CAREER DREAMS

Relentless blogger and author of Atomic Habits, James Clear has these questions for those who are looking to start a career or change jobs:

• What career would you realistically pursue if you wanted the most money?

• What career would you realistically pursue if you wanted the biggest impact?

• What career would you realistically pursue if you wanted to have the most fun?

• What career offers the best mix?

Those are three interesting lenses through which to consider a career choice. 

The qualifying word "realistically" needs to be given careful consideration; skills and personality traits will definitely narrow the scope of possibilities for each individual. 

But Clear's questions got me thinking about my own career choices. In my case, impact and enjoyment have always played much larger roles than making money. But as I grow older, I am starting to question the wisdom of my tendency always to downplay and even neglect questions of income! 

Don't get me wrong. I can't complain - I and my family have never been destitute. Far from it. God has always provided what we need (sometimes quite miraculously) and I have no reason to doubt that He will continue to do so. And I would not trade our years in Haiti for the income we sacrificed to do it. We have no regrets.   

Still, if I were able to make some extra money some day, I have two dreams - and neither involves a bigger house or a slicker car: 

1) Taking my wife and kids on a 2 or 3 week vacation to Europe. (Before the kids all scatter for good. Or they start finding spouses and having their own kids - which is only going to raise the price of the trip. 😉)

2) Being asked to make a donation toward some Kingdom cause and being able to pull out my checkbook and ask, "Would $10,000 suffice or do you need more?"