Three Questions That Will Guide You Towards The Right Job

Even though your goal may be financial freedom, the journey to get there is going to involve some sort of work career. Find the right job, mix with frugality, avoid big mistakes, and you’ll be golden. But how do you find that right job?

I’ve previously shared this Venn diagram by Bud Caddell:

I also just ran across essentially the same concept but explained eloquently with words by author Jim Collins (via Farnam Street):

1) What are you deeply passionate about?
2) What are you are genetically encoded for — what activities do you feel just “made to do”?
3) What makes economic sense — what can you make a living at?

Those fortunate enough to find or create a practical intersection of the three circles have the basis for a great work life.

Think of the three circles as a personal guidance mechanism. As you navigate the twists and turns of a chaotic world, it acts like a compass. Am I on target? Do I need to adjust left, up, down, right? If you make an inventory of your activities today, what percentage of your time falls outside the three circles?

It can be very hard to find the intersection of all three, and no job will feel like that every day. But they aren’t yes or no questions. Instead, use these three factors as a guide to see if and how you are drifting away from your ideal job.

You might be doing something that you are good at, but you don’t really like. But is it simply unchallenging or does it eat away at your soul?

You might be doing something that makes good money, but you dread going to work every day. But can you change any of the offending aspects? (Switch managers, switch cities, switch departments?)

You may be doing something you’re passionate about, but nobody will pay you enough money to do it. Some people are okay with working forever and just getting by, given the right job. Others (like me) need the financial freedom as well.

If are too far from center, you are spending your days wasting your limited time and energy. Stop. Make a change. Live consciously. These days jumping from job to job no longer assumed to be negative. It may take a while, but repeatedly asking yourself these questions will hopefully keep your career moves in the right direction.