A Job Versus a Career
In Buddhism, dharma means that as an individual you are living a life in which you accept responsibility for your actions so that you are led to self-fulfillment. As you can see, the quest for purpose in life spans religions and cultures, and is as old as civilization itself. It seems that for eternity, people have searched for meaning in their lives and in their work, for dharma.
Almost every person who wants a job can have a job. Not everyone who wants a career or vocation has one, however. A job is a place where you go on a daily basis to perform a task. A career or vocation is work that is a part of who you are. Your vocation involves your purpose.
Doing Versus Being
There are tens of thousands of teachers in the world, but not all are really teachers. Some go through the motions and show up for work, but those who long for the chance to teach every day are rare. It is the rarest breed that carries teaching in his or her heart.
Many people do the work of teaching, but there are fewer real teachers. Many people do the work of medicine, but there are few who hold medicine in their souls. Many people do the work of law enforcement, but few are motivated by their innate, purposeful desire to do the work of the law.
“You are what your deep, driving desire is. As your desire is, so is your will. As your will is, so is your deed. As your deed is, so is your destiny.”
— The Upanishads
Being and doing are two totally different things. If you have ever gone to work and gone through the motions only to come home at the end of the day feeling empty, barren, and tired, you are probably just “doing.” However, if you have ever gone to work and the joy in your heart is overwhelming just because you have the privilege of being involved in this work, then you know the wonderful feeling of “being.”
What You Get from Work
When you go to bed at night, are you filled with delight that when you wake up you will get to go to work? Do you look forward to the next day of work? Or, do you dread getting up and going to work the next day?
These feelings can be a perfect indicator of whether you are doing or being, whether you are in the right vocation or not. Your vocation enhances your life both personally and professionally. If you are in the right vocation, you know it in your heart.
If you have a vocation where you are “being” and not just “doing,” you should be enjoying the following rewards:
You feel that your work matters to you and others.
You know that you make a difference.
You know that you are contributing to the good of humanity.
You are eager to go to work.
Your work brings you energy and excitement.
You make the most of your time at work.
You enjoy your colleagues and respect them.
Who Are You, Anyway?
Your personality plays a great role in your happiness at work. Understanding your personality can make the difference between being and doing. If you don't have a clear understanding of what you like or enjoy, what you value, where you perform best, how you like to be treated, and whether you work best alone or with others, then you may never find peace or self-esteem through your work.
Personality typology has been around for many years helping people understand more about their unique traits and qualities. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is one of the most widely used assessments in the world. There are many other assessment instruments based on the Myers-Briggs available online and in bookstores. The MBTI indicates whether you are more introverted or extroverted, more sensing or intuitive, more thinking or feeling, or more judging or perceiving.
The introvert/extrovert trait deals with how you interact with the world. An introvert draws strength from internal sources whereas an extrovert draws strength from external sources.
The sensing/intuitive trait deals with how you learn. The sensing person learns by seeing, touching, smelling, and hearing information. People who are more intuitive rely on the sixth sense, intuition, for knowledge. They are people who look beyond the obvious for meaning.
If you want to do something that you see others doing, spend some time with those people. Ask them questions; volunteer to do some unpaid work (no matter how basic) in that environment so that you can be around your passion full-time for a few days. It'll give you a better idea of whether or not it's really something you want.
The thinking/feeling trait deals with the way you make decisions. The thinkers are very logical people and make their decision based on logic and reasoning. The feelers are more concerned with what they feel is right or what they care for deeply, and they make their decisions based on that mindset. Finally, the judging/perceiving trait deals with the way we live and move in the world. Judgers are very orderly people and perceivers are more spontaneous and carefree.
So, what does all of this have to do with self-esteem or purpose or work? Much! If you have no real understanding of your personality traits, you may be working in a job that is opposite to who you are as a person. If you are an extrovert and a feeler, and you are working as an accountant behind a desk where you don't get to make creative decisions, you are probably miserable.
Conversely, if you are an introvert who is forced to make presentations and interact with others all day, this can be torture to you. To make matters worse, because you are unhappy in your work, your self-esteem suffers.
Understanding more about your intricacies, quirks, desires, and innate gifts can help you make career and vocation decisions that work in harmony with your dharma, not against it. In turn, you feel better about who you are and what you are contributing to the world.
