Published:
August 1, 2023
Originally recorded:
September 3, 2023
I left you over the weekend thinking about your career and the things you want to manifest in that area of your life.
How do you know you where you need to be when it comes to your career? There’s a non-profit called 80,000 Hours, and they have found the top 6 things that make a job fulfilling. They are:
✅ It’s engaging.
✅ You’re good at it.
✅ You have supportive colleagues.
✅ It meets your basic needs.
✅ It fits with the rest of your life.
✅ It helps others.
Take a look at that last point: It helps others. Think about that wherever you are in your career. Is there an aspect of giving and helping other people?
From the time most of us were children, we were expected to somehow know what we wanted to “be.” When asked this question, children’s answers are often predictable: a firefighter, a gymnast, a superhero. But it’s unique for a child to declare their desired vocation and then actually go on to follow that path (especially the superheroes).
So maybe the question we should be asking our children (and ourselves!) is: Who do we want to become when we grow up?
Today, think about your own sense of DOING. How do you want to change the world? What impact do you want to make? It’s not so much about your career. It’s more about who do you want to become and what are the ways you can put yourself out there in the world.
There’s an old saying, “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”
Another popular one goes, “Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” Sounds nice… but let’s be honest. I LOVE what I do. It is 100% without question my life’s purpose, and it both fulfills and challenges me. But some days, it feels like work. Hard work. Even so, those often end up being the days that mean the most, the days where I feel that I’ve made the greatest impact because I pushed through—despite how I felt or whatever obstacles were in my way.
In other words, don’t believe every day will be easy. It won’t be. Nor is it meant to be! The question is: Do you really love what you do? Do you find meaning and purpose in your work?
One of the best tools for gauging this is to notice how you feel when you wake up on a workday. Do you feel energized? Or are you tired just thinking about work, even before you’ve left your bed? Start with that feeling and see where it takes you.
Maybe you love your job but not your company or its management. Maybe you enjoy your job but feel that other areas of your life suffer because you work too much. Perhaps you don’t care for the job itself, but really like your co-workers. Today, really notice how you feel about your work. Take note of what feels good and what (if anything) feels off. Write down any thoughts about work you notice.
I want every one of you to love what you do. Kabbalah teaches that our ultimate purpose in life is to connect with the Light and then share it with others. Sharing that Light meaningfully brings us fulfillment, so that’s where I want to focus our attention during these next few days.
Steve Jobs said, “…The only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” He also believed that the right work is out there for each of us: “If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it."
Yesterday, I asked you to pay attention to your work life. Do you love what you do and find meaningful purpose in it? Or is it time to recommit to finding work you can truly love?
From the time most of us were young children, we were expected to somehow know what we wanted to “be.” The truth is, we’re never FINISHED with our evolution. I don’t believe I’ve already become what I am meant to become in this lifetime. I know I’ll get there someday by focusing on how to live out my core values and also remembering not just what, but why I am choosing to share with others. I deeply appreciate every moment of this process that will lead me to my highest purpose.
Not long ago, my neighbor emailed me to ask if I happened to have a child-sized tool belt. She was assembling a costume for her daughter, who was tasked with dressing as the person she wanted to be when she grew up for Career Day at school. For many days, her daughter simply didn’t know what she wanted to be. But when her mother reframed the question to, “How do you want to change the world?” she had an answer. That superstar of a seven-year-old wants to build houses for homeless people when she grows up. There’s a child with a vision, and it is not about being; it is about doing.
Today, think about your own sense of DOING. Whatever your job is, are you doing it in a way that shares the best in yourself—your Light? If not, what or who is blocking you from doing so?
Write down an area to focus on for your career upgrade. Do you need to change your attitude about your work? Schedule a conversation with the boss and/or your colleagues? Or do you need to seek a new career that encourages you to DO what you most want to do in this world?
Wherever the change is needed, it will not happen outside of yourself. The real shift will always have to come from you first.
Make sure your change is actionable and that you want to do it. Focus on one or two goals, and begin to build energy around them. Write them down, and place your goal(s) somewhere visible to you every day. And always remember that small change after small change will lead to bigger changes.
Today also happens to be my birthday, according to the Kabbalistic calendar. I have always believed that it is important to celebrate birthdays because they are the anniversary of the day your soul came into this world. The 18th-century kabbalist Rav Nachman of Breslov said, “The day you were born is the day God decided the world could not exist without you.” Our birthday is a day for gratitude and appreciation for the blessings and opportunities we’ve been given this past year, and also a day for renewed focus on our purpose in life. My birthday wish is for each of you to know the joy that comes from being connected to your soul’s true purpose in this world.
Over the past two days, you’ve been assessing your career and identifying areas of focus for a change. Remember, the more we align our career goals with our true purpose in life—which is to share—the more fulfilling our work will be.
Today, put your plan into action. Here are a few helpful reminders that will set you up for success:
1. Be specific. Saying, "I need a better career" or “I want to make more money” isn't going to get you too far. Focus your intention on exactly what you're hoping to find: "I'd like to work in a field where I can help children learn to love reading" is far more specific, yet it leaves room for several possible directions.
2. Give yourself consistent, actionable tasks that you can make time for. Sometimes when we set a goal, our enthusiasm far exceeds the energy and time we have to commit. For instance, saying, “I’m going to change my attitude,” is vague and sweeping. Instead, try something like this: “When I feel frustrated at work, I will take three breaths and remember that I’m here to share my Light!” Over time, such a small shift could bring real change to your perspective on daily challenges and ultimately might improve your work experience.
Put your goals in writing. Wherever you wish to see the change, back it up with action that works on your terms. The most important thing is that the action happens! If you need to schedule a conversation with a supervisor, identify a few available times on your calendar and reach out to set it up. If you need to mend fences with a colleague, schedule that lunch or coffee, and follow up.
Our lives are meant to be lived with purpose. Our jobs can be so rewarding if we put in the work to align what we are doing with our soul’s purpose: to share.
One of the great gifts in studying Kabbalah is that we become more aware of the energies around us. Each day, week, and month has its own unique energy with differing powers that inform us. This month of Virgo is one of the most consequential months of the year, full of the energy of deep transformation. Over the next 30 days, we will assess, evaluate, and rethink 10 of the most important areas of your life. First, we will look at what is working and what isn’t working. I will help you identify your desire – the thing that you really want for that area of your life–not the thing you only think you want, or think you should want, or what others think you should want. From there, you will make your plan. You’ll make it actionable, doable, and motivating. I’m so excited and grateful that you are all joining me on this journey to rethink, reframe, recalibrate, and re-energize your life.