The Art of Work

Your calling is the reason you wake up every morning: a purpose greater than yourself that propels you forward.

1. A Calling Imbues Life with Meaning

Finding a calling goes beyond the pursuit of happiness or avoiding discomfort. It’s about giving your life a sense of purpose that motivates you daily. People often feel unsatisfied with their jobs because their work lacks deeper meaning. Instead of chasing fleeting feelings of joy or avoiding challenges, meaningful living requires aligning actions with a higher purpose.

Renowned psychologist Viktor Frankl believed that having a reason to live—a driving cause—was essential for human survival and fulfillment. This sense of purpose helps individuals persist through hardship, find direction in life, and ultimately move closer to their passions.

Recognizing your calling requires heightened awareness. It could be a profound moment, an interaction, or a personal realization. By reflecting on life events where you’ve felt fulfilled, you can begin to identify recurring themes that reveal what truly drives you.

Examples

• Viktor Frankl turned his harrowing Holocaust experience into inspiration for helping others find meaning in suffering.
• Luke Skywalker discovered his Jedi path through his meeting with Obi-Wan Kenobi.
• Listing one’s happiest and most rewarding moments often unveils patterns pointing toward a greater purpose.

2. Mentors Help You Move Forward

No one achieves success alone; finding the right mentors and coaches is vital to discovering and nurturing your calling. These guides offer wisdom, encouragement, and insight while you navigate your journey.

Even the most successful individuals relied on learning from others. Steve Jobs, for example, gained knowledge by leaving traditional schooling behind and immersing himself in lessons from people and environments that inspired him. Every encounter and experience serves as an opportunity for personal growth when approached with curiosity and openness.

While guidance from others is important, practice is essential too. Growth comes from consistent effort, learning through challenges, and pushing boundaries to deepen your skills. Mentorship paired with practice creates a dynamic pathway to achieving your purpose.

Examples

• Steve Jobs gained unconventional knowledge by attending random college courses that sparked his interests.
• Successful athletes credit their accomplishments to years of rigorous coaching and training.
• Writers often master their craft under the tutelage of experienced editors or teachers.

3. Practice Fuels Progress

The pursuit of a calling isn’t a straight path; instead, it’s driven by persistence and the willingness to learn from failures. Repeated effort sharpens your skills, but the key is engaging in deliberate practice that challenges you to improve.

Just as muscles grow when pushed to their limits during exercise, personal and professional growth occurs when you actively confront mistakes and risks. However, practicing the same task repetitively without innovation can stagnate growth. True progress comes from testing new waters and adapting along the way.

Failure, though painful at times, serves as a teacher. Steve Jobs’ dismissal from Apple was one such failure that he turned into growth, using it to achieve greater success later with Pixar and revisiting Apple stronger than before.

Examples

• Musicians refine their talents through daily practice and tackling technically demanding pieces.
• Engineers evolve by troubleshooting and learning from design errors.
• Steve Jobs leveraged lessons from failures at Apple to spearhead Pixar and return triumphantly to his original company.

4. Keep Moving and Learning

The journey to your calling resembles climbing stairs, not riding an escalator—each step requires effort, regardless of setbacks. You must actively engage with your craft and continue learning without pausing for long periods, or you may lose momentum.

Continuous self-improvement involves seeking advice, refining skills, and exposing yourself to diverse perspectives. Mistakes shouldn’t be seen as roadblocks but opportunities to pivot—reframing failure as a tool for bettering oneself can positively transform your outlook.

Mishaps can represent new chances for growth. Steve Jobs’ story of perseverance and innovation is just one of many examples of how missteps can lead to new peaks of achievement when paired with resilience.

Examples

• Teachers review and adapt their lesson plans to improve their craft.
• Steve Jobs returned to Apple with new inspiration from Pixar’s success.
• Authors revise their drafts repeatedly to create polished, unforgettable works.

5. Embrace a Portfolio Life

A portfolio life is composed of various interconnected roles rather than being defined by one single career or identity. It balances work, home, recreation, and purpose to create a more fulfilling lifestyle.

