The Integral Business Development System

For the past few months, I’ve been thinking and studying a lot about what makes life and work meaningful and rewarding to a person. How does this relate to one’s purpose in life? What happens when one discovers one’s calling? And how does one do it?

I recently renewed my coaching certification. And the 3-day seminar that I attended was on this very topic. It was just the inspiration I needed, not just to do better work with my clients but also to live a better life myself.

For most of us, when we talk about finding our calling in life, we’re really looking for more peace and more “meaning” in our daily lives.

So an important first step is to consider what specifically is disturbing our “peace”.

• How do we feel when we’re at peace?
• And in what ways is it different when we’re not at peace?
• Also, what makes our work and life feel “meaningful” or “meaningless”?

Here’s an example that may help:

When I start a new initiative or project, I’m always very excited about it. I know exactly why it’s meaningful for me to engage in it. I look forward to it. I’m in the “zone”. I’m at peace with my decision, myself and my work.

Then, over time (this may be a few weeks or a few years), the excitement and passion starts to fade. What seemed so meaningful and exciting once becomes a chore.

Clearly, I’m no longer in the “zone”! And at this point, I’m too distressed about how and why my favorite project has degenerated to become a burden, and how to get out of this space, to be at peace with myself or the world.

Of course, this doesn’t happen to me with everything.

But when it does occur, I wonder: What happened? When and how did this shift occur?

Can you relate to this?

Well, to sort through this and find out way back to the “zone”, you must first give yourself the time and space to reflect on and identify some specifics.

Here are some questions to help you with this:

1. In what area(s) of your life is the sense of “meaninglessness”, friction or distress coming from? For instance, is it at work? And if so, is it everything to do with it (the people, the place, your responsibilities, etc.) or are there particular aspects that bother you?
2. What would have to change for you to feel inspired and at peace again? And in what way(s) would these things have to change?
3. When was the last time your life and work felt meaningful to you? When you felt inspired, fully engaged and at peace? What was that situation? And in what ways is the current situation different?

Through your responses to these questions, you’ll begin to find a way out of this space.

For instance, I discovered that for me, the sense of meaninglessness or distress arises when I lose “contact” with people.

In the context of a work related project or initiative, this may show up as diminished interactions with peers, or lack of feedback from clients or customers, and so on.

When this happens, what was once my favorite project can become distressing to me, because I no longer have a good sense of the impact of my contribution to it.

Is my contribution helping the project advance? Is my input helping the others involved with their part in it? Will my contribution to the project serve the ultimate “end users” well?

Once I’ve identified specifics like this, I can begin to work my way out by asking for what I need to “correct” the situation. Such as, ask for specific information or feedback from the others involved in the project, or request to participate in certain types of meetings.

Also, here is a book that may be useful for you:

The On-Purpose Business: Doing More of What You Do Best More Profitably is about how to find and bring meaning to whatever it is you do.

Even though the title refers to “business”, the content applies just as well to “careers”.

I personally like information to be presented in a straight forward manner; not woven into a story or parable (i.e. “just tell me what to do; don’t make me hunt for answers”)! So when I first read this book, I was ready to dismiss it.

Then I realized that I was doing what many of my clients do: I was looking for quick answers, instead of contemplating the real content and questions presented in the book. I had to laugh at myself!

Well, I re-read the book with this approach, and found it very thought-provoking and helpful the second time around. And I’m planning to read it again soon.

So try it out and see how it works for you.