Is it a job... a career... or a calling?

By Jodie Nevid

I’m half way through the book Flourish by Martin Seligman and if you have an interest in positive psychology, well-being and happiness then you should grab a copy. It’s filled with research and case studies on the benefits of positive psychology as well as plenty of practical step-by-step actions and activities you can complete to increase well-being. It’s like having a paperback therapist on the bedside table!

On page 75 Seligman talks about his calling to positive psychology and shares the differentiators used in sociology to distinguish between a job, a career and a calling.

• A job is for the money – if the money stopped so would you
• A career is about promotion and moving up the ranks – when you reach the top you leave or “become a time-serving husk.”
• A calling is like a mission – you’d do it anyway regardless of the cash or corporate climb. It’s like an intrinsic pull toward a greater purpose.

The difference between the three is interesting to consider, because what we believe we have impacts how we show up each day!

I have had roles as an employee and as a business owner when I have fluctuated between all three in the very same role. When I was a potter and I sat at my wheel making drums – I felt so connected to a purpose I would often look around my studio and think "wow I cant believe this is what I get paid to do" – my work felt like a calling. There were also days tough times when the drum business struggled for cash and I felt like all I had was a really demanding job with long hours and shocking pay! My belief about my role, the degree to which I was using my natural strengths and my alignment with the big picture, or vision and mission is really what made the difference.

If we believe what we're doing has a greater purpose and we access our natural strengths to achievie that purpose we can experience engagement like we truly are pursuing a calling. On the flip side the “just a job” mindset can leave us feeling like the only thing calling is 5.00pm Friday.

If I find myself in a “It’s just a job” mindset I know I need to change, I can’t stay motivated in that frame of mind. When you find a way to do what you love energy and happiness will find you.

Here’s 3 tips to get you out of the “its just a job” head space:

1. Establish a personal vision and mission and connect it to the organisations
2. Get clear on your values and strengths and apply where ever possible
3. Think of your job as training you get paid for. There is bound to be some growth opportunities and skills you can acquire – take the lead on your own personal growth.

The pursuit of a calling might not be for everyone, however changing the way we think has a dramatic impact on how we show up. If you can’t flip your thinking and want to get past the “it’s just a job” mindset then perhaps your calling is somewhere else!

Wake Up Snow White!

By Jodie Nevid

Once upon a time… (May 2009) I was in a slump, a failed business, a broken heart, and countless shattered dreams. All my energy was going into working hard and playing hard at the expense of my family, my health, my personal goals, and my home enviroment.

Then one day I heard about this thing called “Snow White Syndrome” (a concept from Martyn Newman's book Emotional Capitalist). He suggests that because we are raised on Fairy Tales and Super Heros we often adopt a type of learned helplessness as adults - we bite the poison apple (grown up life) and we wait... for things to change, to settle down, or as in my case for Prince Charming to come along!!!

As soon as I heard about it I knew I had a chronic case - I had literally put my life on hold - waiting Mr Wonderful. Don't get me wrong - on the surface life was good; I had a great job, fantastic income, amazing friends and the best family you could ask for. However beheath the surface things were not quite right and there was certinaly some areas of my life that I was avoiding altoghter.

So what if he doesnt come!?! Wholly cr*p!!

This was my wake up call - and seriously the cure was that easy - well almost.

It's a two step process:

Step 1 - get real admit you are waiting

Step 2 - stop waiting and decide to start doing!

I wanted an amazing life and I wanted it now, not when, or if I met a guy. I wanted to take my son to Disneyland, I wanted Easter in Thailand with my friends, I wanted a whole month in Italy by myself to explore art and culture and history. I wanted to buy investment properties again, to build my own business, quit smoking, get fit, learn yoga and meditation and so the list went on.

So in May 2009 when I finally woke up I contacted a group of friends and invited them to join a goals club with me. We would meet once a month and each set goals to get us closer to a life we loved completely. That's how The 7 Effect began… and I'm please to say that since then every one of my wants above are now haves (or dones) and every month I challenge myself and the goals club members with bigger, scarier and more audacious goals.  Together we continue to set goals and make life plans to live happily ever after!

