The 5 Stages of Connecting to a Life Calling – Stage 1

At indigoforce, we believe that everyone will encounter 5 stages in their life-long journey to connect to a sense of working from a life calling.  Over the next several weeks, I will discuss each of the 5 stages.  I’m sure you will relate to being at each of these stages at some time in your life – especially stage 1.

Stage 1 – Discovery

The Discovery stage is where you first notice that you are unsatisfied with your work or your life.  You may begin to question how you’re being utilized and judged for your contributions.  You might project your feelings of being unfulfilled externally – such as onto a boss (“My boss is so unfair, incompetent, uncaring, lazy, unethical, unapproachable, has no clue what it takes to get things done, … fill in the blank.”), or onto your work environment (“This place sucks, is a mess, does things backwards, is so political, is so fill in the blank.”), or onto your actual work (“I hate this job.”  “This is a thankless job.”  “This job is beneath me.”  “A monkey could do this job.”).

When your complaining, it’s simply a sign that it’s time to evaluate what your doing, where your doing it, who your doing it for, how your doing it, and/or why your doing it.  Could it be that what you are actually feeling is that you may have outgrown your current opportunity to contribute?  Are you ready to contribute in a bigger, more profound way?  Are you ready to contribute with a deeper sense of purpose – with a greater understanding for why things seem as they are?

If you want answers and solutions for what is currently bothering you at work from external sources (from a boss, company, peer, etc.), you must first seek answers and solutions internally (from yourself ).  Think about that – unless you’re dealing with a child, who are you anxious to help if you don’t believe they will contribute to you in some way – even if that way is simply an expression of appreciation for what you did to help them?  So if you are carrying yourself at work like someone what wants things from others (answers, resources, sexy projects, more money, a promotion, etc.), and is not giving in return (i.e. a high level of job performance, a positive up-lifting attitude, happy helpful behavior), why would anyone help or appreciate you?

Knowing what we want is often answered when we understand what we have to give.  Often what we want is to give more of what we have to give and to know that it will make a difference for another – a difference that will be appreciated.  We feel blocked and stuck when we lose sight of what we have to give or when we lose hope that it is safe to give what we have to give.

(Read this next sentence slowly – I’ll chunk it out for you) If you can’t say – how you do – what you do – in a way that is unique from anyone else – who also does what you do (wow – that was a mouthful!), in a way that is brief, clear, and compelling – then you may have lost sight of what you have to give.

If you spend time complaining about your boss, your work environment, your peers, or your customers, you may have lost hope that it is safe to give what you have to give and have it make the intended difference for another.

Maybe you want something even deeper.  Maybe you want to feel like you are working from a life calling.  The discovery phase also includes making the connection that your purpose is to serve others and your calling is to serve them your unique talents from your unique interests.

To discover what you have to give to others, find confidence that what you have to give can make a difference for another, or to connect to a calling, you must first find out who you are – this might include getting clear about several things such as:

• what your interests and preferences are
• what you like to do
• what you do well naturally
• what you value
• how your way of thinking and the actions you take helps or hinders your potential for happiness and success

Once you make these discoveries, you can match that information to majors, jobs, industries, work environments and choices that can easily enable you to feel happiness and success in your work and in your life.

In summary, the discovery phase is all about self-discovery – who you are, what you want and what you will give others to get what you want.