Today’s guest post comes from Frockstar™ Jess Lively of Business with Intention. Based in Chicago, Jess spends her days working one-on-one with clients, running workshops and blogging about how to live a more simplified and intentional life. When not at hard at work, you’ll find Jess relaxing with her husband and puppy, shopping or hanging out at the local burger joint. Be sure to follow Jess on Facebook and Twitter!
Over the past few days I’ve had three important conversations with friends about various careers paths. Upon reflection, it has occurred to me that I have not shared my views on career life and intentionality.
In a world where people, women especially, face a vast array of career choices, there seems to have risen an equally vast array of judgment and ridicule.
No longer is it assumed that women will stay at home, go to work, have kids, or even get married.
And while we could be celebrating this freedom in our society, it seems that each camp faces ridicule from another.
Stay at home moms feel uncomfortable explaining what they “do” in social settings, corporate women are bombarded with criticism about their maternity leave (or lack of one), and the blogging community seems to overemphasize self-employment.
But the truth is that when it comes to living a life with intention, there is no magic bullet career path for every person.
Every career decision has trade-offs and opportunity costs. And when it comes to designing a life with intention, this is not a problem. Intentionality implies that we have the ability to personally select from a variety of choices the one that best suits our current life and long-term legacy. It does not mean that choosing every answer under the sun will leave us most satisfied.
Removing unfulfilling layers is what creates a high quality life, not adding complication due to unnecessary stress and societal expectations.
There truly is no single “right” answer for every person’s career.
The world does not need more CEO’s, stay at home moms, part-time corporate workers, or self-employed business owners.
The world needs more people operating out of joy, freedom, purpose, and intention with support from the community at large.
My hope is that over time as more and more people start selecting a life worth living, according to their internal compass, the more the world will begin to see that people from all walks of life in all career (and non-career) paths can live with joy, peace, and personal fulfillment.
That is what we are set on this Earth to accomplish. Trying to argue about which career path is best for everyone is futile and missing the point.
We are meant to help others. It doesn’t matter if we are in a board room, a play room, or a school room.
It’s time we start seeking to understand people’s positive and well-meaning goals and motivations and then celebrate their fearless pursuit of those aims.
The rest is just details.