{"id":72715,"date":"2019-11-15T12:21:34","date_gmt":"2019-11-15T20:21:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=72715"},"modified":"2019-11-18T18:12:50","modified_gmt":"2019-11-19T02:12:50","slug":"try-this-slightly-wacky-activity-to-find-work-you-love","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/try-this-slightly-wacky-activity-to-find-work-you-love\/","title":{"rendered":"Try This Slightly Wacky Activity to Find Work You Love"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

Ever felt that sudden rush? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A vocation pops into your head: writer, politician, Ozzy Osbourne tribute act. And it\u2019s like somebody\u2019s flicked a switch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ve finally<\/em> got it. You know what you\u2019re meant to do with your life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How long until you start to doubt yourself? A month? A week? Maybe even a day?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then you\u2019re back to feeling stuck and frustrated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or maybe you\u2019ve never even had that feeling. Perhaps you\u2019re completely lost. And you\u2019d give your left arm just to have an inkling<\/em>, even if it turned out to be wrong. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If any of this sounds familiar, you\u2019re not alone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finding your purpose is exhausting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s like yo-yoing between certainty and doubt, and you\u2019re spinning with a hundred different emotions all the way up and down. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So how can you overcome this seemingly endless struggle? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019d like to share a simple hack. And I guarantee you\u2019re going to enjoy it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What If You Get it Wrong?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Finding your calling is<\/em> a serious undertaking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s one of the most important journeys you\u2019ll ever make. And the discovery is pure gold. An entire self-spawning Gringotts vault of the stuff (apologies to anyone who isn\u2019t a Harry Potter fan). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it\u2019s also burdensome. And I\u2019ll bet you\u2019ve felt the weight of a potential lifelong decision. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What if you waste time pursuing the wrong thing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What if you\u2019re not capable of achieving your dream job?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What if financial ruin waits down the road?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All these \u201cwhat ifs\u201d are like a straitjacket. They tighten and tighten until you can\u2019t move. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So how can you twist yourself free?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have You Forgotten How to Have Fun?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Take a moment to consider this question: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When\u2019s the last time you had fun?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And I don\u2019t mean enjoying a Youtube video or a good takeaway. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When did you last do something truly <\/em>joyful? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fact you even have to think about this tells you something important. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, research shows<\/a> that play is essential to our mental health and well-being. And we\u2019re forgetting how to do it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So what\u2019s my point here? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A sense of play might be exactly what\u2019s missing from your search for your vocation. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you introduce fun<\/em> activities into your search for purpose and passion, you instantly shake all those negative misgivings, creating an opportunity for exploration and positivity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that\u2019s when you can really open up to things. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Time for Fancy Dress<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re probably thinking, \u201cThis is all well and good. But it doesn\u2019t help me in a practical <\/em>sense.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, hold up just a second. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because I\u2019ve got a simple trick for you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s called \u201cfancy-dress for a day\u201d. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sound silly? It is. But it\u2019s also effective. And fun. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s what\u2019s involved:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pick one potential calling then spend a day \u201cliving it\u201d. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Want to be a writer? Spend a day typing out the first chapter of your novel. Pile your desk high with books. Scribble \u201cCall From Editor at 4PM\u201d onto a post-it-note and stick it to your wall. Prepare a short piece for your imaginary writers\u2019 group that evening. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Want to run a food van selling homemade samosas? Spend a day sketching the designs for your new truck, doing market research (i.e. stuffing your face at the local farmer\u2019s market), and ringing suppliers to get some quotes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019ve got a lurking suspicion you\u2019re destined to be a politician, write a speech and deliver it to an imaginary parliament in your kitchen. Spend the evening canvassing with your local party or attending a political discussion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can get as creative as you want with this. And it\u2019s a great way to experiment in a quick, low-investment, and fun <\/em>way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So how can you tell when you\u2019re on the right track? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You Do “Just Know”…But Not in the Way You Think<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ve probably heard that old cliche, \u201cYou just know when you\u2019ve found your calling.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The problem is that it\u2019s kind of true. Just not in the way everybody thinks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most people are way too cerebral about the whole process of finding their vocation. They read books, sit at their desks doing self-discovery exercises, and just wait around hoping things will become clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of these activities have a place. But they miss an essential point. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To find your passion, you need to be willing to sample things <\/strong>(like in the “fancy dress” example above).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because that\u2019s usually when intuition appears. You don\u2019t wake up one morning and \u201cjust know\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, you\u2019ll be immersed in an activity, one that\u2019s naturally engaging and (you guessed it) fun, and you\u2019ll hear yourself say, \u201cYes! This is exactly for me.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now I don\u2019t mean to over-simplify this process. Feelings aren\u2019t always certain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But that loud and booming \u201cyes\u201d is one of the clearest signposts on the path to calling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Take a minute to ask yourself why you want to find your calling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you want a sense of meaning? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The chance to make a difference? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What about freedom from boredom and dissatisfaction?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of these things are essential motivators on the journey to purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, as you dig deeper, I\u2019ll bet there\u2019s another feeling you\u2019re craving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your work is nothing if it doesn\u2019t bring you joy. Not all <\/em>the time, of course. But at least a good chunk of it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep that point in mind as you forge ahead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Author Bio<\/strong>: My name\u2019s Dan and I run a blog called Meant for Something More<\/a>. I write about purpose, productivity, and ways to make a living from meaningful work. Download my free guide: 7 Essential Books to Help You Find Your Passion and Do Truly Meaningful Work<\/a>. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ever felt that sudden rush?  A vocation pops into your head: writer, politician, Ozzy Osbourne tribute act. And it\u2019s like somebody\u2019s flicked a switch. You\u2019ve finally got it. You know what you\u2019re meant to do with your life.  How long … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16926,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[37,6],"tags":[4645,4641,4631],"yoast_head":"\nTry This Slightly Wacky Activity to Find Work You Love<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Struggling to find or make a career out of what you love? 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