(click here to read a summary of this post)

 

Back when the Gen X’ers populated the job market, the concept of a career ladder was something everyone aspired to.

Conventional wisdom stated that after you graduate from university, you’d be guaranteed a high-paying job somewhere in a well-established organization, work your way up the ladder for forty years and then retire with a gold watch.

But for the millennials, the concept of the career is hardly a ladder.

I’d say it’s more like a game of snakes and ladders.

Unpredictable. Hardly ever straightforward.

Instead of just going one way up, we’re now going up, down, sideways and even diagonally.

And the stigma of ‘job-hopping’ is losing its stigma.

According to LinkedIn’s Inside the Mind of Today’s Candidate report in 2017, 34% of Singaporean professionals don’t intend to stay with their current employers for more than a year.

That’s higher than the global average of 26%.

20% of Singaporeans aren’t sure about whether they want to stay in their existing role.

And 42% are open to hearing about other job opportunities.

If you have a habit of job-hopping yourself, then there is some good news.

Research by specialized recruiter Robert Half reveals that more than half (56%) of Singapore’s CFO’s are open to hiring a candidate who has a history of job-hopping.

What I find ironic is that even though we’re changing jobs all the time, many of us still cling onto the notion of having a ‘steady career’.

That’s fine.

As humans, we’re built with two innate desires: one – to grow and improve ourselves, and the other – to find a place where we feel belong.

The concept of being part of an ‘ideal company’ where we can safely and progressively climb the corporate ladder is attractive because we’d be meeting those two needs.

And what’s wrong with wanting some security?

After all, a ladder helps you go in the direction we want to go – up.

But as I mentioned earlier, it’s never as straightforward as it used to be.

We’re craving for a place where we have an abundance of learning opportunities, surrounded by a supportive team environment with no politics, being closely mentored and doing work that fulfils us deeply while being generously rewarded for our time and ideas.

Is that too much to ask?

The truth is, not all of us will be lucky enough to find that ‘dream organization’ that fulfils 100% of our criteria.

Even the ones who do find themselves striking lottery with their dream job – eventually realize that it’s not all roses and rainbows.

There will always be something to gripe about.

Maybe your favourite manager suddenly resigns and now you have to answer to a much less likeable replacement.

Maybe you get assigned to mentor a fresh recruit who has no initiative whatsoever and it’s driving you nuts.

Maybe you find yourself promoted but have to work with new co-workers who are despicably toxic.

It’s not about finding that right job or career.

It’s about finding the right mindset that will lead you to fulfilment at what you do.

Here’s a perspective to think about:

Choose a Mission, Not a Career

Instead of choosing a career path, choose a mission that energizes you.

There’s no better motivator to inspire you to do meaningful work than being guided by a meaningful life mission.

It’s possible to find work that fulfils you, but you have to first be clear on what mission – should you pursue – would fulfil you.

My mission is to be the best version of myself so that I can help others be the best version of themselves.

Because of this mission, I’ve chosen to take up opportunities that are only directly related to my mission.

Opportunities that allow me to grow in every aspect – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Opportunities that allow me to directly influence the people around me, helping them achieve their potential.

My mission led me to choose peak performance coaching as a vocation. The vocation feels right to me because I know that by pursuing it, I’m living my mission.

What about you? What mission are you on?

What is the mission that if you pursue, will give your work or business meaning?

If your mission is unclear, you can ask yourself the following trigger questions: What problems do I want to solve in the world? What do I want to create? What do I want to change?

Here are some examples:

‘My mission is to give the less fortunate a voice and tell their stories’.

‘My mission is to invent a new business model for social media marketing’.

‘My mission is to make the world a more beautiful place by designing masterpiece posters’.

‘My mission is to spread smiles and laughter in every community I am a part of’.

By having a mission, you don’t just inspire yourself.

You also inspire others to join you on your mission… and possibly give you the opportunities to do meaningful work you’ve always dreamed of doing.

Your mission then becomes the compass that allows you to make the right decisions on which jobs or opportunities to pursue.

You may job hop, play multiple roles or even switch industries.

But as long as you’re on your mission – you know you’re on the right track.

Mission-driven individuals perform much better, enjoy their work more and are much more productive and fulfilled at work.

And trust me…

…no ladders required.

Summary

Instead of choosing a career path, choose a mission that energizes you.

What is the mission that if you pursue, will it give your work or business meaning?

If your mission is unclear, you can ask yourself the following trigger questions:

What problems do I want to solve in the world? 

What do I want to create? 

What do I want to change?

