Career Happiness and Career Success and is there a link between the two?

Why I wanted to talk about this theme?

I wanted to talk about this topic in this newsletter because this often tends to be a reoccurring theme with my clients and people interested in working with me. Often success and being at happy at work can conflict with each other for different reasons. I was thinking about the idea of success when I thought of the Hollywood actor Daniel Day Lewis. Other actors like him have achieved great success and retire not because they are deemed successful but because they feel their life work speaks for themselves and has a great legacy already. Many people who love their work or craft don’t need to proof themselves anymore.

By the way not saying we can all have talent like someone Daniel Day Lewis mentioned above so please don’t compare but think about the fact that we sometimes confuse success for happiness and vice versa. When actually what we should be doing is understanding that Career Happiness is linked to our purpose and why and our need for fulfilment. Whilst career success is about recognition, rewards, what our peers say about us, a promotion etc. It may even mean more money or a position that is seen as being credible in your field etc.

You can be happy at work and not have a lot of success in a monetary sense but feel really fulfilled by the work you do. Or have incredible success on paper and feel really unhappy. This theme is something I continue to see and know many who conflate the two because they think chasing success will make them happy but if you don’t love what you or have a purpose for doing something then why do it in the first place?

There is also an agreement for both being linked because if you have a true purpose success can follow and for me I am fascinated by this topic because it creates debate and also a need for us to look at what version of success we want for ourselves.

Career Happiness does it matter in your career?

When thinking about career happiness and if it matters in your career. I want to ask you to think about a job you did that you really didn’t enjoy? Take some time to reflect on this. What comes up for you? It might be a memory or feeling etc. Your motivation for doing such a job could have been for money, experience etc. Yet you may not of been happy doing this job but you complied and did it anyway. There is nothing wrong with this but one the reasons why career happiness matters is it that sense of fulfilment and sense of joy you get from doing work you enjoy.

When you are happy at work you will take time and devote yourself to the work you do. You may also find that you don’t feel stressed or low about the work you are doing. Many of the clients I work with feel trapped in their career. They feel career happiness is something that can’t obtain because they feel it’s selfish and doesn’t help them with supporting their family etc. They carry around a sense of guilt for going after what they really want. This feeling is normal but it’s also telling you something needs to shift because if you don’t change you will continue to be unhappy.

In episode 11 and 17 of “The Career Happiness podcast” I share both my story about career unhappiness at work and how I started my business. As well as my parents stories of them seeking out their version of career happiness. They were both dissatisfied in their respective careers and instead of them wallowing about this they took action and changed the course of their careers. Taking risks in your career can seem like a gamble but if you want happiness in the work, it’s sometimes worth doing this.

I am not saying that if you are unhappy at work right now you must quit I speak more about this in my blog post here - https://www.somaghosh.com/careerhappinesssblog/what-can-i-do-if-i-cant-currently-quit-a-job-i-am-unhappy-in

Career happiness can matter in your work especially when thinking about success. You could have all the success in the world but if you aren’t happy what difference will this really make.

Your definition of success can impact how you feel about work

Everyone’s version of success will be different and that is as it should be. All of us can’t have the same version of success for ourselves because we are unique individuals. Yet your own version of success can impact how you feel about work. If you feel that success is valued through achievement and rewards seeking this validation may sometimes hinder your career. By the way there is nothing wrong with great achievements or rewards but constantly seeking this may impact your overall work. I say this because sometimes when you focus on this too much you aren’t really listening to what you really want.

When I have worked with my clients I see the burden of their version of success conflicting with the version that their family or organisation want for them. This can make someone really unhappy at work because you are doing a job or career to reach heights for others.

If you know your version of success is to work for a non-profit organisation in a leadership role where you are working on a really interesting project that you feel excited about. Instead of a big corporate company that gives you certain perks in the company but the projects you are working on don’t excite or empower you. This may lead you toward feelings like "why I am actually doing this again?"

The values you have as individual will test your version of success and it’s something I spoke with Guest Anna Lundberg and I also did an episode around here this too.

You can listen to Anna's episode here https://www.somaghosh.com/podcast/interview-54-creating-your-version-of-success-in-your-career-interview-with-anna-lundberg

To listen to the episode I did about defining your version of success go here - https://www.somaghosh.com/podcast/episode-59-what-is-your-definition-of-success

Is there a link between Career Happiness and Career Success

I definitely think there is a link between Career Happiness and Career Success some of the main reasons for this is.

If you want to be happy at work your version of career success may not be the one you envisioned but the version you know you actually want. Let me explain this a bit more and share an example of what I mean by this. When we think about success it looks a certain way. Yet the reality of this may have mean certain bumps in the road. This can help you understand what you actually want. This also comes from you experiencing work life. Once you do you will understand that success may mean working from home in a part-time remote role and also working freelance . Instead of working 5 days a week in and office because you know that’s not for you.

When I talk to my clients and mentor them many of them feel a promotion and pay rise will make them feeling better or different. Suddenly snap they are happier. Yet when they get there that success may be short-lived because they still don’t feel happiness with the job they do. They aren’t growing professionally or personally.

The link between the two is about understanding your ideas and feelings around success will change as you do. The 20 year old version of you will have different beliefs about success compared to the 30 year old or 40 year old version of yourself. Life events may also play into this too and it’s important to keep addressing how your own definition of career happiness is related to how you view success.

Some of my clients have achieved a great deal in their careers but don’t always feel positive or excited about this. In fact sometimes they can be really hard on themselves. It’s something they may be doing because they thought they had to prove themselves. They may even compare themselves to others or be carrying the expectations of others. That sense of fulfilment doesn’t come from achievements but wanting to make a deeper impact though the work they do.

Final thoughts

Career Happiness and Career Success on some level are linked because they underpin some of the things that you want in your life. Yet if you don’t find happiness after reaching success maybe this is telling you something about how you view both.

It’s ok to for you to have a evolving journey with what both mean to you. In some regards it’s important to remember your purpose and why you want happiness in your life. As well as examine how you view your own version of success but try and check in with what you value rather then pleasing and looking at what others are doing.

How can I support you next

If you enjoyed reading this newsletter and want further support I have limited spaces available for my 1-1 mentoring program till August 2024.

You can apply for a call here - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1_op9hNEHtgubM1Q5dfspOqSTonc5dsz9ktl1TpVa0Hs/viewform?edit_requested=true&fbzx=1337396816529605572#responses

Do let us know your thoughts about this topic? How do you view career happiness and success?

?