In this blog I’ve written about dozens of strategies you can use to help identify your motivating skills and interests. But today I’d like to propose a slightly different way to discover your calling.
Instead of just focusing on all the things you do well and find meaningful, I’d like you to spend some time thinking about what you don’t like about work. The “I Hate This!” moments that are punctuated with the tasks you dread, personalities you despise and directives that depress you. Ask yourself:
What types of tasks do I really dislike doing?
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Are there certain types of people, work environments or industries that I find painfully boring, irritating or annoying?
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When I have not performed as well as I would like in the past, what factors were in place? Are there any common threads to my failures (people, motivations, work environments, etc.) that I should avoid in the future?
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What is my idea of a really dreadful job?
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While at first blush, this may sound like a backwards approach, it has been my experience that people have a far easier time tapping into what they don’t like than what they do like. Once you’ve freed up your thinking by identifying the negatives you want to avoid going forward, then the “good” information flows more easily.
Give it a try – you might be surprised at what you’ll discover!