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Living a life split between “job” and “fulfillment” was once acceptable; finding meaning in all aspects of life and “making a difference” is the current ideal. As a result, the career coaching field has mushroomed over the last decade.

Consider the example of Ron Williams. About 4 years ago, Williams had a vision for his new business called ForeverGreen: to promote health in a pleasurable way. He introduced his new company to some close former business associates. During the meeting he explained his vision to them and then concluded, “The only issue is that we don’t have a product yet.”

At first glance it seems quite absurd to start a business without a product to sell. Yet, at second thought, it all makes sense: “When the intention is clear, the mechanism will appear” (PSI Seminars). Traditionally, skills and products (the mechanism) have been the focus and starting point of career transitions. For Ron Williams, following his vision/intention meant exploring which foods were the most popular. He discovered that chocolate was the favorite food in the United States and that cocoa is the food with the highest antioxidant level. This led to the birth of ForeverGreen’s first product, pure organic “24 karat” chocolate. Now, 4 years later, ForeverGreen offers an assortment of products and is one of the most successful companies in the holistic health industry.
 
Your Vision
Career choices in general can be divided into intention and mechanism. In this scenario, the intention becomes the vision, whereas the skills needed are the mechanism. In order to know what skills are needed or useful, it is important to have a clear vision. In his book Inside-Out, Dr. Brad Burke defines a vision as “see(ing) something in your mind’s eye, crystal-clear, over and over again, to the point where it truly inspires you.” If you are not sure what your vision is, look at the things you are passionate about — that will give you an idea.

Sometimes people complain that they have no passion at all. If this seems true for you, it is probably more accurate to say that you are not aware of what you are passionate about. Telltale signs are an animated voice and body language such as lively gestures; losing your sense of time and/or place when you are absorbed in an activity; experiencing a sense of excitement and/or fulfillment during or after an activity. Energetic assessments can also offer insight into what makes a person “tick.”

Often the key to a person’s passion is found in their childhood. Career expert Dr. Mark Savickas postulates that people tend to spend their lives compensating for a childhood crisis they experienced, choosing a career situation that allows them to do just that. Ideally, people move on from compensation to contribution. An example of this is a young girl whose sister developed a brain disease while they were growing up together. When the young girl had finished high school, she decided to pursue a medical career and conduct research on possible cures for brain diseases. To discover what your subconscious mind is still guiding you to compensate for, Savickas developed a short questionnaire with open-ended questions that can be administered and interpreted by a skilled career counselor or coach.

Skills
Once your vision is clear, the next question is just how you will manifest this in the world. This is where skills (or the mechanism) are important — either skills you already possess or those that you may want to acquire. If your vision is to create a more peaceful world, for example, you could do this in numerous ways: as a counselor, a politician, a musician, a mediator, an educator, selling or making peace flags, etc., based on your personal skills.

 If you are not clear about your skills, observe what comes to you easily, where you do well and feel competent. You can also ask family, friends and coworkers for feedback. There are also standard skills and interest assessments that a career counselor can make available to you. A trained career counselor can also advise you in regard to current training options and specific career choices.
Happiness is the Key to Success

To pursue your newly found vision, it is not always necessary to give up your current job or occupation; you may be able to comfortably start on your new path in your spare time or as a part-time job. Author Marcia Sinetar suggests offering services that you are passionate about free of charge for starters; when people start to offer you money for these services, you will know that you are on a good track.
Then again, your particular vision, or your inner calling, may require you to jump into your new career with both feet, leaving your secure paycheck and familiar lifestyle behind. Radical trust is needed here, knowing that the Divine (or the universe) will always support you when you follow your inner calling and the call to contribute to a better world.

No matter what your vision is beckoning you to pursue, the rewards of following your calling and living your passion are enormous. You will be living in full authenticity 24/7, utilizing your God-given potential and experience the joy and fulfillment that comes with contributing to yourself and to others.

Sources: Marcia Sinetar, Dr. Brad Burke, ForeverGreen, PSI Seminars

Annette Kahmann, MA CR HTPA combines her training in career counseling, literature and languages with energy healing to assess where people’s passions lie and guide them along their chosen path.

970-407-9973, ItsANewLife@injoyableliving.com