Think As Inc

Moving Beyond Work

August 14, 2009 on 3:48 pm | In life coaching | No Comments

I write an Executive Careers column for CNBC.com, and sometimes they indulge me and let me talk about broader life questions aside from work.  So last week I submitted a piece about long-range planning that was meant to drive home the point that the choices we make (and for this column of course I gave career choice examples) have broader implications beyond work to the rest of our lives.  You can see the column here:

http://www.cnbc.com/id/29991260/site/14081545

CNBC.com elected to title it “Job Seekers:  3 Things To Do Now”.

It’s a catchy title.  It’s a timely call to action given what’s happening in the market.  But when I saw it posted, I literally forgot what column I had submitted!  I hadn’t thought of it as a tactical advice piece for job seekers.  Of course it is on the most basic level.  But thinking about potential obstacles, considering the upside and downside, and reflecting on the legacy you leave are not just tips for job search or career planning.  Rather, we need to move beyond work to life planning.

How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. -- Annie Dillard

Do you like what you do day-to-day?  Really, do you like it?

Do you spend your time and energy on the things that matter? 

Are you moving in the direction of your dreams?

If you look back to last year, have you made progress on the things that matter?

If you look forward to next year, do you know where you want to be so that you can answer the above question and smile?

I am a career coach.  My clients come to me about career planning.  But it’s always about life planning.  When people want to change jobs, it’s ultimately for fulfillment, achievement, security, lifestyle, etc – all life values, not just career values.  When we want to effect real, lasting and meaningful change, we have to move the discussion beyond work to life.  Are you working or are you living?  Hopefully both, but don’t forget the latter.