FINDING PURPOSE THROUGH PASSION
You arrive at work tired from a sleepless night you spent worrying. You spent the entire night going over that offer, your proposal to a new client or how you’re going to ask for a well-deserved raise. When you get into the office, you notice 100 new emails, and it’s not even 8:00 am! The mere thought of sifting through them gives you anxiety and adds to your mounting stress. You haven’t seen the inside of a gym in months, despite your good intentions to get there, just once this week.
Your mind wanders at the thought of cashing in your vacation days or what it might be like to have a job you actually love.
It’s barely 8 a.m. and you’re already overwhelmed.
Sound familiar?
You might be suffering from what I call work burnout.
I see it all the time with real estate agents and other professionals.
It arises when our fears about job security and money overtake our passion and purpose. Driven by angst about not having enough, it becomes our life’s mission to pursue wealth, even when we’re not passionate about what gets us there. We work more, play less and neglect the very reason we strive for success in the first place: to experience joy in life.
When day-to-day actions and reactions stem from FEAR (false evidence appearing real) and from focusing on all the things we don’t want in life, it not only has a negative impact on the body, but also creates a division between the mind and soul. It disrupts our balance, saps creativity and energy, and impedes the pursuit of personal passions. It also affects productivity, morale and even how we interact with each other—and in the process, robs us of time and happiness. When you operate from fear, those worries eclipse the joy of working.
As the CEO of the third largest residential real estate company in the country, I see this firsthand. It’s challenging to keep agents motivated beyond money, but like all business, real estate is a relational business. So I spend a lot of time talking to people—face to face, helping them to remember what got them into the field in the first place. Helping them develop a better perspective allows them to hit the reset button whenever needed.
In the trenches of the corporate world, it’s hard to see past where you are. If you’re suffering from burnout, ask yourself what your innate talents are, what are you passionate about that gives you purpose? Don’t allow your fears to hold you back from finding your purpose. Oprah Winfrey understands this. She says, “I’ve come to believe that each of us has personal calling that’s as unique as a finger print. And that the best way to success is to discover what you love and then find a way to offer it to others in the form of service, working hard, and also allowing the energy of the universe to lead you.”
