There are three levels we can reach in our work lives. Whether you are an orthodontist, a team member, or in any other profession, how we approach our work every day can make a big difference in our lives.
A Job
Most people like to have a job—something to earn a living and a source of income. It’s ultimately a very basic approach to the work we do. When you have a J-O-B, we are at the lowest level of regard to our work. It is often like perceiving life in survival mode. Basic sustenance, breathing, and staying vertical keeps you employed. People who regard their work as a job are looking for the next best thing and are often unfulfilled in their daily toil.
A Career
Finding a career gives us another layer of meaning. Someone who works towards an occupation has a larger goal in mind and follows a track that brings much more fulfillment than the basic sustenance of work. A career is what many professionals look to accomplish as we put effort into our studies and our daily work. It often has a beginning, middle, and end. Career-minded professionals ofter look towards achievement and then retirement.
A Calling
The third and highest level of work we can look towards is finding a calling. A job gives you work that pays a salary. A career offers a path of achievement. A calling propels your work into something that provides you with meaning and purpose. People who find orthodontics to be a calling are at the intersection of what they do and who they are. There is a higher level of happiness since there is a greater degree of passion in your work. It is work where you can think, give and serve beyond yourself.
Most of us can find a job. A fortunate few can find a career we like and excel in. It is a special group of individuals who can find a calling in the work they commit to doing.
