Are you content in your work? Take the test!
1. You win enough money on the lottery to free you from ever having to work again. Would you carry on working anyway (score 1), or resign with relief at the first opportunity (score 2)?
2. Picture yourself in five years’ time. Do you still want to be in the same line of work (score 1), or does the thought fill you with horror (score 2)?
3. You’ve been told you have one year to live. How would you feel about spending that year in your present job? Happy (score 1) Unhappy (score 2)
4. Does what you’re doing now match any of the interests and passions you had when younger? Yes (score 1) No (score 2)
5. Is it common for you to feel totally immersed in your work (score 1)? Or is it difficult to get yourself motivated (score 2)?
6. When someone asks you what you do, do you answer with pride (score 1) or feel reluctant to talk about it (score 2)?
7. Do you wish you could apply for voluntary redundancy so that you could head off and do something completely different? Yes (score1) No (score 2)
8. If you knew for a fact you couldn’t fail, would you be doing what you’re doing now? Yes (score1) No (score 2)
9. Do you get a sense of mastery and fulfilment from your work? Yes (score1) No (score 2)
10. You’re offered a free placement on either a course that’s bound to get you promoted or a non-work course about a topic that really interests you. Which do you choose?
TOTAL: ___
If you scored 12 or more you might find the following tips useful.
a. Consider ways to make your own job more engaging. Perhaps you need to stretch yourself more, or to move into a more challenging role.
b. Force yourself to identify the areas that most interest you. Then do some research on whether you can incorporate any of them into your working life.
c. Plan long-term. Decide where you would like to be in 10 years’ time and start working towards that goal now
d. Talk to others who have pursued their dreams. Find out exactly how they did it and whether you might do the same
e. Identify your natural skills and interests. There may be ways in which you might apply them in starting up a new business
