Why do we always throw the baby out with the bathwater? Why do we think that if we hate our jobs, that we have to leave everything all at once to be happy? These questions are key to having a better understanding of our second technique to discover those purpose anchors in our life and to begin to build purpose around them. As discussed in the last post, our first job is to conduct a life review. This helps us address the question of regrets, and how they can be turned upside down into purpose.
Today, I’d like to delve into the art of subtraction and begin to clarify why the all or nothing approach to work may be less than satisfactory. Specifically, just because you don’t like your job, doesn’t mean that some of those all important anchors are not hiding out where we least expect them.
(Brad Barrett and I will be hosting a live podcast this week at the Econome Conference)
The art of subtraction is simple. Simply subtract out all the onerous tasks in your work current situation and shine a light on what is left. Maybe you hate your job but love a certain boss or colleague. Maybe 3/4 of your work is boring but the other 1/4 is exciting and stimulating. Maybe something you do only once a month is inspiration for the rest of your work year.
The key is to find these things and then see if you can build a life of purpose around one of these anchors.
For me it was hospice. By the time I left medicine, I hated almost everything. I hated being on call. I hated working nights and weekends. And I hated feeling helpless when querying insurance companies and trying to get a specific procedure or medicine covered.
But you know what I loved? The one afternoon a week where I ran hospice meetings as a contracted medical director. This measly three hours was so much more fun and fulfilling than anything else I did for the rest of the week.
Instead of leaving medicine altogether, I subtracted out all the things I loathed and added in things I loved. I quit my private practice, stopped seeing patients in nursing homes, and subtracted all nights and weekends. Then, I contacted my hospice company and engaged them on ways that I could become more involved in doing the things I loved.
It’s not that we should be spurning our jobs altogether, but instead excavating them for the precious minerals hidden below the surface. Is there deep value that you are missing right there under your nose? There was for me, and there might be for you.
My version of purpose has shifted so much over the years that I no longer really even identify myself as a doctor. I think more about being an author and writer. Yet, I still run my one hospice team each week, and use my knowledge and skills to do something deeply gratifying—help ease the burden of the dying and those who take care of them.
Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. Pay attention to the little bit you love about your job, if it exists, and expand on it. This is one of the easiest ways to identify a purpose anchor. Work with what you already have.
There are, of course, many other ways to identify these anchors. If the life review and the art of subtraction are not doing it for you, it might be time to turn back to the dreams of childhood. There are so many possibilities lying in wait in our distant past. In next week’s post, we will delve into the why and how.
Today’s Poll
Did you catch this week’s episode of Earn & Invest (Click to listen)?
Comments from Facebook (Should You Wait to Pursue Purpose Till Retirement?)
In general I think any question of the form "should I wait until I'm Financially Independent before I do [something that dramatically improves your life]?" Should likely be answered "no". Before you get fit? No. Before you do travel? No. Before you work on community/social development? No. And of course, before exploring one's purpose & calling would be "no" as well. In general I think we should push hard against the idea that key aspects of living a good life should begin only after we've hit some future FI milestone.
I think this is an easy question to know the answer to, a hard one to implement or take steps towards.
Path to Purpose Coaching
Over the last year, writing my new book The Purpose Code, I have spent a huge amount of time thinking about, writing about, and discussing purpose. I have offered one-on-one and group coaching to my mastermind group, Wealth With Purpose. These discussions stem from my real life encounters with dying hospice patients as well as the numerous interactions I have had with people after reading Taking Stock.
What I've found is that most of us who listen to the Earn & Invest Podcast struggle with three basic issues:
How do I define purpose in my life?
How do I transition to a more fulfilling career?
What is enough money look like? Enough life?
To help navigate these waters, I have decided to offer the Path to Purpose coaching program. This is one-on-one coaching with me to help you further define purpose, direction, and career. Sessions will be spread over five weeks with a goal to provide a more concrete and enjoyable path to crack the purpose code and start living your life now whether you are broke, pre financial independence, financially independent, or beyond.
I really like this one Jordan, thanks for giving your thoughts on "anchoring." It's easy to miss some of the great things about our occupations that we don't necessarily appreciate.
(And lovely picture with Brad Barrett...his ChooseFi podcast was one of 3 resources that really set the stage for me back in my college days; alongside JL Collins and MadFientist).