Stuck in your career? The power of asking yourself what makes you happy…

Have you ever experienced moments in your career where you feel truly stuck and you don’t know how to resolve it? Many of us find ourselves at such crossroads in our careers, feeling stuck and desperate for a way forward. We chase promotions and titles, convincing ourselves that happiness is the reward waiting at the top. But, this relentless pursuit often leads us astray, forcing us into work that feels inauthentic and ultimately undermines our success.

While hunting our next reward, it's easy to fall into the trap of treating our careers as sprints. We prioritize reaching the next rung on the ladder as quickly as possible, sacrificing personal satisfaction for the sake of short-term gains. But here's the truth: careers are marathons. They span decades, with inevitable ebbs, flows, and plateaus along the way. Nobody sustains breakneck growth forever. Why then, do we focus on speed over enjoyment in a journey that's meant to last most of our working lives?

The deeper issue is that we mistake the order of operations. We convince ourselves that success must come first, and then happiness follows. Yet, the science of well-being tells us the opposite is true. When we engage in tasks that energize and fulfill us, we naturally excel. It's when we do our best work that we're most likely to flourish, garner recognition, and open new doors for ourselves.

The power of asking "What Makes You Happy?"

This is why, in my coaching work with people who feel trapped, one of the most impactful questions I ask is deceptively simple: "What makes you happy?". It's a prompt that triggers a cascade of self-reflection, often revealing uncomfortable truths.

Rachel (fictitious name), an ambitious marketing manager, provides a perfect example. When she first entered my coaching sessions, she was fixated on securing a promotion she felt long overdue. However, as we delved deeper into "What makes you happy?", a surprising truth emerged. The promotion, while a symbol of progress, wasn't what would bring her joy. In fact, her current role lacked the creative spark and strategic thinking she found most energizing.

All too often, we strive for external validation without considering whether the rewards we pursue align with our intrinsic motivations. It's a trap I've seen many fall into – a person chases a prestigious title only to find that the actual work brings boredom; another achieves financial success yet feels disillusioned by a lack of purpose. External rewards, fleeting and often unsatisfying, usually don't bring happiness.

Through continued conversations, Rachel arrived at a realization: it wasn't simply a promotion she sought, but a career shift. Together, we explored different avenues that aligned with her passions and tapped into her core strengths. Not long after, Rachel landed a new role in a different company, one that ignited her enthusiasm. Interestingly, within a year, she received a promotion. But now, the promotion was a natural consequence of her happiness and exceptional performance.

Happiness is the journey, not the destination

Our lives are finite, and our careers consume a significant portion of our time. Don't spend those precious years toiling away at tasks that bring you no joy, chasing a mythical concept of success. Focus on the journey itself. Align your work with what makes you happy, what fills you with a sense of purpose. When you prioritize this kind of fulfillment, the career milestones will often follow organically. Success, when aligned with happiness, feels effortless because it's a result of doing what you were meant to do.

What makes you happy?