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Making a Life vs. Making a Living
When we first consider our careers in our late teens and early twenties we typically think of making a living. We know what we want and set out to create it. Career moves are based upon greater prestige, higher positions on the ladder, financial reward, broader potential or perhaps a desirable location.
But over time, things become a bit more complex. Decisions about taking a new job, switching industries, or even considering a change can be agonizing. For many, discontent seeps under the office door as we realize that making a living is suffocating our ability to make a life.
Today, a little older and a little wiser, we are more aware of the tradeoffs that come with jobs that once would have symbolized success. While a bigger paycheck or greater prestige may contribute to our vision of success - today fulfillment, autonomy and purpose are equally important factors in our decision-making.
We’ve heard the stories of people walking away from it all to start their own businesses, shifting off prominent career tracks or even taking time off to travel for a year! Such stories inspire daydreams, confusion, and sometimes, a bit envy.
When we think about taking the leap ourselves, fear can keep us rooted firmly in our comfort zone. Our education, social conditioning and beliefs tell us we have too much to lose to take a risk and step off track.
The reality is that there are many ways to stage our own revolution. It doesn’t have to be as drastic as walking away from it all. It can start with simply stepping back to look at the success we’ve created with clean eyes and answering the question - Am I making a life or making a living?
The two are not mutually exclusive...the way we make our living can and should make our life larger. There are many routes to our dream job and each requires a leap of faith.
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Hi Nicolette--i love your reference to making your own 'revolution'. It certainly can feel like that..inside, when you are looking to make changes!! Even if they are things you really want! change can be scary and unsettling....as we move into a place that may have unknowns. Right now, I am in the midst of moving, not only house, but state! As much as I am excited, I am a bit nervous, too. Moving forward regardless of the discomfort is empowering and actually ultimately seems to negate the nervousness.
You're so right Nicolette. At a certain point the money, power and perks don't seem to provide the thrill they once did. We want to feel connected and be constantly in tune with our purpose. I'm reading a great book right now that came highly reccomended from several friends. It's called Half Time and it's written by Bob Buford. Bob talks about moving from success to significance and he puts forth a system to help. I'm getting a lot out of it.
All the Best-
Vince T.
Such a timely post. Thank you.
I have jumped the professional ship without any regret. I simple knew it was time for me to go, so I went!
I think there are a number of people that don't leave a job because they don't know what else to do.
In this case, I think it is important to shop around, do some research, to gain some clarity.
After that, just make a decision to move and get moving!
It sounds easy ...and it can be easy, once you realize what it is you are living for.
beth |community coordinator | life coach |seeker of knowledge|
Hi Nicolette,
Great subject and post. I remember having my own AHA moment when I attended a workshop "How to quit your job and work at what you love" - this is before I knew what I wanted to do with my life and I was working full-time and facing major burn-out. The woman leading the workshop asked us to ponder the question: What do you want your life to look like? when we went back to our rooms that night and to really think about it. I couldn't believe I even had the option to ask myself this question! But regardless I went for it and a whole new desire and world opened up. I knew from a lifestyle standpoint I wanted to wake-up without an alarm clock and go for a run or take yoga in the middle of the day without guilt - and professionally I wanted to make a difference and work with empowering women to do the same through their work. It's an amazing question - and with all the technology and home-based careers avaliable to literally create your work/business to fit your life - there is no excuse anymore!
Thanks again for sharing - this is a topic that's so close to my heart!
Brenda
Brenda Stanton
Lifestyle/Business Collaborator
brenda@modernwomanstoolkit.com
www.modernwomanstoolkit.com
hi nicolette--i wanted to add to what you said that i think it's great for people to take off from what they're doing and simply jump ship, especially in their 20's but even in their 30's. as someone who has twice left new york to live abroad for extended stretches--both times in italy--i found that there's a little secret to these types of voluntary exile which is: you lose nothing in doing so. i mean that there's this nearly magical law whereby your american friends, when you rejoin them months or years later, seem to be doing more or less exactly what they were doing when you left, and it's YOU with the new mental connections, the flamboyant wardrobe and the new language, and YOU who seems to be subtly ahead of where you left off. oddly enough, your career profile more often than not benefits from this as well. my fluent italian got me a job at elle magazine, which led, albeit briefly, to a career as a new york journalist, and that was something that could never have been predicted if i'd played it safe and never taken the leap
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