The Art of Work

1. Your calling is not just one thing, but a portfolio of passions and skills

A portfolio life is inevitable. The challenge, then, is not whether you should start building one, but when.

Embrace complexity. Your calling is not a single job or career, but a combination of your various interests, skills, and experiences. This "portfolio life" consists of different types of work:

• Fee work: Trading hours for dollars
• Salary work: Fixed income based on a job description
• Homework: Work done at home, like family responsibilities
• Study work: Intentional education for future work
• Gift work: Volunteer experiences and helping others

Integrate your passions. Rather than trying to find one perfect job, look for ways to combine your different interests and skills. This approach allows for greater flexibility and fulfillment, as you're not limited to a single role or identity.

Adapt to the changing economy. By 2030, the majority of the American workforce will be freelancers. Developing a portfolio career prepares you for this shift, making you more resilient and adaptable in a rapidly changing job market.

2. Discovering your calling requires listening to your life and embracing failure

Before I can tell my life what I want to do with it, I must listen to my life telling me who I am.

Pay attention to patterns. Your calling is often hidden in plain sight, woven throughout your life experiences. Look for recurring themes, interests, and skills that have emerged over time. These patterns can provide clues to your true vocation.

Learn from setbacks. Failure is not just an inevitable part of the journey, but a crucial teacher. Embrace your mistakes and shortcomings as opportunities for growth and self-discovery. Each failure brings you closer to understanding your true calling.

Seek guidance from others. Your calling often becomes clearer through the eyes of mentors, friends, and even strangers. Be open to feedback and insights from those around you, as they may recognize strengths and talents that you've overlooked.

3. Practice deliberately and painfully to master your craft

If you can do something when it's not fun, even when you're exhausted and bored and want to give up, then it just might be your calling.

Push beyond comfort. Deliberate practice involves:

• Choosing specific tasks to improve
• Repeating those tasks with focused attention
• Pushing yourself to the edge of your abilities
• Seeking immediate feedback
• Continuously refining your approach

Embrace discomfort. True growth happens when you're willing to endure the pain and frustration of pushing your limits. This type of practice is often not enjoyable in the moment, but it's essential for developing mastery.

Cultivate grit. Developing expertise requires long-term commitment and perseverance. Adopt a growth mindset, believing that your abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. This attitude will help you persist through the challenges of deliberate practice.

4. Take intentional action through small steps, not dramatic leaps

Discovering your calling is not an epiphany but a series of intentional decisions. It looks less like a giant leap and more like building a bridge.

Start small. Instead of waiting for a perfect opportunity or dramatic moment of clarity, take small, intentional steps towards your goals. These incremental actions build momentum and provide valuable experience and feedback.

Build bridges, not leaps. Pursuing your calling is rarely about making a single, dramatic change. Instead, focus on creating connections between your current situation and your desired future. This approach reduces risk and allows for gradual, sustainable progress.

Embrace imperfection. Don't wait until you feel fully prepared or certain. Take action with the understanding that you'll learn and adjust along the way. Perfection is not the goal; progress and growth are.

5. Pivot and adapt when facing obstacles in pursuing your calling

Successful people and organizations don't succeed in spite of failure; they succeed because of it.

Reframe setbacks. View obstacles and failures not as roadblocks, but as opportunities to learn, grow, and refine your approach. Each setback provides valuable information about what doesn't work, bringing you closer to what does.

Stay flexible. Be willing to adjust your course when faced with challenges or new information. A pivot isn't giving up on your dream; it's finding a new way to pursue it that better aligns with reality and your evolving understanding of your calling.

Learn from each experience. Every job, project, or endeavor contributes to your overall journey, even if it doesn't seem directly related to your calling. Extract lessons and skills from each experience that can be applied to your broader goals.

6. Your life's work is about serving others, not just personal success

We are caretakers of our vocations, stewards entrusted with a vision that is bigger than us. Our responsibility is not to hoard our gifts but to use them in challenging ways so that others can benefit.

Shift your focus. True fulfillment comes not from personal achievement alone, but from using your talents and skills to benefit others. Consider how your work can make a positive impact on individuals, communities, or the world at large.

Find meaning in contribution. Approach your calling with the mindset of a steward, responsible for nurturing and sharing your gifts. This perspective can provide deeper motivation and satisfaction than pursuing success solely for personal gain.

Balance ambition and service. While it's important to develop your skills and pursue excellence, remember that the ultimate purpose of your calling is to serve others. Strive to find ways to align your personal goals with making a meaningful contribution to the world.

7. A calling is a lifelong journey of becoming, not a destination

A calling is what you have when you look back at your life and make sense of what it's been trying to teach you all along.

Embrace the process. Your calling is not a fixed endpoint, but a continual journey of growth and self-discovery. Be patient with yourself and recognize that your understanding of your purpose may evolve over time.

Integrate all aspects of life. Your calling encompasses more than just your career; it includes your relationships, personal growth, and impact on the world. Strive to create harmony between these different aspects of your life, rather than viewing them as separate or competing elements.

Leave a legacy. Consider how your work and life will impact others long after you're gone. Focus on creating value that extends beyond your own lifetime, whether through mentoring others, creating lasting art or innovations, or positively influencing your community.

Last updated: September 29, 2024