Hello everyone!
This chapter talked about the differences between a vocation, career, and a job. Most people use these words as if they have the same meaning, or a similar meaning, but each one is actually defined differently.
A vocation is what your calling, purpose, mission, and destiny are. This includes everything you want out of life, everything that has meaning and makes a difference. Stephen Covey says, "to live, to love, to learn, and to leave a legacy." That is what a vocation is, it's what you want out of your life, all the things you enjoy and that make an impression on the people around you. This would also be considered God's calling for you. It is your purpose in life, the thing you where meant to love to do. Many people have a hard time finding their calling, when they do and try to achieve it they can do great and amazing things.
A career is your line of work but it doesn't have to fulfill anything. You can have a meaningless job that you hate doing and you are never going to go anywhere with and that's still a career. Career is defined as "to run or move at full speed, rush wildly."" It doesn't mean you will get anywhere it just means you will be working hard. A career has nothing to do with what you like doing, it's just whatever you happen to be doing. A career can also be a job you love, but it doesn't have to be, it's just simply the work that you are doing.
A job is generally, what you do to produce income. It doesn't matter what it is as long as it gives you a paycheck. A job is defined as "a lump portion, a task, chore, or duty." It is simply the work you do to produce money. You will have may have many jobs over your life but they shouldn't get in the way of your vocation or calling. In Hebrew the word, avohah, means both work and worship. To them working their daily jobs and worshiping in the temple had the same meaning. It was all considered service to God. This is why it is best to have a job that is you're calling, it will just make your life so much better and you will be happier and able to do more than you even knew you could do.
Now it's time for questions!
1. In today's rapidly changing work environment, is it realistic to expect a job to provide more than just a paycheck?
There is a good chance that you will get the basic benefits but even that is starting to go away. Right now though you can generally expect benefits from a full time job. Outside of that, you would be lucky to get any more than that.
2. Have you ever had a sense of calling in your life? How did you hear that calling?
This is a tough one for me. I know there are things that I love doing, it's just hard to remember them. There all there it's not that I have forgotten, it's just that they don't come to mind. I would say it's when you find something and you just completely love and enjoy what you're doing. You may hear someone talk about it, read about it, or actually do it.
3. Does God call only a few people?
No, He calls every one, just in different ways. A lot of people only thing pastors and ministers have a calling to do Gods work, but actually, anyone can. It doesn't matter what your job is, it can still be your calling. A persons calling may be a carpenter, a factory worker, a layer, a janitor, or almost anything, If they love what they are doing and it just feels right to them it is there calling.
4. Is it reasonable to expect our work to be part of the fulfillment of our calling?
Yes, It should be part of your calling. Your calling is what you are meant to do in life, so your work should reflect your calling. It doesn't have to directly be your calling but it should go along with it. If you like helping children you could be a teacher, a nurse, a museum guide, or work at a day care. They all will have an effect on children even if the job isn't directly related to them. Your calling is the thing you want to do in life so you should want a job that matches it.
5. Do you currently have a job, a career, or a vocation?
I would say I have a job and a career. I do work and I get paid at the end of the week so that fits as the definition of a job. It's a career because I feel it's going nowhere. It's Just what I do to make some money. I do enjoy they Youth Director job a lot but I wouldn't say it's my vocation. It's closer to it than my other job though.
6. What does success mean for you this year?
I would say finding a better job that I would be able to live off of would be my current goal. I would like to have the ability that I could support myself from the job that I have.
7. Are you where you thought you'd be at this stage of life?
I was hoping I would already be beyond where I am. I was hoping to have a job right out of college and be making some decent money at a job I like doing. That didn't happen so I've been searching with no luck so far, and now I'm here seeing if this book can help.
8. Do you go home at night with a sense of meaning, purpose, and accomplishment?
From Vista I rarely do. The only thing I get out of it is when I can help customers, the rest is rather blah. I do a lot more from the Youth Director job. I like seeing the kids learn and knowing that I helped in the process, but even still I don't feel like it's my purpose in life. I enjoy doing it but it's not my calling.
9. If you want different results next year, what will you change in what you are doing now?
I will have to work harder in looking for a job. The job sites can only do so much, you have to go out and find the jobs yourself and make then want to hire you. If I go for starting a business, I have a lot of learning to do as far as how businesses work and actually deciding on something I want to do.
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