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Plain textHAPPINESS: Do You Hate Your Job?
Today I met my student and friend (Mutumba) heading to the University. Mutumba is in his final year of School of Education, Makerere University.
Upon our meeting, I asked him: “Why do you love teaching?” Smiling broadly he laughed it off. He knew I was poking him because this is a question he had asked me, as his teacher.
Eventually, Mutumba told me he hated every aspect of the profession but he had no choice.
His parents could not afford paying for his dream career. My friend Mutumba dreamt of being a lawyer but it’s too expensive compared to a Bachelor’s degree in Education.
I told Mutumba, I had failed to run away from teaching. When I left teaching in a high school and worked for a non-for profit (NGO), my job description required that I train teachers on some life skills.
When I changed my job, I found myself training orphans and vulnerable youths ICT (web 2.0).
Therefore, I have accepted teaching as my vocation. A vocation is a calling that you cannot turn down if you want to be happy with yourself. This is what explains the life of a missionary who leaves the comfort of their homes in Europe to live, work and die in rural Africa.
I then shared with him the story of John. John is my American friend who is a qualified Engineer but chose to teach because he loved working with young people and training them basketball.
This is what brought him to Africa. He would earn better as an engineer than a teacher but he felt his calling is in teaching. He is a happy teacher.
I am sure there are a number of people outside there who are not sure of what career to pursue in life.
In the same way there are people who have well paying jobs but are not happy. Having said that, how do you find happiness in your career?
How To Find Happiness In Your Career
Happiness is a choice. If you want to find happiness in your career, you need to identify your talents and strengths. Your strengths are your traits.
If you are undecided on what career to pursue, use your strengths to identify a profession. Focus your career search on your talents and strengths. According to Ingrid Bergman, “you must train your intuition-you must trust the small voice inside you that tells you exactly what to say, what to decide.”
Conclusive just like John; Money doesn’t necessarily bring happiness but your creativity and happiness will bring you money.
While those who lack basics in life are unlikely to be happy, money may buy pleasure and make you happy. Therefore, if your preferred profession provides enough for a basic living, go ahead and pursue your career.
The author is a motivational speaker on happiness based in Kampala
Email: happinessnest@gmail.com
Blog: https://happinessnest.wordpress.com/
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Updated on 2013-05-09 09:25 |
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