Align Your Purpose and Personal Values For Career Prosperity

The Fisherman's Tale is one of my favorite stories about career development and the need to have a strategic plan for your career. Whether you are familiar with the tale or not, take a couple of minutes to watch this adaptation of the tale developed by Dr. Mark Albion (Read his bio and explore his site for some more interesting ideas). While you watch this video, pay attention to how you respond to it. Are you agree with it? Disagreeing? Do you see yourself or someone you know?

So, how did you respond to watching this video?

Personally, I reminds me to continually question my career plan and look for how I can incorporate my passions and "end goal" right now. Our society and education system has prepared a standard path to success that worked ok until the 1970's with the economic upheaval of that time. That career model is still believed by many today even though it's becoming less and less relevant.

The story illustrates the importance of developing a strategic career plan. We are often so busy climbing the corporate ladder, chasing the next deal, or doing what we were told that we haven't bothered to ask ourselves: "Am I going in the right direction?" Or perhaps if you've been in the workforce a while, "I'm doing what I wanted to do when I was in my twenties, but is the really what I still want to do?"

The way you start to figure this out is to start with knowing and understanding you personal values, purpose, mission and vision. Once you understand these, like the fisherman in the story, you can align your your work with the rest of your life. You won't get distracted by the latest and greatest challenge or opportunity. You will be able to confidently know and say that you are doing the right thing when someone offers you an opportunity. You will know if it is what you really want to do or if it's a distraction. You will achive greater work life balance.

Where in your life and your career are you like the the fisherman? Where do you wish you could be? A career coach can help you get there faster.