When Callings Are Calling
When Callings Are Calling: Crafting Work and Leisure in Pursuit of Unanswered Occupational Callings
The average American changes jobs 10 times between the ages of 18 and 42 and similar trends are occurring in Europe.
Traditional career paths are quickly becoming a thing of the past and people are expect more than financial rewards and promotions.
Individuals often seek occupations that will provide fulfilment of core personal values, meaning and purpose, self- and opportunities to help others.
A calling -> an occupation that an individual
1. Feels drawn to pursue,
2. Expects to be intrinsically enjoyable and meaningful
3. Sees as a central part of his or her identity
Experiencing work as a calling -> psychological benefits, including increased life, health, and job satisfaction
Feeling unable to pursue a calling -> undermines psychological wellbeing by producing a high degree of frustration, disappointment and regret -> may hinder job performance.
Members of Generations X and Y were raised to believe that “you can be anything you want to be” and so many individuals experience callings that are not part of their chosen occupations.
Sociologists used “calling” along with “job” and “career” to describe three different orientations that Americans hold toward their work.
Those with a job orientation see their work as a means to an end. Work is a way to pay for necessities, support their families, and maximize their leisure time.
Those who view their work as a career primarily see work as a pathway to achievement and prestige. They are principally motivated by the challenge of work and the option of status enhancement.
When individuals hold job and career orientations, their identities tend not to fully overlap with their occupations; they view work as a separate entity from the rest of life.
When individuals hold calling orientations, however, their identities and occupations are inseparably linked. Those with a calling orientation infuse their
The average American changes jobs 10 times between the ages of 18 and 42 and similar trends are occurring in Europe.
Traditional career paths are quickly becoming a thing of the past and people are expect more than financial rewards and promotions.
Individuals often seek occupations that will provide fulfilment of core personal values, meaning and purpose, self- and opportunities to help others.
A calling -> an occupation that an individual
1. Feels drawn to pursue,
2. Expects to be intrinsically enjoyable and meaningful
3. Sees as a central part of his or her identity
Experiencing work as a calling -> psychological benefits, including increased life, health, and job satisfaction
Feeling unable to pursue a calling -> undermines psychological wellbeing by producing a high degree of frustration, disappointment and regret -> may hinder job performance.
Members of Generations X and Y were raised to believe that “you can be anything you want to be” and so many individuals experience callings that are not part of their chosen occupations.
Sociologists used “calling” along with “job” and “career” to describe three different orientations that Americans hold toward their work.
Those with a job orientation see their work as a means to an end. Work is a way to pay for necessities, support their families, and maximize their leisure time.
Those who view their work as a career primarily see work as a pathway to achievement and prestige. They are principally motivated by the challenge of work and the option of status enhancement.
When individuals hold job and career orientations, their identities tend not to fully overlap with their occupations; they view work as a separate entity from the rest of life.
When individuals hold calling orientations, however, their identities and occupations are inseparably linked. Those with a calling orientation infuse their