Falling in Love... With Your Job?

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  • You spend more of your awake life with your job than you do with your friends, family and loved ones- so shouldn't you be in love with your job too?

    Last year, I wrote about my first job in college and how I was able to "love the work you're with." This year, I turned to leaders from the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world's most promising young entrepreneurs. I asked them, "How did you fall in love with your job? How does one fall in love with their job or company?"

    These are the highlights they shared!

     

     1. Take a Look at the People Around You

    The best way to fall in love with your job is to fall in love with the people around you. Many people who stay at jobs for years not because they love the work but because they couldn't imagine their lives without their team. Falling in love with those around you is a huge factor in your overall happiness, productivity, and willingness to stay through good times and bad.

    - Kim Kaupe, Co-Founder, ZinePak

    2. Live in Alignment With Your Values

    When I didn't know my values, I became a desperate version of myself while chasing the success I was after. When that blew up in my face, I had to uncover the language of what I stood for. My primary two values now are love and brilliance. They are my compass. And living in alignment with these values, especially when it is inconvenient, has been the key to loving my life.

    - Corey Blake, Founder and CEO, Round Table Companies

    3. Go to the Intersection of Passion and Need

    When you find a job that fulfills your passions and supplies an answer to a market's greatest need, you'll fall in love with your job and/or company. Doing something good for others and following a passion will turn any job into a dream job. When you can match your strengths and interests with a passion for doing good for others, you've created the ideal position.

    - Nicole Munoz, Founder, CEO, Start Ranking Now

    4. Become Self-Aware

    There are a certain set of elements that need to be taken into consideration when finding your passion. The first step is self-awareness. What do you value? Figure out what you enjoy about your job or company and align those things with your day-to-day tasks. If you are stuck doing the same monotonous tasks every day, try to challenge yourself with a new goal or task.

    - Maren Hogan, Chief Marketing Brain, Red Branch Media

    5. Define Your Job in a Way That Is Meaningful

    I have to deal with a lot of things I wouldn't wish on anyone. Despite this, I wouldn't change a thing. If you asked someone what my job was, they would give you a very different answer than I would. I connect people with solutions to their problems and there is nothing more satisfying than finding mutually beneficial relationships. I help those around me excel. What's not to love?

    - Douglas Hutchings, CEO, Picasolar

    6. Never Stop Learning

    The best way to develop a love of something is to understand it as completely as you can. Try to learn something new about it every single day, whether that's from books, news or influencers. Know who the experts in your field are and keep up with what they're saying. Their enthusiasm can really rub off on you.

    - Matt Doyle, Vice President, Co-Founder, Excel Builders

    7. Start Your Own Tradition

    After graduating from university, my father gave me an antique Patek Philippe pocket watch. The watch had been passed on from generation to generation in our family. It was a moment of appreciation and respect for me. I wanted to start a tradition of loving work and pass that on to my children. My company originated from this desire.

    - Peter Bonac, President/Owner, Bonac Innovation Corp.

    8. Put in the Hard Work Required

    The act of “falling in love” with something gets too much of a good rap and not enough caution. The lesser-appreciated tip with falling in love with anything is to maintain hard work. Take marriage for example; those who realize that marriage is not about being happy and desperately in love 24/7 but rather, putting in the work during both good times and hard times.

    - Peggy Shell, CEO & Founder, Creative Alignments

    9. Make Sure You Feel Secure

    People feel comfortable enough to enjoy their work when they feel like the foundation of their job is solid. Feeling confident in the success of the company, the stability of their role, the safety to fail, and the security to speak up when unhappy -- these are the necessary ingredients for falling in love with their everyday work.

    - Roger Lee, CEO, Captain401

    10. Align Your Job With Your Purpose

    Being of service to people is one of my highest values. My job allows me to do this. I find that if you are in a job or company that aligns with your highest values, it’s easy to fall in love with what you do. There will be good days and bad days but you will feel supported by the fact that you are doing something that is right for you.

    - Ajit Nawalkha, Founder/CEO, Mindvalley

    11. Make It Your Own

    Ultimately, I fell in love with this job because I made it my own. I conceived the idea, pooled the resources to make it happen, and ultimately have built something of which I’m incredibly proud. I’m passionate about the work we do, I’m proud of our accomplishments, and I’m proud of my team. Those three things make it really easy to love what I do, especially knowing that I built it how I wanted.

    - Justin Lefkovitch, CEO/Founder, Mirrored Media

    12. Focus on the Process

    As a first-time entrepreneur, I didn't focus on the industry or what we were selling. I was passionate about the process of owning a company and growing a brand - I was focused on the job itself. This allowed me to love the position of owner even as our company evolved to different product lines and niches.

    - Ben Camerota, President, MVP Visuals

    Would love to hear YOUR thoughts on how to fall in love with a job or company! Please post in the Comments section below.

  • Dave Kerpen

    About Dave Kerpen

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