world needs what you have to offer. Choose the vehicle that can take you to prosperity and satisfaction. It is possible and it is time.