Two basic needs for a joyous career

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There is a hierarchy of needs, especially through our work! Since we spend so much time within our vocation and career, it becomes part of our identity.

So, I have always felt these two requisites needed to be present for us to fully enjoy our career.

Money is indeed closest to oxygen in terms of survival, but too often we move positions or careers ONLY focused on financial, whereas we need to look at these two factors for overall fulfillment.

Here are the two needs  

1. Your office

2. Your co-workers, teammates

1. Your office needs to be a place where enjoy going and being a part of. You need to have a certain level of confidence in your work in that you’re good at what you do. The joy isn’t always found in what you accomplish if you don’t like showing up!

   The other part of enjoying your office needs to be rooted in autonomy. Namely, that you are empowered. You are in control of your own performance. You are able to make mistakes, recover, and also own your successes. The autonomy must reach a level that there isn’t someone or something micromanaging your every move.

2. Your co-workers/teammates are essential. When you have people that have your back, want you to succeed, and take care of each other, then you have a team. When communication is strong and based on trust, then real progress occurs. When we feel appreciated by others on our team, we are more productive, resilient, and confident as a result. And it shows in our production as well.

   However, if there is infighting, everyone is out for themselves, and recognition is scarce, then our hearts and minds can get hardened. The relatedness amongst teammates can be distilled into one sentence, “you are part of something bigger than yourself.”

These are simple, but not easy basic needs for a joyous career. Some of these two basic needs are within your control, and some of them are not. We can’t know where the bodies are buried when it relates to the environment and culture until we are immersed in it.

What I do know is that these two needs are essential for a joyful career. And then, no matter the circumstances, we all have to do our best with what we have and where we are. Does your current position contain these two elements for a joyful career?