Mrs. Ba Thérèse Mayé Diouf should have been thriving at work as an international civil servant for over twenty years. A brilliant career, an expatriate life, and travel across multiple countries and continents were the defining features of this brave woman’s life. Furthermore, she was well-supported by her husband and children. Who wouldn’t dream of such a life? Yet, she was not happy.
Despite all of this, Mrs. Ba Diouf abruptly halted her career as an international civil servant to dedicate herself to farming. She shared that after her father’s passing, she felt it necessary to stop this frantic pace of life and devote more time to her loved ones by building a meaningful and impact-driven life. Her testimony deeply moved me because it raises the fundamental question of how to find professional fulfillment and lead a useful life without suffering the torment of this hectic lifestyle. Every professional or entrepreneur, regardless of their title or rank, thirsts for this answer, without which they feel an emptiness to be filled.
1. Deciding to break free from professional stress
a. The global rate of employee engagement at work
Gallup’s recent State of the Global Workplace report demonstrates that only “20% of professionals worldwide are engaged at work”, meaning 4 out of 5 people are not. The situation worsens in Europe and the Middle East, where these rates are at their lowest; only 12% of employees in Europe and 14% in the Middle East feel engaged at work. Conversely, this means that nearly 9 out of 10 employees in these regions lack an emotional attachment to what they do. Managers and executives are no exception. Their engagement rate is equally low (22%), which heavily impacts the motivation and productivity of their teams. High-responsibility roles therefore do not guarantee greater professional well-being. Thriving at work is difficult to experience in this day and age.
b. The global rate of daily stress
The same report highlights that 40% of employees worldwide experience daily stress. This indicator approaches 50% in several regions of the world (North America, Oceania, East Asia, the Middle East, and Africa), meaning that half of the workforce in these areas lives under constant pressure. It becomes clear why the report states that more than a quarter of employees in Africa and the Middle East experience deep sadness and continuous anger at work, as all these indicators are strongly linked. When employees do not find fulfillment in their professional activity, daily stress develops, making them far more likely to be on edge and easily irritable.
The results above mirror the true state of our world. Every day, we rush to work, most of us to do a job we do not love, which makes us unhappy but which we cannot afford to abandon. We can better understand the sudden urge some feel to drop everything—to leave executive positions that others envy—to finally attain professional wholeness. The most courageous among us abruptly leave their current lives to embark on a new adventure. Is this the best option? Is it possible to live happily without leaving everything behind, without completely uprooting your life?
c. Should you drop everything to pursue your dream of thriving at work?
Sometimes, individuals abandon this gloomy life overnight to make a fresh start. This obviously carries consequences that they do not immediately evaluate or tend to underestimate. But how do they reach this point of no return? Can we avoid it?
Life is a path filled with hurdles, a winding journey with highs and lows. It stands to reason that individuals like Mrs. Ba Diouf found themselves gradually sinking into the valley and simply refused to relive that past experience.
Almost all of us find ourselves swept up in a life we did not consciously choose, and the constraints of this life force us to endure it. We work to meet our financial needs, we dislike what we have become, we dislike what we have, and we complain constantly. The 21st-century world keeps us running relentlessly to acquire more, immediately. This is the law of “everything and right now”, the “microwave” law. However, this mindset plunges workers, including executives, into endless dissatisfaction. It is the root cause of much suffering and sadness.
THE LAW OF NATURE
In stark contrast, the law of nature shows us that everything has a season of growth and that elements must be allowed to reach maturity. As observing nature teaches us, we must learn to listen and observe with patience before taking action. Consequently, there are always prerequisites to succeeding and achieving fulfillment. The catalyst to stop merely enduring life is to awaken your consciousness to an uncomfortable situation and decide to take control of your destiny. Reaching this first milestone will gradually lead to thriving at work and living an impactful, useful life.
2. Transforming your limitations into strengths to thrive at work
Naturally “disadvantaged” people often believe they were born without a purpose. A common expression in Côte d’Ivoire, “I only came to accompany the others,” widely spreads this false belief.
a. Are there factors that can prevent you from living happily?
For the average person, their origins, gender, family background, and natural limitations (disabilities of any kind) can seem like obstacles to fulfillment. Indeed, let us list a few widespread convictions on this matter:
- If you operate in a developing country, expect to be unable to enjoy a decently humane standard of living;
- If you are born into a poor family, you have little chance of succeeding;
- If you are a woman, you cannot hold certain high-level positions;
- If you live with a disability, you will be far more dependent on others;
- If…, then…
All these elements are realities that should not be denied, but they do not constitute the ultimate truth for individuals who have managed to detach themselves from them and succeed in life. Instead, the aforementioned limitations served as a springboard for their success, to the point where they transformed them into assets or strengths, for God shows no favoritism. One can be born in a manger and become the most famous figure on Earth, even millennia after HIS departure.
