I’m reading this book for class called Live Your Calling and it’s so on point that I wanted to share some of it with you.
The premise of the book is that you have 2 callings in life: your primary calling above everything else is to have a relationship with the God who made you. Your secondary calling is how you live out your relationship with God in everyday life at your job, in your career etc.
But what really got to me was when the book started describing what people look like when they’re living out their calling. It says there are 5 levels of “vocational fit”, which is just a fancy way of saying “how well you’re doing what you were created to do.” And here they are…
Level 1(Just a job work)
At this level, you have a job just to pay the bills and you can’t wait to get out of it. You might be working at a fast food place, pumping gas or bagging groceries. Not that these jobs are bad, they’re just not what you had in mind for your life. You’re only doing them until you have enough money to move on to something better.
Level 2(OK work)
Here you have a job and it’s not bad, but it’s not great. You make a decent amount of money and you’re pretty comfortable with your life. You might not really like your job, but your dissatisfaction isn’t enough to make you want to leave. This is where most people get stuck. The essence of this level is that life could be better, but you’re comfortable enough that it doesn’t really bother you.
Level 3(Enjoyable work)
This is where you actually love what you do. You’ve always loved kids and you find yourself teaching kindergarten or working at a daycare. Or you love writing and now you’re writing columns for the New York Times. You wake up every day looking forward to go to work, will willingly put in overtime for no pay and the worst part of your day is when it’s time to leave. Not many people make it to this level. But even here, after a few years, you start wanting to do more than just something you enjoy and do something that’s meaningful.
Level 4(Meaningful work)
This is where not only are you doing something that you love, but you’re doing something that’s actually making a difference in the world. So not only are you teaching kindergarten kids, but these kids are from at-risk neighborhoods and will be the first in their family to go college. Or you’re a part of a nonprofit organization that provides food and water to developing countries. The point is that not only are you doing something you enjoy, but you’re also giving back and changing the world around you for the better. And who doesn’t want to wake up in the morning feeling like a superhero?
Level 5(Vocational integration)
At this level your work identity and your self-identity have become one. This is where your work becomes an expression of who you are and you’re basically being paid to be yourself. Examples of this include people like Chris Tomlin, J. K. Rowling, Les Brown and Oprah. They’ve found a way to take their God-given gifts and not only use them in ways that get them money, but that change the world.
I don’t know about you, but seeing these levels, where I’m at and where I could be was really inspiring. God created all of us with the potential to be at level 5—not necessarily with the billionaire status, but we all have gifts that God’s entrusted to us. He wants us to use them and the world needs us to use them.
So what gifts has He given you?
Creative 4 Christ 