A Good Job For Life
A Good Job For Life
A Good Job For Life
A Good Job For Life
Work, in its purest form, is a three-way exchange of value that glorifies our creator. As these 3 parts of work overlap and converge, the result is increased value for all stakeholders, and, most importantly, more joy and satisfaction.
When was the last time you thought, “This job is perfect for me!”?
I have the joy of thinking this often. It’s been true over the years in phases of my work, but lately it’s been more true than ever.
I’ve been given the joy of meeting with people to understand how they are made and to help them better understand and make plans to deploy their God given gifts for the benefits of those they have been charged to serve.
One of the most helpful career coaching exercises we utilize at The Center is a series of compelling questions: When was the last time you said to yourself, “I was made to do that”? And when was the last time you drove home from work feeling satisfied and full of joy, thinking to yourself, “now that was a good day”?
As each of us looks back, we are able to recall experiences — whether in recent days or in the past — that confirm how we are made and clarify the work we are designed to do. This simple yet profound exercise enables people to understand the beauty of how they are made and reveals a path forward to more life-giving, satisfying, and joy-filled work.
And, as a career coach, that is what makes my job so fabulous — seeing others understand their purpose, believe their destiny, and fully deploy their gifts toward the needs of others. What a joy!
You see, from the very beginning work was designed to give us dignity, meaning, and purpose — by using our gifts to glorify our creator as we serve the needs of others.
Yes, work is meant to be life-giving. Our work can result in great satisfaction as we lead our colleagues and produce products and services that meet the needs of others.
Work, in its purest form, is a three-way exchange of value that glorifies our creator.
The three parts of this triple-value exchange are: (1) your gifts (2) deployed toward the needs of the world (3) in a way that enables your life.
As these 3 parts of work overlap and converge, the result is increased value for all stakeholders, and, most importantly, more joy and satisfaction.
1) For the Needs of Others: The purpose of our work is to meet the needs of people. Dallas Willard says it this way, “The aim of business is to make provision for the needs of the people in an area. The best businesses in the world serve a need that society as a whole, a specific region, or a local community has.” This is as true for those working businesses like Autozone, or FedEx and this equally is true for those working in nonprofits. Every one of us needs to understand how to meet the needs of others even when those we serve don’t know what they need.
2) Deploy Your Gifts: Every person is made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27) and is given unique gifts to utilize (1 Corinthians 12:4-6). The key to growing and developing your gifts is to put them to use for the needs of others. It is not a gift if we don’t use it for others,
3) Enabling Your life: A good job facilitates the rest of your life. Your life is about so much more than your job. The value exchange of work is complete when you receive benefits in exchange for the work you have done. Those benefits of work allow you to successfully lead and love the important people in your life.
The Way To Lifetime Job Fit
Of course, our life purpose is more important than any individual job purpose. Any job that does not fit your life purpose will not satisfy you for very long. Followers of The Way have a distinct advantage in knowing, understanding, and living out their purpose. Followers of Jesus are better equipped in the marketplace than those who are not, because they have the most meaningful and purpose filled job description.
When you know you are made in the image of God and Jesus is supplying your every need (Philippians 4:19), you understand that the highest and best use of your life and work is to love God with all of your heart, mind, and soul and love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-39). Jesus described our ultimate purpose for life and work in what is called the Great Commission — to go and make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20). (See Are You Ready?)
Dallas Willard wrote, “The drive to significance is a simple extension of the creative impulse of God…. It is outwardly directed to the good to be done. We were built to count, as water is made to run downhill. We are placed in a specific context to count in ways no one else does. That is our destiny.” When you know and understand the life purpose God has given you, you can’t help but work toward true significance in everything you do.
Resources
Article: Nobody Knows What They Want, How Can I Best Serve Them?
Article: Uniquely Built For Right Now
Article: Business is Provision For People
When was the last time you thought, “This job is perfect for me!”?
I have the joy of thinking this often. It’s been true over the years in phases of my work, but lately it’s been more true than ever.
I’ve been given the joy of meeting with people to understand how they are made and to help them better understand and make plans to deploy their God given gifts for the benefits of those they have been charged to serve.
One of the most helpful career coaching exercises we utilize at The Center is a series of compelling questions: When was the last time you said to yourself, “I was made to do that”? And when was the last time you drove home from work feeling satisfied and full of joy, thinking to yourself, “now that was a good day”?
As each of us looks back, we are able to recall experiences — whether in recent days or in the past — that confirm how we are made and clarify the work we are designed to do. This simple yet profound exercise enables people to understand the beauty of how they are made and reveals a path forward to more life-giving, satisfying, and joy-filled work.
And, as a career coach, that is what makes my job so fabulous — seeing others understand their purpose, believe their destiny, and fully deploy their gifts toward the needs of others. What a joy!
You see, from the very beginning work was designed to give us dignity, meaning, and purpose — by using our gifts to glorify our creator as we serve the needs of others.
Yes, work is meant to be life-giving. Our work can result in great satisfaction as we lead our colleagues and produce products and services that meet the needs of others.
Work, in its purest form, is a three-way exchange of value that glorifies our creator.
The three parts of this triple-value exchange are: (1) your gifts (2) deployed toward the needs of the world (3) in a way that enables your life.
As these 3 parts of work overlap and converge, the result is increased value for all stakeholders, and, most importantly, more joy and satisfaction.
1) For the Needs of Others: The purpose of our work is to meet the needs of people. Dallas Willard says it this way, “The aim of business is to make provision for the needs of the people in an area. The best businesses in the world serve a need that society as a whole, a specific region, or a local community has.” This is as true for those working businesses like Autozone, or FedEx and this equally is true for those working in nonprofits. Every one of us needs to understand how to meet the needs of others even when those we serve don’t know what they need.
2) Deploy Your Gifts: Every person is made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27) and is given unique gifts to utilize (1 Corinthians 12:4-6). The key to growing and developing your gifts is to put them to use for the needs of others. It is not a gift if we don’t use it for others,
3) Enabling Your life: A good job facilitates the rest of your life. Your life is about so much more than your job. The value exchange of work is complete when you receive benefits in exchange for the work you have done. Those benefits of work allow you to successfully lead and love the important people in your life.
The Way To Lifetime Job Fit
Of course, our life purpose is more important than any individual job purpose. Any job that does not fit your life purpose will not satisfy you for very long. Followers of The Way have a distinct advantage in knowing, understanding, and living out their purpose. Followers of Jesus are better equipped in the marketplace than those who are not, because they have the most meaningful and purpose filled job description.
When you know you are made in the image of God and Jesus is supplying your every need (Philippians 4:19), you understand that the highest and best use of your life and work is to love God with all of your heart, mind, and soul and love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-39). Jesus described our ultimate purpose for life and work in what is called the Great Commission — to go and make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20). (See Are You Ready?)
Dallas Willard wrote, “The drive to significance is a simple extension of the creative impulse of God…. It is outwardly directed to the good to be done. We were built to count, as water is made to run downhill. We are placed in a specific context to count in ways no one else does. That is our destiny.” When you know and understand the life purpose God has given you, you can’t help but work toward true significance in everything you do.
Resources
Article: Nobody Knows What They Want, How Can I Best Serve Them?
Article: Uniquely Built For Right Now
Article: Business is Provision For People