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Will Work For…

Many people have difficulty finding harmony between their work and emotional fulfillment. I recently came across a sign in a magazine that read “will work for six figures, fulfillment, and world peace.” I will spare you the hypocrisy and admit that if I could have all of those things at the same time, I will gladly take them. However, I am a realist enough to know that I can’t. Seeing the sign made me reconsider my priorities, career and personal choices. Which would I choose if I had only one option? I will also spare you the political and sanctimonious rant about why I believe world peace is not completely possible, but I will scratch that off my list. Experience and life are wonderful teachers that taught me that money cannot buy happiness. Therefore, I will scratch six figures off my list as well.

At this stage in life, I can honestly say that I really do just want to work for fulfillment.  Unfortunately the nonprofit sector is notorious for not being lucrative, so I may have no choice but to settle for fulfillment anyway. This may be the only time that I argue that settling is not such a bad thing after all. The fulfillment I get from working with nonprofits is a good conscience that comes from knowing I did not have to sell my soul to get to where I am. My fulfillment is in seeing my clients relieved because their organizational goals are met, or because they finally understand their worth as individuals.

There comes a time when, after much introspection, we must all answer the million dollar question, “what’s driving you?” While it might be a daunting question to attempt to answer, the power of exploring this is that it allows you to take a leap of faith that others will not. My question to you today is what’s driving you? If you could only work for one reason, what would that reason be?

Interested in writing for our Guest Blogger series? Email us at info@perkconsulting.net

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Andrena Sawyer is the President and CEO of P.E.R.K. Consulting. In addition to her work with nonprofits and start-ups, she leads workshops on personal and professional development for women across the country. Much of her content can be found in her eBook, The Other Side of Assertiveness.