What Is “It?” The Question We Keep Asking
Everything looks and feels pretty good, but why do I have this nagging sense that I am supposed to be doing something else?
Recently, I heard a speaker talk about being “called to do a certain type of work.” She said if something is meant to be” it will keep showing up until we cannot ignore it anymore.
**Karen, a friend of mine had been working in her chosen profession of healthcare since she was a teenager. She loved what she did, worked in excellent organizations and had intelligent colleagues. She heard others say, ”this job is my calling.” She was puzzled that she never had that experience.
Karen was in a job for many years that she loved but felt that there was something else meant for her to compliment her current role. Karen and her business coach agreed several years ago that she should start her own business. Her coach said, “I don’t think this is it, but it seems like a place you are suited for at this time.” Karen remained puzzled but went for it with enthusiasm, taking courses, reading business books and continued business building with her coach.
She started to get referrals and opportunities but never felt excited. Sometimes she loved to hustle for business. However, once the business arrived, she found herself lacking in enthusiasm. She continued to have a knawing sensation that she couldn’t shake.
As time went on, several issues were showing up, leading her to start to look at all the pieces and how they were coming together. Karen had always been sensitive and observant of the challenges of men of color and their barriers to getting stable employment. Men of color were overrepresented in certain areas of the economy and missing in more labor and business settings.
Around the same time, Karen benefited from some family property that had been sold, and she now had a financial cushion for this passion project. She knew the timing of this was no coincidence. She also had many years in her profession and built strong contacts in business, labor and not-for-profit. She loves her current job but feels ready to take on this project. She plans to learn everything she can. She also wants to connect with her religious community and a local not-for-profit that helps men of color.
Do you have a passion? A calling? A desire? Let’s get a dialogue going.
Kay Gimmestad, LCSW-C is a business coach and clinician in New York City with 20 years of experience working in the profit and not for profit sectors of Human Resources, Health and Human Services. She has built a reputation for being highly skilled in facilitating behavior change while working with employees, both individually and in groups, on matters relating to performance management, substance abuse, crisis intervention, and stress/wellness.