Life can be harder for some at the beginning, but everything depends on your mindset. We have all read numerous stories of children born with silver spoons in their mouths whose lives ended in deplorable failure.
b. Renewing of your mind and thriving at work
What if you broke the shackles of these untruths by rewriting your story differently :
“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” — Maya Angelou
“Once we accept our limits, we go beyond them.” — Albert Einstein
“You get nothing for nothing. If you don’t put yourself through misery in training, if you don’t force yourself to push past boundaries, you go nowhere.” — Teddy Riner
“With heart, anything is possible.” — Sarah Hébert
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
“Success isn’t about how much money you make. It’s about the difference you make in people’s lives.” — Michelle Obama
“I refuse to let the fear of failure keep me from doing what I really care about.” — Emma Watson
“You are already everything you want to become. You are just on the verge of discovering it.” — Alicia Keys
To achieve the goal of thriving at work, you must act like the individuals quoted above. They did not conform to common misconceptions; instead, they forged their own paths by transforming what everyone else called a limitation into a strength. Today, they are viewed as inspirational figures and role models. It all began with what they chose to anchor their faith in.
What do you decide to believe in: what you see today, or a radiant future that you will build by relying on the path your God prepared in advance for you ?
To better prepare yourself, please read this article on : 💡 “Professional accomplishment : Why build in the shadows”
3. Making the right choices: Allies and Alliances
Dreaming of and experiencing a bright future will be made easier by certain present choices. It is paramount to be well-surrounded if you aspire to be thriving at work. Your best allies are those who accompany you throughout the entire journey: your God, your spouse, your family, and all the relationships you establish. How many people have found themselves suffocated simply because they were in the wrong company?
Too often, we believe we have no control over these things, yet we do. We are entirely responsible for what happens to us because it is the consequence of our prior choices. Stephen Covey, in his bestseller The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, explains that there are three levels of circles that dictate where we focus our energy and where we can exert influence : Our Circle of Control, our Circle of Influence, and our Circle of Concern.
a. Being proactive
Being proactive means mastering your Circle of Control and expanding your Circle of Influence in order to shrink your Circle of Concern. In this case, you literally decide to own your choices, refuse to live as a victim, and avoid letting yourself be overwhelmed by situations you cannot control. For example, you must give yourself the means to change jobs if your current one does not suit you. You can train for a different career, develop new skills, resume applying for roles, or become an entrepreneur… All of this depends entirely on you. Stop complaining about the present and be proactive.
Conversely, being reactive means enduring the events within the Circle of Concern, becoming obsessed with facts you can neither control nor influence, and thereby shrinking your Circles of Control and Influence to the benefit of your Circle of Concern.
Choosing which circle to dedicate most of your time and effort to determines your degree of proactivity and your level of maturity in deciding to be fulfilled.
b. The Circle of Control
Within this circle lies everything that depends solely on you. You are fully the actor of your own life:
- What you say
- What you decide
- What you listen to
- What you learn
- Your kindness, your efforts, and your choices.
c. The Circle of Influence for thriving at work
This involves what you can actively influence. The more you master your zone of control, the more capable you will be of influencing those around you:
- Your personal circle
- Your professional circle.
d. The Circle of Concern that hinders fulfillment
You have no power of action and therefore no influence over this environment. It is highly advised to avoid suffering the events of this zone so that you do not end up a victim or a spectator of situations you can neither control nor influence:
- What others say
- What others think
- What others decide
- The unkindness of others
- World events
- Injustices
- The past
- The weather
- Illness
- Death.
You must remain conscious of the fact that your current limitations are springboards to bounce back higher. Knowing how to use them makes all the difference. Stop enduring life; instead, decide to take control of it to uncover your professional mission and live happily. Thriving at work and in life in general is entirely possible.
4. Finding your mission to thrive at work and lead a life of purpose
a. All have been made for a purpose
In light of the above, we understand that finding a mission is the ultimate human quest. According to the dictionary, a mission is defined as a charge or task assigned to someone to accomplish. Etymologically, the word mission is borrowed from the Latin missio, meaning “the act of sending.” Thus, everyone was created with a specific mission to fulfill.
In science, we learned that animals serve the food chain. Take the example of the rat that disturbs us so much. It serves as prey for certain reptiles and birds. Additionally, the rat helps reduce flooding risks by burrowing tunnels in the ground. By feeding on seeds and later dispersing them back into nature, the rat spreads biodiversity and becomes an important ecological player. Who would have thought? If the rat, which we often judge as a nuisance, has so many functions to perform, what about you?