Pursuing a variety of interests honors human complexity. Instead of being narrowly focused, embracing diversity in life leads to well-rounded fulfillment. For instance, people thrive when they harmonize career goals, family obligations, personal enjoyment, and overarching purpose.

Freelancing has grown in popularity because it allows people to create balance and variety between professional and personal pursuits. Many professionals crave roles that challenge and inspire them in multiple dimensions, rather than adhering to rigid job descriptions.

Examples

• Writers often balance creative freelance projects with other employment.
• Parents find joy navigating careers while embracing meaningful time with their children.
• Entrepreneurs often juggle passion projects alongside business operations.

6. Flow Balances Challenge and Skill

Achieving a flow state means working at the intersection of ability and difficulty. If a task is too simple, it becomes boring; if it’s too hard, it causes frustration. True fulfillment lies in seeking challenges that match yet stretch your skills.

Renowned psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi popularized the concept of flow, which fuels both productivity and personal happiness. To truly connect with your calling, pace yourself with tasks that challenge, reward, and push you toward growth.

Creating this balance improves creativity and innovation because it keeps the mind engaged. Whether in hobbies or work, matching ability with difficulty ensures sustained interest.

Examples

• Artists find joy in tackling projects that push their boundaries without overwhelming them.
• Athletes thrive in scenarios where they compete against slightly better opponents.
• Coders feel energized solving complex problems that enhance their technical skillset.

7. Legacy Outlasts Individual Pieces

Your calling isn’t one achievement but the collective impact of your life’s work. Rather than aiming for isolated successes, think of your efforts as creating a legacy that endures beyond your lifetime.

Great works often inspire entire generations. Mozart’s legacy lives not in one opera but in the breadth of his contributions to the art of music. A robust body of work speaks to both an enduring commitment to a calling and the value it holds for others.

While creating a masterpiece can be gratifying, your larger goal should focus on what you leave behind. Continuity secures legacies and introduces others to your mission, allowing them to build upon it.

Examples

• Mozart’s entire musical composition portfolio reflects his genius.
• The Marvel Universe remains strong after Stan Lee’s passing thanks to its continued adaptation for new media.
• Albert Uderzo handed over his comic Asterix to new authors to continue his vision.

8. Mortality Fuels Purpose

Acknowledging death brings urgency to fulfill your calling. While we cannot control time, the knowledge that life is finite motivates individuals to consistently strive toward their goals.

Einstein exemplified this, continuing to work passionately even in his final moments. The reality of mortality can act as fuel, encouraging people to embrace meaningful living and creative pursuits.

Recognizing death forces reflection—what legacy do you wish to leave behind? It’s an essential aspect of living for your calling. Even unfinished, your work can inspire after you’re gone.

Examples

• Einstein worked on his theories until his last breath.
• Writers often leave incomplete drafts that inspire future scholars.
• Uderzo ensured his legacy by passing Asterix to new creators.

9. Growth Requires Risks

Taking risks and stepping out of comfort zones are essential for uncovering and realizing your calling. The greatest personal and professional growth happens when individuals face unknowns and experiment without fear of failure.

Risk-taking lets you explore uncharted territory where opportunities for learning and discovery await. Being uncomfortable fosters resilience and creativity as you tackle challenges head-on.

The process isn’t always smooth, but rewards often come with perseverance. Making mistakes along the way is inevitable and valuable since they highlight areas for development.

Examples

• Startups often thrive when leaders embrace bold, unpredictable strategies.
• Public speakers grow confidence through vulnerable openness.
• Artists take risks exploring unconventional mediums or controversial topics.

Takeaways

1. Reflect on your life’s most meaningful moments to identify patterns and potential callings.
2. Make deliberate efforts to seek mentors and practice purposefully, embracing opportunities to learn from mistakes.
3. Maintain balance by diversifying your time and energy across work, play, family, and self-improvement.