Five reasons why your career is not everything

Many people associate self-worth with their job. Blame it on society or ego; jobs are something that identities are tied to. It’s like proof that somehow we have made it and accepted this secret club of respectable people. Our career is a beautiful thing, but if it’s all that is left of us, that’s where it becomes detrimental. If we lose it, then we are a nobody. This is far from the truth and is something that you should not allow yourself to believe. Deep down, careers don’t define us because the only approval we need is of our own.

If you relate to this, here are five reasons why your career is not everything:

A good job is not equal to success.

Success is different for every person, and it can take many forms. To tie it to a job is viewing things in a narrow sense. An individual should assess his own meaning to success and what constitutes it. Whatever that will look like is up to the person. But ultimately, success is a feeling. Are you at peace? Happy? Contented? Healthy? Fulfilled?

Your truths and your values define you.

A sad fact in society is that others judge us through our profession. We must rise above this and not mind. Our worth is in because we exist. We should practice the regard that every life holds value regardless of what they do or don’t do. Through this, it makes it easier for us to believe that about ourselves, too, all the while cultivating passions, morals, and quality relationships. These build our character more than anything and make us well-rounded individuals.

Jobs are transient.

You don’t know what life will bring down the line. Certain happenings will change the course of our lives, closing or opening opportunities. Aspects in our life will change, and you will change with it too. Ride with the waves and don’t cling to this idea of you. Love and respect yourself enough that you can quickly exit any door that doesn’t serve you well.

Jobs are something you do, not an identity.

We juggle many roles in our lives, such as being a friend, sports enthusiasts, parents, sons, and artists. They are equally as important and need as much work too. Especially if you are one of those who hate their job, anything you admire is a part of you. Our jobs bring food to the table, but our personal inclinations are what will keep us going.

You are remembered by the way you made others feel, not by your job.

The one that resonates more with others is personality and not the position you have in a company. At the end of the day, people will treat you based on how you treat them. The nature of your job will pop up in conversations once in a while, but the right people wouldn’t care more or less about that. Giving and receiving love is one of the most significant factors for our happiness. Help and inspire others to have meaning outside of work.