The Intersection That's Uniquely You

When it comes to a career that has meaning, you are really looking for something that captures that which is uniquely you.

Work satisfaction rests on a foundation that joins together the best of who you are with the best of what you can accomplish. Outstanding accountants, teachers, lawyers, welders, and musicians somewhere made a choice that turned into a "best fit" career.

You want to do the same thing. That's why it's important to know the elements that go into a meaningful career.

This is where it's easy to get confused. There are three elements that come together to create an effective career decision. There are coaches, counselors, and helpers who, because of training, education, and personal preference, may lean toward over-emphasizing just one. Each is valid but is only 1/3 of the total picture:

Values: That which you hold dear and represent personal priorities in your life.

Interests: Subject matter that holds your attention and keeps you engaged.

Talents: Those innate gifts and learned skills that allow to perform at peak levels under the right circumstances.

Here is a graphic that I developed for corporate clients who are transitioning inside--or outside--of their organization. I use the same graphic for individual clients. It offers a mental model to think about these three areas in ways that lead to the intersection of "uniquely you."

I hope you find it useful as well.

If you are a manager, use this as a discussion starter when engaged in professional development plans.

For parents: Begin watching your youngsters using these as a lens to through which to view their activities and decisions. As they move into their teen years, ask them how they see themselves in each area and where they see things coming together. Bonus outcome from helping them focus: Four years of tuition is a lot cheaper than six!

Here's to a career that is uniquely you.

Comments

[peter vajda]

Hi, Steve,

Emphasizing the three areas, as you suggest, is a wise strategy. In my experience, I also ask folks to consciously consider how they arrived at their interests and values. Why? Many mid-life crises (which now, BTW, often begin at 30!) are often a function of an individual's consciously or unconsciously living someone else's dream, vision and values (we come from a family of lawyers, sooo, you should...; you'll never be able to support youself if you...; don't go into...; you've never been good at...etc.) and thus many folks create stories about who they think they are, what they think they should like and what they think they should pursue based on this early indoctrination from parents, primary care-givers, friends, relatives, TV, etc. So, before long, burnout, rust-out, boredom, presenteeism, job-hopping, etc., b/c folks just don't have the fire in the belly or a clear internal sense of who they are.

Too, one downside of most career counselors, coaches and folks of such ilk, IMHO, is that they don't assess "heart" which is the only place from which passion, purpose and motivation arises - heart never comes from a mental, so-called "logical" place/decision.

So maybe a larger circle that asks the question, "Whose talents, whose interests, whose values are they anyway?" will further support the exploration process.

Many folks have created "stories" about what they do and why they do it to appease some unconscious angst/malaise/stuckness to fight against the notion they hate what they do but need to convince and persuade themselves they need to keep on keeping on for some "unknown" reason they never inquire(d) into.

Perhaps an honest, sincere and self-responsible inquiry into their stories will lead to some insights, AHAs and wisdom that will support them on their career path leading to true and real satisfaction and happiness from living "their" life at work- where they really and truly feel and sense themselves (and not some figment of their self, or who they "think" they should be) at the center of that Venn diagram - where the question mark will morph into a period.

Thanks so much for this series-lots of wonderful food for thought.

[Michelle Malay Carter]

Hi Steve,

You are right on with this. When a person spends no time in their "uniquely you" zone, I believe their soul will suffer damage, and this can ripple into the lives of those around them.

Unfortunately, we cannot always line up our "uniquely you" zone with a necessary level of income. So my advice to those whose work is merely a means of income is to find another place where they can "live in" thier uniquely you zone through recreation or volunteerism.

If you never get to live there, the unique point of divinity that you were lovingly knitted to represent on earth will go unexpressed. This represents a loss not only to you but to humankind.

Regards,

Michelle

[Beth Robinson]

I agree with your point that all three must be considered and there are two ways that I might alter your diagram based on my experience...

A more dynamic background. The "uniquely you" spot moves. Interests change. Skills develop. Different ways to use talents are identified. And it will keep moving.

More than one question mark option in the pop-out box. The "uniquely you" spot is an area not a point. There are often multiple potential points that can fit in that area and some are reachable by more transactional paths and some require the transformational paths that you mentioned in your last post.

Of course, that would take away from its pleasing simplicity and the points are really more of elaborations on the central concept, so maybe not.

[Joe Raasch]

Hi Steve,

I follow a similar triad from Jim Collins: find the intersection of what you were born to do, what you like to do, and what someone will pay you to do.

The hardest part? Admitting/accepting what you were born to do.

Cheers,

Joe

[Jo]

Steve, today I stumbled on a recasting of Peterson and Seligman's Character Strengths & Virtues.

It's pretty useful for anyone trying to capture what they love to do.

Cheers
Jo
(links from my blog with related ideas)
http://flowingmotion.wordpress.com/2008/08/27/priest-knight-or-gentleman-and-your-character-strengths/

[David Zinger]

Steve:
You just keep getting better. I appreciate your images. Your work also makes me think of Tal Ben-Shahar focus in Happier on crafting our calling by looking where meaning, pleasure, and strengths intersect.
David

[Steve Roesler]

Peter,

Let's face it, by the time people are expected to choose a career path, they have been bombarded with messages from many quarters regarding what they "should" do.

Lacking experience in this significant choice, career-choosers gravitate toward the "should.". The advice given is usually well-intentioned but not necessarily well-founded.

Let's hope that by continuing this series and the related discussion we can have a real impact on someone who may be in the midst of a career transition and wants to think about it at a more personal and satisfying level.

[Steve Roesler]

Michelle,

Very well and profoundly stated.

Indeed, there is often a need to simply find a way to put food on the table for one's family. (Which for responsible people is, in itself, satisfying).

Your insight regarding damage to the soul as a result of being out of the "uniquely you" zone is, for me, right on target. Work is a spiritual act--an act of service for which one has been uniquely wired. To ignore that is to undermine the opportunity for a fuller life whose vocation genuinely contributes in very unique way, regardless of the setting.

Thanks, Michelle.

[Steve Roesler]

Hi, Beth,

Uh, I like that--a lot. Because I believe you are onto a truth.

There is a dynamic here based on the variable you mentioned. What that leads to is the need for ongoing self-assessment; it also is a signal to organizations not to ignore the importance of intentional developmental discussions and individual development plans.

The one element that doesn't change is the "unique" part. Who you are may become magnified but not different. I think that the operative challenge becomes "how" to continually allow your own growth to uniquely manifest itself in even more meaningful ways.

Beth, I appreciate your expansion of the model. Nice going.

[Steve Roesler]

Joe,

I'm going to add to your insight:

Even more difficult (and important) than that is accepting what you were not born to do.

Interestingly, when people are willing to shed self-delusion and "Oh, you ought to...", they are often left with clearer, more accurate images.

This is the point at which it's easier to help the all-important acceptance kick in.

[Steve Roesler]

Jo,

As always, thanks for adding a resource.

[Steve Roesler]

Hello, David,

Appreciate the encouragement and am going to check out the resource you offered.

Is it winter in Manitoba yet?:-)