According to psychologists, there are three ways to approach your work – as a job, career, or career calling – and careers callings bring us more happiness than the other two. Find out which category you fit into below.
Job (Money)
In the scientific literature, Amy Wrzesniewski and her colleagues describe a job like this: Are you Mr. (or Ms. ) A? People who have a job are in it for the money, and they tend not to like work. Even entrepreneurs who are working toward that huge exit might have a job orientation.
Career (Power)
When you hear career, think career ladder: people with a career orientation toward work are in it for the success, achievement, and power. Entrepreneurs who hope to make it big, become famous, and graduate to being investors might fit into this category.
Calling (Happiness)
As you might have guessed, having a career calling is the work orientation associated with more happiness and job satisfaction, and less depression and stress. This is work we’re passionate about, work that gives our lives a sense of meaning. In a 1994 study, only 15 percent of workers called their work a calling. Entrepreneurs like Jason Fried, who can imagine working on their companies forever, probably have a calling orientation. The good news – as the hospital cleaning staff demonstrated – is that almost any work can be a calling. It might require rethinking what you’re doing and the impact it has on others. Sure, you might be just a designer, working with colors and fonts, but you are making someone’s day more beautiful. Even Ben Huh of the Cheezburger Network – many people’s idea of a pointless, silly enterprise – sees his mission as making people happy for five minutes a day. How does your work impact others?
