Career Fulfilment: Why It Matters and How to Get It

Do you experience Sunday evening dread!? For a significant proportion of my career I know I did! In fact at times, I would feel it start to kick in on a Sunday morning as I started to envisage the week ahead. ?That was a sure-fire way to enhance my Sundays! It made me moody and grumpy around friends and family when I should have been enjoying the moments spent with them.

Does every morning feel like an effort to drag yourself out of bed?? Again, at the similar times in my career I would peel myself out of bed and slowly work my way through the morning routine – inevitably that would then lead me to be perennially rushing for the bus or a taxi as I struggled to make it into work on time.

The answer to these issues lies in career fulfilment! It's a blend of passion, purpose, and pay that makes work feel less like a chore and more like a calling.? The Japanese have a word for this intersection - ?‘Ikigai’.? Ikigai is a fantastic concept that I will return to in a future article, however for now its enough to say its very closely linked with fulfilment and you want it!! ?Why? Well let's dive into why achieving career fulfilment is so important and then more importantly how you too can experience its benefits!

?Why Career Fulfilment Matters

1.?? Boosts Overall Happiness Feeling fulfilled in your career can significantly enhance your overall happiness and life satisfaction. When you derive enjoyment from what you do, it doesn't just stay at the office; it spills over into your personal life, making you a more positive and engaged person. Think of it as the ultimate work-life balance hack.? I know to my own cost the reverse is true also.? You spend so much of your life in work that if you don’t fundamentally like what you do, then the stress that causes you, the constant downer that creates will also spill over into your personal life.? You end up living for the weekend and that’s a fantastic way to write-off 5 or even 6 7th’s of your week!? You only get 1 life so don’t waste such a huge proportion of each week.

2.?? Improves Mental Health A fulfilling career can be a powerful antidote to stress and burnout. When you're engaged and passionate about your work, you're less likely to experience the aforementioned Sunday dread! Instead, you look forward to the challenges and opportunities the week brings. I spent 8 years in my last firm and I can directly track my personal state of mental health directly to how fulfilled I was feeling in my work.? At its very best I did things I look back now and question how I did it, pulling 60+ hour weeks and loading myself with stressful situations.? Instead of burning out and collapsing into a heap as I did do later on I instead thrived and relished the learning and the opportunity that came my way.? I’ve referenced Frankl and Nietzsche before with this notion but I experienced tangible proof that if you have a ‘why’ you can bear almost any ‘how’!? True some of the seeds that I sowed at this time did create issues further down the line.? The lack of boundaries I set and the expectation I set around what I would willingly take on did come back to haunt me and bear further reflection.? However had I retained the sense of fulfilment from my work that was powering me at this time, I do genuinely feel that I would have remained far more protected against the traps that I had laid for myself.

3.? Enhances Productivity and Performance When you're doing work that aligns with your values and strengths, you're naturally more motivated and productive. It's like being in the zone, where time flies and everything just clicks. ‘Flow’ many people call this and it’s a powerful place to be – again as noted above it enables you to achieve things that might seem beyond your limits. This not only benefits you but also makes you a rockstar in your organization.? I know accolades and recognition certainly came flying my way at the times where I was feeling most fulfilled in my work.? That in itself is a very powerful notion that does bear reflecting on further.?

Many people, myself included at times, go searching for recognition, positive feedback and acknowledgement.? I would deliberately do things beyond my remit, that actively kept me from what I should have been doing simply in order to get praise and recognition. ?Inevitably this had negative consequences for my overall performance and referencing the previous point, my mental health! ?Looking back now I see that I got this completely about face.? If I note when I consistently was praised and received affirming feedback and recognition I was not pursuing it! ?I had achieved a state of flow with my work because I was fulfilled by it and the praise and recognition naturally followed.?

4.? Fosters Personal Growth Career fulfillment when you get in that ‘flow’, often involves facing new challenges, continuous learning and hence growth. When you're passionate about your work, you're more likely to seek out and also be presented with new challenges and opportunities for development. This keeps you sharp and adaptable in an ever-changing job market. There is a lot of worry and concern at present about AI and it’s impact on our careers, even our fundamental ability to work.? There is a lot of evidence to suggest however that AI will not take your job, but someone utilising it probably will!? How much easier is it to embrace the ‘opportunity’ that AI represents if you can see it as the opportunity to get better and more productive at doing something you enjoy and are fulfilled by. Contrast that with the mindset of those not feeling fulfilled by their work, for them it feels like another mountain to climb, another hurdle to get over and the motivation and enthusiasm for embracing this change simply isn’t there.? ?To be honest this is a little bit of a chicken and egg scienario – what comes first? - the variety and growth or the fulfilment?? As noted in the podcast episode I recommended this week with the neuroscientist Dr Tali Sharrot – variety is a crucial part of fulfilment and with that then comes growth!

