Perhaps you found it difficult to determine which values the preceding jobs would not satisfy. There are several possible explanations, if you did. First of all, we generally look only at the rewards (financial and emotional) a given career has to offer. Personal and spiritual sacrifices are seldom mentioned, if they are even perceived. Also, some sacrifices don’t become immediately apparent. In some cases, they may not appear at all. Anything from your individual employer to the economic situation of the world can affect the way you feel about your job.
As a result, many people end up in careers they’ve trained for, but that don’t satisfy all their values. What can you do about that? Well, you can always change jobs, but sometimes there are powerful reasons to stay put. For example, a college professor who has invested many years in education may well hesitate before chucking it all to become a dancer just because teaching doesn’t satisfy her creative side. Sometimes the job market is so bleak that anyone with any kind of job feels lucky. Or, if you have three children to support, you may have to pass on what could be your last chance to play minor league baseball because the wage is minimal.
Does that mean you’re doomed to a lifetime of misery or, at best, of vague dissatisfaction? Not at all. Work may represent a sizable chunk of your life, but it has no claim on your free time. Many people have found after-hours activities to fill in and make amends for those things that are lacking from 9 to 5.
Daniel is a garbage hauler. His top values are security and power. The job pays well, and it is certainly secure. (“One thing we know for sure,” his boss is fond of saying, “there will always be garbage.”) But power? Not much evidence of that. One day while Daniel was teaching his daughter how to throw a fastball, a neighbor stopped by, watched a while, and suggested that Daniel might make a good Little League coach. He knew of a team that needed one. Daniel said, “Why not,” and he’s been having a great time leading his team to glory ever since.