One of my great privileges as a Christian life story coach is to walk alongside people as they discern and decide which paths to pursue regarding their daily work. Approaching these decisions is easier when we understand that in our redeemed state, we have “jobs” to do: “God’s ambassadors,” “ministers of reconciliation,” and “disciple-makers” among them. The Bible tells us we are teeming with meaning, shimmering with the glory of the Creator who made us just so.
With that knowledge as a background, we can dive into some practical ways to determine directions for our particular work. Here are 5 ideas to help you figure out what work you might do.
- Explore your story. Consider your personality (there are many online inventories for this), the roles you enjoy performing, your passions, values, history, gifts, and broken places.
- Draw your dream. Even if you’re not an artist, this exercise can bring more clarity to your vision. Drawing or painting opens your imagination to new possibilities and gives you a picture of where you want to go. Don’t worry about perfect representation — stick figures and icons will suffice. Try doing a 2 year, 5 year, and 10 year dream. (If you really don’t want to draw, consider writing a fictionalized story).
I drew two of the things I do: coaching and writing, to get a better sense of why I do them. As you can see, drawing is not my strong point!
- Make lists. If you have several different fields you are considering, list the costs or challenges against the benefits or joys of each. List places you might want to work, including cities or areas of the country. List the type of people you’d like to work with. The possibilities for lists are endless.
- Do the research. If you think you’d be interested in owning a bakery, interview some bakery owners and ask questions about what it took to start their business. If you are interested in a particular job, like wildlife conservation, find out what education you need to have to do that. Search online for ways to get the education or certification you need to do the work.
- Pray and read Scripture. (This comes near the end because it should weave through everything). Not only does prayer acknowledge that God is sovereign over this process, it also helps you to see more clearly. Write out verses that encourage you or make you curious. Pray before you interview someone for research. Write a prayer about your “dream drawings.”
- Talk with others. Ask friends and family for insights; even those you differ with may see something you don’t. Sometimes it can be helpful to work with a career counselor or a life coach who will partner with you to brainstorm, observe, ask helpful questions, and keep you on track.
These are just a few ideas to get you started. I’d love to hear from you…
- What other tools have you used to discern what work you might do?
- Have you tried any of the suggestions listed, or are there any you’d like to try? If you’d like to try one, mark a date on your calendar for working on it and a date to be finished and ask a friend to check with you.