(click here to read a summary of this post)

 

Back when the Gen X’ers populated the job market, the concept of a career ladder was something everyone aspired to.

Conventional wisdom stated that after you graduate from university, you’d be guaranteed a high-paying job somewhere in a well-established organization, work your way up the ladder for forty years and then retire with a gold watch.

But for the millennials, the concept of the career is hardly a ladder.

I’d say it’s more like a game of snakes and ladders.

Unpredictable. Hardly ever straightforward.

Instead of just going one way up, we’re now going up, down, sideways and even diagonally.

And the stigma of ‘job-hopping’ is losing its stigma.

According to LinkedIn’s Inside the Mind of Today’s Candidate report in 2017, 34% of Singaporean professionals don’t intend to stay with their current employers for more than a year.

That’s higher than the global average of 26%.

20% of Singaporeans aren’t sure about whether they want to stay in their existing role.

And 42% are open to hearing about other job opportunities.

If you have a habit of job-hopping yourself, then there is some good news.

Research by specialized recruiter Robert Half reveals that more than half (56%) of Singapore’s CFO’s are open to hiring a candidate who has a history of job-hopping.

What I find ironic is that even though we’re changing jobs all the time, many of us still cling onto the notion of having a ‘steady career’.

That’s fine.

As humans, we’re built with two innate desires: one – to grow and improve ourselves, and the other – to find a place where we feel belong.

The concept of being part of an ‘ideal company’ where we can safely and progressively climb the corporate ladder is attractive because we’d be meeting those two needs.

And what’s wrong with wanting some security?

After all, a ladder helps you go in the direction we want to go – up.

But as I mentioned earlier, it’s never as straightforward as it used to be.

We’re craving for a place where we have an abundance of learning opportunities, surrounded by a supportive team environment with no politics, being closely mentored and doing work that fulfils us deeply while being generously rewarded for our time and ideas.

Is that too much to ask?

The truth is, not all of us will be lucky enough to find that ‘dream organization’ that fulfils 100% of our criteria.

Even the ones who do find themselves striking lottery with their dream job – eventually realize that it’s not all roses and rainbows.

There will always be something to gripe about.

Maybe your favourite manager suddenly resigns and now you have to answer to a much less likeable replacement.

Maybe you get assigned to mentor a fresh recruit who has no initiative whatsoever and it’s driving you nuts.

Maybe you find yourself promoted but have to work with new co-workers who are despicably toxic.

It’s not about finding that right job or career.

It’s about finding the right mindset that will lead you to fulfilment at what you do.

Here’s a perspective to think about:

Choose a Mission, Not a Career

Instead of choosing a career path, choose a mission that energizes you.

There’s no better motivator to inspire you to do meaningful work than being guided by a meaningful life mission.

It’s possible to find work that fulfils you, but you have to first be clear on what mission – should you pursue – would fulfil you.

My mission is to be the best version of myself so that I can help others be the best version of themselves.

Because of this mission, I’ve chosen to take up opportunities that are only directly related to my mission.

Opportunities that allow me to grow in every aspect – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Opportunities that allow me to directly influence the people around me, helping them achieve their potential.

My mission led me to choose peak performance coaching as a vocation. The vocation feels right to me because I know that by pursuing it, I’m living my mission.

What about you? What mission are you on?

What is the mission that if you pursue, will give your work or business meaning?

If your mission is unclear, you can ask yourself the following trigger questions: What problems do I want to solve in the world? What do I want to create? What do I want to change?

Here are some examples:

‘My mission is to give the less fortunate a voice and tell their stories’.

‘My mission is to invent a new business model for social media marketing’.

‘My mission is to make the world a more beautiful place by designing masterpiece posters’.

‘My mission is to spread smiles and laughter in every community I am a part of’.

By having a mission, you don’t just inspire yourself.

You also inspire others to join you on your mission… and possibly give you the opportunities to do meaningful work you’ve always dreamed of doing.

Your mission then becomes the compass that allows you to make the right decisions on which jobs or opportunities to pursue.

You may job hop, play multiple roles or even switch industries.

But as long as you’re on your mission – you know you’re on the right track.

Mission-driven individuals perform much better, enjoy their work more and are much more productive and fulfilled at work.

And trust me…

…no ladders required.

Summary

Instead of choosing a career path, choose a mission that energizes you.

What is the mission that if you pursue, will it give your work or business meaning?

If your mission is unclear, you can ask yourself the following trigger questions:

What problems do I want to solve in the world? 

What do I want to create? 

What do I want to change?