Given these very clear and tangible benefits I can quite imagine that you might now well be asking ‘how do I go about achieving that fulfilment?!’? So without further ado lets dive into it!? Question is can you predict in advance the last item on the list?? ???

How to Achieve Career Fulfillment

1.????? Align Your Career with Your Values Start by identifying what truly matters to you. Is it creativity, helping others, financial stability, or work-life balance? It is different for everyone and so you must start with this basic notion.? Once you know your core values, look for careers that align with them. This alignment is crucial for long-term satisfaction and fulfillment1 . Remember, it's not just about finding a job; it's about finding the right job for you.

2.????? Pursue Your Passions Ever heard the saying, "Do what you love, and you'll never work a day in your life"? While it might sound cliché, there's a lot of truth to it. Pursuing a career that you're passionate about can make work feel less like a grind and more like a joyride. So, reflect back on your dreams and look into how you can turn them into a career.

3.????? Embrace Job Crafting Job crafting is all about reshaping your current role to better fit your strengths and interests. ?The opportunity to take a massive career pivot isn’t always available for reasons such as security of income or skills/training requirements that you don’t yet fulfill.? So instead consider, and this should be an ongoing process, how to align your current role and opportunity more closely with those values and dreams.? This might involve taking on new projects, learning new skills, or even just tweaking your daily tasks to find more variety, challenge and enjoyment. Think of it as customizing your job to suit your unique style—like adding extra toppings to your favorite pizza.

4.????? Seek Continuous Learning and Development The world of work is constantly evolving, and staying stagnant is a surefire way to lose that fulfilment spark.? This is one of the key elements that led to my issues and descent into burnout.? I stopped evolving and learning.? This started with my company holding me too long in an area where they felt I was too valuable but I must also take a significant share of the blame here with me not being in touch with where I wanted to go and actively pursuing development to help get me there. ?Take the time to pause and reflect on where you are going, where you want to go and what are the steps you need to take to get there.? Once clear about this invest in your professional development through courses, workshops, and networking. Not only does this keep you engaged, but it will open up new career opportunities. Plus, it gives you plenty of fodder for those "I'm so busy, important and successful" LinkedIn posts. ??

5.????? Build Strong Relationships Having a supportive network of colleagues, mentors and coaches can make a huge difference in your career satisfaction. These relationships provide support, guidance, and opportunities for collaboration. Plus, they make the workday a lot more enjoyable. After all, who doesn't love a good office buddy to discuss the Euro’s with!? To be clear this doesn’t preclude you working on your own as a sole trader you just need to find ways (my current challenge) to replicate these same opportunities.

6.????? Set and Achieve Meaningful Goals Setting clear, achievable goals gives you a sense of direction and purpose. It helps you stay focused and motivated, especially during challenging times. Celebrate your achievements along the way to keep that fulfilment fire burning. And don't forget to share those wins with those people whom you have fostered strong relationships.

7.????? Work with me! Come on you knew that was coming, didn’t you?! This is where I find my own fulfilment so help me, by engaging me to help you! ??I am here for you to be one of those you build a strong relationship with!? I will give you the time and space to explore these elements that enable you to achieve fulfilment.? I will ask the questions that will provoke the right thinking and challenge you when you have become blinkered and are limiting your thinking.? I will also hold you to account which can be surprisingly difficult and the partner in your success.? Finally given my 20+ years experience in shaping and guiding careers once we have worked out your direction to fulfillment I can help you plot a clear path to get there, helping you avoid pitfalls and traps along the way.? The journey to career fulfillment isn't always smooth sailing. There will be bumps, detours, and the occasional "What was I thinking?" moments. Achieving career fulfillment is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time, effort, intentionality and a bit of trial and error. But when you find that sweet spot where passion meets purpose, it's all worth it and I will be your guide in helping you achieve that!

So, what's your next step towards career fulfillment? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments! Even better drop me a DM here on linkedin and let’s have a free chat to give you some insights and help set your path.