Why is it that we allow our jobs or occupation define who we are? Don't believe me? Why is it that one of our first questions when meeting a stranger is, "What do you do for a living?" Or, "Where do you work?" When our occupation has been addressed then the conversation picks up as you talk about your responsibilities at work, the stresses of the job, and how much you enjoy your boss!
What would happen if you were not allowed to talk about your occupation when describing who you are or what you do? Or, what if you didn't have a job? What would you talk about? How would you describe yourself to a stranger? So much of our self worth and definition of who we are stems from what we do for a living. What would happen if we found our self worth not based upon what we do, but who we are?
How would you describe you? How would you define yourself to others? What are your skills, talents, and abilities outside of your work context? From this type of exercise you can then begin to compare who you are with what you do. Do your personal descriptions match your job description? If not, then you are probably struggling with your job. Maybe you are not in a situation where you can find a job that resonates with who you are. If that is the case then I encourage you to find areas to volunteer or start a hobby that connects who you are with what you love to do!
Begin by writing down one word descriptions of yourself. You will be amazed at how quickly your list will grow. As an example, here is a short list of what I came up with of myself: strategy, network, collaborate, research, read, learn, analyze, clarify complex issues. My list is currently up to seventeen and I have now started listing out what I am not good at doing, or what I don't like to do. Try it and see what you come up with!
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