Growing Up on the Shoulders of Giants!

By Jodie Nevid

I look back on my childhood with such gratittude. I was surrounded by love, adventure and a sense of abundance. My grandparents were business owners both sides so I grew up seeing first hand just how grand life can be when you follow your dreams and own your destiny.

Mums dad, my Papa (pictured) was a hero of mine. I say "was" because we lost him in 2010 to cancer. When he was here he taught me so much, he was a living example of what you can achieve in life if you're prepared to take risks, live on the edge of your comfort zone and walk in the opposite direction to the heard.

Papa gave me eyes that saw the world as one big business opportunity, a priceless gift for a young girl growing up and one I will be forever grateful for. Those eyes that gave me the courage to cut my teeth in business and launch into a retail space at an early age. Start the business and do the "course" later was my approach, as it turns out the business was the course - the best type of learning you can get. Every business or job continues to add a new module to the path of life long learning. 

Papa always said "don’t get a job working for someone else, create your own job". So when my first true love – clay (as in the mud stuff) and my obsession with tribal art collided I became a drum maker. I mean seriously… What else would a tone-deaf, musically illiterate, barely competent potter do?!

This unlikely niche eventually had us shipping hand made products across the globe and "living the life of Riely". This amazing chapter ended in 2009 when life turned upside down for a bit and I shut down my business. I had to go and get a ‘real job’ for the first time... age 30 something. Amazingly I managed to land a fabulous job "meant to be" kind of job... first interview.... hired that day! 

Sometimes I think wow I'm soooo lucky, maybe life is a just a series of flukes and coincidences. I was indeed lucky to be born into my family, I feel like I literally grew up on the shoulders of giants. My family gave me eyes that could see possibility and enough self belief  to pursue that possibility. I heard a saying the other day “seeing is not believing, if you don’t believe you wont see, you must first believe then your eyes will be open to see.”

What a great thought – I think it was Bob Proctor who said it. I'm pretty sure Papa had a few of Bob Proctor's books in his book shelf!

Amy's Story

By Amy Moffatt

Well where do I start!

I think I will start with my journey so far with The 7 Effect, or as it started with the Make It Happen Group! I had had a very tough few months – the passing of my father and a 7-year relationship had come to an end (there’s that number 7 again!).

I was very excited to get together with a like-minded group of women to meet monthly and set some goals with a view to invest as a group down the track. It was great, with some major goals reached for me personally, unfortunately with commitments mounting outside of the group for everyone and personal time at a premium I decided to move on.

However in meeting with Jodie and discussing the business idea of a personal development program I decided I was back in! As such The 7 Effect with Jodie and myself is in progress! I have grown so much in the past 5 years after a pretty hectic personal time that I really enjoy being a part of helping people achieve their own personal goals which also motivates me to strive and reach my own goals, so that is what we now aim to achieve. The 7 Effect helps others (and ourselves) to design the life we want – lets be honest no one is going to come along and wave that magic wand and do it for us.

A major step for me in 2013 was to close my business and move on also from my full time role in a professional training and development company.  Giving me some time to work out what I really want to do – focus on The 7 Effect and undertake further studies, whilst looking for work that would allow this to happen.

So as it stands I have accepted a role with an events and conference company that is allowing me to do all of the above – who would have thought that there was a business out there that was happy with that!  I must admit I didn’t think so and had to stretch my comfort zone to discuss my personal goals and vision and just see how it played out!  As you can imagine I was very excited and happy!  

So now the work begins!   We are developing our business brand and building our tribe – I am personally excited about learning how to create and develop our website which is very interesting, and it really is true – anyone can do it! I want to not let anything hold me back, set some big hairy audacious goals for myself and achieve them and become financially independent!

With that in mind my overriding goals (the things that keep me motivated) are:

• To become financially independent
• To learn new skills
• To create wealth
• To contribute to the community
• To find love
• To develop my passion for developing others
• To live a happy, healthy and fun life!

The future is exciting and I am looking forward to more updates and stories and sharing more about myself with you and how The 7 Effect is progressing along the way!