Many career coaches begin their work by asking one foundational question: “What is your calling?” Oxford defines a calling as a strong urge toward a particular way of life or career—a vocation. In practical terms, your calling is the intersection of what you excel at and what truly energizes you.
Identifying your unique calling can seem abstract, yet there are actionable steps to guide your journey:
🌸 Reflect on Strengths and Talents: Which activities and responsibilities come naturally? Notice the skills you repeatedly demonstrate with ease and enthusiasm. Often, what feels effortless to you is deeply valued by others.
🌸 Use Journaling for Insight: Regularly jot down your thoughts, patterns, and aspirations. Techniques like listing fifty answers to “What is my calling?” can highlight hidden themes and bring unconscious passions to light.
🌸 Seek Feedback from Others: Ask trusted friends, family, or colleagues which of your qualities or talents stand out. External perspectives can reveal strengths or interests that you might overlook internally.
🌸 Explore Careers with Hands-On Experience: Delve into part-time jobs, internships, job shadowing, or informational interviews. Exposure to different fields can help clarify which paths resonate and where you feel most fulfilled.
🌸 Connect with Societal or Organizational Needs: Consider challenges in the world or workplace that trigger a desire to help. When personal strengths align with a meaningful need—such as those outlined in the UN Sustainable Development Goals—you may discover a powerful sense of purpose.
🌸 Pay Attention to Recurring Interests: Notice which topics, books, programs, or stories spark curiosity or ignite excitement when reading or watching television. Repeated interests are often clues to deeper passions.
One crucial reminder: Before pursuing any calling, take time to evaluate whether it aligns with your core values and preferred lifestyle. Will following this passion support your overall well-being and the way you wish to live and work?
And remember, not everyone must have a singular “calling” to achieve career satisfaction. If integrating your calling into work isn’t feasible, consider weaving it into your life as a hobby, through volunteer service, or by supporting organizations with a related mission. Emotional fulfillment and meaning can be cultivated in many aspects of life—not just through a career.
Shelley Maley, PHR, CCSP | Dreamcatcher Career Coaching, LLC | (610) 663-0585