#031: How to find work that doesn't suck

Hi All!

Meaningful work can be one of the most happiness-inducing activities of all.

But many people (myself included) have at some point been stuck in a job that felt boring or just didn't suit them.

That's why in today's newsletter we'll take a closer look at how to find a job that doesn't suck.

I hope you find today's idea useful and wish you a great start of the new week.

Until next week,

David

An idea for you to consider

When we choose the right work environment, we can best leverage our personality, our signature strengths, and our context to create tremendous value.

Doing so requires two things:

1. Knowing yourself
2. Picking the right pond

How to get to know yourself

Knowing yourself consists of being aware of your values, character and skills.

Here's how:

1. Know your core values: What do I stand for? What are my priorities? What do I believe in?  These questions can help you figure out your values. Understanding your values in turn can help you find work that aligns with your principles. For a more in-depth guide on how to find your core values, check out this essay: How to find your core values
2. Be familiar with your personality type: Some people do great with well-defined planning and structure, but are upset easily with sudden changes. On the other hand, some people are more comfortable with unexpected changes, but struggle more with linear boundaries and attention to detail. Both character types have the potential to be exceptionally great in their career, but it depends on whether their work environment favours their personality type. Knowing your personality type can help you become aware of your strengths & weaknesses and choose the right work environment accordingly. 16Personalities offers a free 10 minute test to help you figure out your personality type: https://www.16personalities.com
3. Assess your skills: Ask yourself, "What are you good at that consistently produces desired results and that you enjoy doing?". Don't limit yourself only to hard skills, consider your soft skills and industry experience!

Once you have a rough idea of who you are, it's time to figure out how to pick the right pond.

How to pick the right pond

Usain Bolt, one of the greatest sprinters of all time, could certainly run a marathon and probably even finish it in a very decent time.

But if he set out to compete with the top 1% of all marathon runners, he would probably fail miserably.

Why?

Because Usain Bolt's talent lies in speed and power, whereas top marathon runners are usually average in these dimensions, but have exceptional stamina & cardiovascular endurance.

What's the morale of the story?

Context affects everyone!

If we want to find work that doesn't suck, we have to choose the right environment in which we can play to our strengths.

Ask yourself the following two questions:

1. Think about the last time you were successful at something. What was the environment like and what factor of that environment made it easy for you to succeed?
2. Which companies and situations value what you do?

These questions can be very powerful in helping you unlock new perspectives to both evaluate your current job situation and future opportunities.

Keep in mind: If you want to find work that doesn't suck, then you need to find a work environment that aligns with your predispositions and talents.

Then and only then will you have a chance to not only enjoy what you're doing, but to also be successful at it.

A question for you to ponder

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” - Albert Einstein

An exercise for you to try this week

Take some time aside and consider completing the exercise.