“You thrive in your career when you thrive with yourself.” – Caroline Ghosn

Of all the activities that occupy our time, our job is most likely at the top of that list – that’s why many forms ask for ‘Occupation’ in the work or job section. It’s so easy for us to start building our lives around what we do, rather than who we are.

It’s a small change that happens early on in our life and is often shaped in our secondary and tertiary schooling as we identify with the tasks we excel in, and it greatly affects our ability to thrive later on in life.

We experience this most when things go wrong. It could be a string of frustrations at work, or it could be as inimical as retrenchment or the failure of your own business. When your identity has been interwoven with your career, this can be devastating and seemingly impossible to overcome.

But the truth is this: you are more than your day job.

Even when your job ceases to exist, or takes a turn south; you still exist, you still have value and you still have the power over your choices. This is what makes you so much more than your occupation alone. Your job is merely one way (in a myriad) to express who you are and the value that you bring to those around you.

Whilst a tragic event can force us to change our perspective, wisdom and reflection can also help us change our perspective and take steps into bigger and fuller opportunities.

When we can see that our jobs are part of who we are, and not the other way around, we immediately regain our power to make better decisions and remain positive when others begin to feel drained, under appreciated and dissatisfied.

If you want to choose to thrive in your career, then choosing to thrive within yourself first is where you need to focus. It’s much easier to relax and have peace of mind in our what we’re doing when we are able to thrive in ourselves first.