What do you want to be when you grow up?

A common question we were asked as children is: What do you want to be? It is not what will you do.

Much emphasis is placed on what we do as a reflection of who we are from a young age. And what we want to be when we're 7 or 8 years old versus what we actually do by the time we enter the work force sometimes has little in common.

I wonder just how many "would be" astronauts and ballerinas are sitting behind desks crunching numbers or manipulating data because they followed a logical direction rather than pursuing idealistic aspirations.

Many of the people I work with started their careers by entering a family business simply because it was expected of them with no real consideration for their real interest or talent.

Still others followed only their natural skills and abilities or the advice of others.

While there are only so many astronaut and ballerina employment opportunities to go around, it is possible for anyone to identify and pursue work that is personally fulfilling.

Exploring the true desires, motivators and interests, intrinsic values and an individual's sense of real life purpose often exposes just how much personal fulfillment can be missing from their daily work.

But combining these factors with a person's natural skills and abilities, experience, education and knowledge and then filtering all of this information through "reality" can help to identify realistic career opportunities that would provide more personal satisfaction.

Imagine being so interested and content in your job that time seems to pass without notice. Imagine doing work so rewarding you'd do it for free, if you could.

Discovering or rediscovering a true calling and pursuing more personally fulfilling work is a thoughtful process that requires a true commitment. It's a process that, if followed through, can provide life-changing results.

There are many excellent books on this, including "Soulwork" by Deborah P. Bloch and "How to Choose a Career Now That You're All Grown Up" by Anna Mae Walsh Burke, just to name two.

Career coaching is another, more ongoing and interactive approach. A coach helps guide a person through the process using a combination of open-ended questions and other techniques to provide the job search assistance to help pursue the career targets that are identified.

For information on career coaching services, visit www.specializedstaffinginc.com and click on "individual career coaching". Or call 724-287-8380.

This article was submitted by Specialized Staffing.