On this “Ask Katrina,” the question is:
I feel like I sacrifice a lot of myself and my time for my career. At the end of the day, I want it to be worth it, which means I must be living my why or my purpose. How do I know if I’m living my “why?”
At various times throughout our lives, and in our careers, we will pause and ask ourselves questions like: Am I in the right place? Or, is this the right job for me?
I know that I have personally asked that question multiple times depending on the position I was in and the changes in my personal life. It’s 100% normal!
So if it’s normal to ask, and it’s normal to perform that self-reflection to validate if we are on the right path, then how do we answer the question and find the accurate (not the “right,” not the “perfect,” but the accurate) answer?
What Is Your Why?
To find the answer to this question, there are actually other questions you must answer first. These answers will then lead you to your why.
Question 1: What are your gifts? What are you really good at?
If you don’t know, then you’re probably going to say, ” I don’t know, I’m not amazing at any one thing,” and we know that’s not true.
You are amazing at many things, you’re probably not allowing yourself to acknowledge it.
Unfortunately, that attitude of “I must be humble which means I can’t own my gifts,” is also very common. So if you’re currently in this head space, pull yourself out of it. Allow yourself to formally acknowledge your gifts. Don’t wait for someone else to tell you what you’re good at. Know what those things are, own them, and use them!
You see, we all have gifts. We all have things that we’re very good at.
So the way that you figured out what your gifts are, is you can do a couple of things.
- Ask yourself: what do people come and ask for my help with? What am I known for?
- Once you have a sense of your gifts, then you can ask people, What do you think I’m good at?
Between you knowing yourself and getting feedback from others, you will identify your gifts.
Now here’s the question that ties to your “why.”
Are you using your gifts and talents in a way that contributes to the organization that you work for?
The answer to this question will truly help you identify if you are currently living, or at least have an avenue in front of you, to live your why.
By using your gifts and talents in service to the organization, as a means of serving other people, you are contributing. This act of service, the act of giving to simply give and not to receive, is done by using your gifts and talents.
If the answer to the question is yes, then there you go, you’re probably living your purpose. You may be pinching yourself and it may feel too good to be true. This fact could be the very reason why you’re asking yourself this question right now. Because you can’t believe you’re actually able to live your purpose. if this is your truth, celebrate it and go enjoy!
Conversely, it could be the fact that upon answering these questions, the answer’s no. You’re really not able to use your gifts in a way that you feel like you’re truly contributing to the level that you could or that you want to. If that’s the answer, then you might still be living your purpose. But you need to find a way to better, more fully live your purpose, truly live out your “why,” and give your gifts from a perspective of contribution.
If you’re a “no,” then you at least have just gotten some clarity and some personal power through this exercise.
As you’re making your next career move, you now know what you must be able to do within a role or organization. You know the gifts and talents you must be empowered to use, and you must find a way to serve using your gifts. For any career opening that doesn’t allow for that, strongly consider if that’s where you want to go and recognize that there will be a level of dissatisfaction that results.
Why Not?
If you’re ready to make a career move, or you just recently made a career move to better allow you to live your purpose, it’s time you learn to exec correctly so that you can succeed and achieve in your new role.
We are starting a new cohort of women in our program called The Executive Way. Would you like to join us?
This is a two-phase program that will have you execing correctly in 60 days by creating your high-performance executive brand. Then, once you have built your foundation of success, you will spend the next 12 months, mastering proven, executive leadership strategies that will strengthen your brand and have you consistently performing so that you can earn your bonus and next promotion/pay raise.
Interested in seeing if this is a fit for you? Send an email to katrina@legendleaders.com and let us know more about you. We will follow up with you directly.
In the meantime, here are several other ways we can support you:
1. The “Execing Correctly” Quiz
Wondering if you’re execing correctly but fear is keeping you from scheduling a call with us? Get this downloadable quiz, take it in the comfort of your own home, review your private results, and take action based on your immediate feedback.–Click Here.
2. The Recession-Resistant Executive Career Builder
This 1-hour, self-guided, online program is exactly what you need if you are worried about thriving in an environment of layoffs, restructures, and overall changes in your corporate landscape. —Click Here.