If this resonates with you read on below for how one person found the value of "vocationing" in a post found at:
http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stories/2001/05/14/editorial2.html?page=all
Learning the art of vocationing
Charlotte Business Journal by Angelina Corbet
Date: Monday, May 14, 2001, 12:00am EDT
Master of the Universe -- not! Master of My Domain -- not! Master of Transitions -- you bet! In my 49 years, I have changed jobs 15 times and perhaps, most significantly, changed careers at least 10 times. And now this -- lots of careers at once.
I graduated from college with a major in education and minor in mathematics. When faced with a career choice, I played it safe and pursued a career in teaching mathematics. By the end of my first year in the classroom, I was convinced that I would teach mathematics until the day I died and love every minute of it -- wrong.
Although I basically enjoyed teaching algebra, I ultimately grew somewhat bored, restless and unfulfilled. I decided to explore other possibilities.
I was thrilled at the prospect of reinventing myself with a new career every three to five years. I built lasting relationships with clients and vendors as a means to gain entry into new companies, and provided consulting and pro bono work as a way to learn about new industries. I was shadowing my colleagues on the job as a vehicle to qualify for internal assignments.
Just before my 44th birthday, I was promoted to my dream job, senior vice president at an information technology company servicing the financial markets. But life is strange and six months later, I was sitting in my corner office once again feeling somewhat bored, restless and unfulfilled. What was wrong?
I started a journey to discover me. I wanted to finally create the future I was meant to have -- once and for all. As part of the journey, I looked at myself from every angle; abilities, interests, values and goals to insure that I would have balance. I was sure that I would ultimately discover my true vocation.
It is now five years later, and I have discovered that I have several callings, that I have several purposes on earth and that I want to have more than one vocation. I discovered that no one job encompasses all the important aspects for me. So, I am now pursuing several vocations at once.
Vocationing is the art of pursuing several vocations simultaneously for the purpose of honoring one's gifts and talents in service to others. Vocationing is not about having more than one assignment or project in the same field or industry.
Vocationing is not about needing to have several jobs to earn extra money. Vocationing acknowledges that each of us has many gifts and talents and may want to honor these in a variety of career choices simultaneously in order to bring value to others.
These days, I do what I was meant to do -- lots of different things at once. Although it would appear that this is a frenetic life -- quite the contrary -- my life is wonderfully peaceful. There is a joy and balance in using all my talents, expressing various aspects of my personal style, pursuing several interests and values, and achieving many goals.
I look forward to the next 25 years at this thing called vocationing and hope others will join me in this new career definition.
Angelina Corbet is founder of The Mobius Co. and principal with JPS Consulting. She specializes in personal coaching and can be reached at ascorbet@bellsouth.net.
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