Just as animals were created for a purpose, each individual has a unique mission to fulfill on this earth. Knowing that you spend the majority of your time at work, your professional mission is essential. It is your user manual; without it, you malfunction. Those who have found it are far happier. For those who have not yet found it, they have every right to wonder whether there is a global mission or a specific mission per domain for each individual.
b. Do we have One or Multiple missions ?
Every human being evolves within multiple circles: the family circle, the social environment, and the professional arena. One might be inclined to think that everyone has a separate mission in each of these spheres, but that is not the case. The same person, regardless of the area of intervention, has one global mission that manifests in several ways.
Let us compare this to a jigsaw puzzle. A puzzle is composed of several pieces of different shapes, colors, and images, which, when put together, create a harmonious whole. Just like a puzzle, your professional mission reflects your personality, your talents, your passions, your values, and the causes that affect you the most.
THE JIGSAW PUZZLE
Once assembled, the puzzle yields a clear picture of what you are meant to accomplish. Your challenge is to assemble this puzzle. We then embark on a true treasure hunt—or rather, a hunt for the missing pieces. Some have found a piece corresponding to their talents, while for others, the passion piece is what is readily available. In the latter case, we will notice their deep engagement in what they do, but not necessarily financial fulfillment.
On the other hand, a few individuals have been able to completely assemble their puzzle and live happily in their careers: having a dream job, well-paid, which they love, and which is useful to others, within a friendly working atmosphere, and above all, with the latitude to manage their time to be available for their family. The results of a Gallup study conducted across 160 countries shed light on this element: Only one-third of professionals worldwide (34%) are “thriving.”
How do we achieve this? What must we do to ensure we are thriving at work? What must we avoid or nurture to be part of this group of fulfilled individuals?
c. Trusting the potter
Isaiah 45:9: “Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker—an earthenware vessel among the vessels of the earth! Will the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you doing?’ Or the thing you are making say, ‘He has no hands’?”
Aspiring to a fulfilled life of thriving at work, we must trust our God, the creator of all things. He created us for a purpose, for good works which HE prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).
d. Listening to the master to achieve success
Finding our life’s mission consists of listening to our Creator, who holds our user manual and often reveals it to us in fragments so that we can prepare ourselves progressively. It is more of a process than a final destination to reach. One must take the time to observe and analyze each stage of life to find the matching pieces of the puzzle.
e. Practicing frequent introspection
Learning to know yourself well (your origins, your strengths, your weaknesses, your values, your motivators, your failures, and your level of self-awareness) is the starting point for any adventure into your professional mission.
f. Following the path step by step
MY TESTIMONY
I used to feel as though I possessed several distinct talents that served isolated purposes, until the day I realized the connection between these various elements of my life—like a puzzle assembled from pieces that initially seemed completely unrelated. After deep personal analysis, I discovered the keywords of my journey: faith, family, leadership, logistics, youth, women, education, and information.
I came to better understand and appreciate my past, which shaped the person I am today with all my qualities and flaws. Having grown up in a large family within a popular neighborhood, I am naturally empathetic and deeply oriented toward the well-being of others.
I then worked on both my flaws and my qualities. One of my flaws used to be that I was overly talkative. Properly directed, this flaw became a genuine strength. I sharpened it through the art of public speaking, and I now use it to engage with various meaningful topics. Moving forward, I conduct extensive research and educate myself on any subject I deem valuable. I cultivate my mind, I instruct myself, and I use this knowledge to lift others. It is what I call “conscious, selective, and impactful communication.” Since then, I have been able to connect my keywords into a homogenous whole, representing the puzzle pieces of my professional life, creating my very own masterpiece.
TAKE THE LEAP !
We are all unique and multifaceted. Do not feel disoriented when you discover several seemingly non-fusible aspects of your life. Observe closely, and you will see, to your great astonishment, that together they constitute something marvelous; your mission depends on it. It is this very journey that corresponds to the fulfillment of your mission.
It is essential to remember that, like any process, “finding your mission and living a professionally fulfilled life” comprises several distinct stages: preparation, progressive discovery, implementation, and regular evaluation. Do not skip the steps. As Denzel Washington beautifully put it, “Luck is where opportunity meets preparation.”
At which stage of this journey do you find yourself today?
We encourage you to read this article on : 💡 “Professional fulfillment: 16 Secrets to succeeding without losing yourself”
Feel free to share this article, and above all, leave me a comment detailing which piece of advice you intend to implement in the coming days. Indeed, this will be your first step toward thriving at work and leading a truly purpose-driven life.
