The 3 Pillars of a Successful Job

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Work

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Date

October 11, 2022

Are you always looking to find the perfect job? Something where you feel like you’ve made it? There are 3 pillars to every job that needs to be fulfilled and achieved before I deem it a success.

Today I’ll dig into these 3 pillars so you can get a better understanding of what you need to work on to improve your job right away. 

Without one of the pillars, you’re likely to fall short of a job that you truly love and enjoy. All three pillars are required to not only do your best work but to feel fulfilled at the same time. 

The 3 Pillars of a Successful Job

1. Passion

2. Freedom (time)

3. Money

Pillar # 1 of a Successful Job - Passion

If you’re not passionate about your job, you’re likely to struggle with it when times become tough. There will always be challenging times in your job, whether it be getting along with coworkers, ensuring your clients are looked after, or going above and beyond for your boss/company. 

Yes, you can have a job where you make great money but are miserable. This happens too often and I’ve been in a similar circumstance before. If you want to live and lead a successful career you must be passionate about your work. 

Passion is the fire and the joy that comes from your work. When you like what you do, are excited to wake up and make a difference. 

The first pillar passion is the most important because if you don’t like what you do - then what’s the point? 

If you enjoy your job, don’t complain often, and smile and laugh often, you’re probably at the right place. 

While on the other hand if you complain often and only look forward to the weekends, you may want to start looking at other options.

Pillar # 2 of a Successful Job - Freedom (time)

While passion is critical to your job success, next comes freedom of time. Now what I mean by freedom is your work/life balance so to speak. 

While I do believe you need to be all in and obsessed with what you do to succeed, I also strongly believe that freedom of time is essential to this success. 

If you’re working 70-hour weeks, with no days off this doesn’t check the freedom box. If you’re unable to get time off when you want and take a break when necessary you are a slave to your job. 

Early on in my career, I was extremely dedicated to working whenever the companies asked and put in a ton of overtime needed to gain more experience and valuable connections. 

Once I was an expert and leader in my field I only accepted to work on my scheduled terms (yes you can do this too!). 

If you want to feel successful at your job, you most definitely need some time off to spend with friends and family and do whatever else you enjoy OUTSIDE of your work. 

So many people are consumed with their work and have no time to do ANYTHING else. This is a huge red flag. While I do believe you may need to work longer hours and step up more if you are less experienced, I also think you need to know your worth and ensure you’re not being taken advantage of by your workplace. 

If you can get time off when needed, and have a flexible schedule you are likely at the right place. On the other hand, if all you do is work, are compensated little, and have no outside life to look forward to, move on. 

Pillar # 3 of a Successful Job - Money

Yes, I said it. If you aren’t earning enough money at what you do, I’m sorry to say that you haven’t quite yet achieved job success.

While I don’t believe money is everything when it comes to your life, it does make your world go round. Everyone has some level of responsibility and requirements to survive. Whether it’s paying for rent, your mortgage, your car, and putting food on the table. Everyone needs money to survive and hopefully thrive. 

When it comes to money I highly suggest you know your worth. What I mean by this is to know your level of expertise and what you bring to the table for your company and or clients. 

I’ve worked with many different people across my career and a lot of them settle for whatever they get. Unfortunately, this is not a good way to live the best life in your job. 

If you go above and beyond, are logical, have a great attitude, and know you’re an asset to your company, I guarantee they will pay you more money. 

Understanding and utilizing negotiation skills will greatly improve your odds of being paid more. If you run your own company and are an entrepreneur I then suggest raising your prices higher. 

I’ve worked at many different companies and have asked for more money at nearly all of them (and got more). 

If you’re complaining about how little you make each week and are comparing what you make to other co-workers you need to move on or change your attitude. 

At the end of the day, you can only control yourself, meaning it doesn’t matter what anyone else is making at your workplace. 

Know the industry standards, know your worth, and make sure you’re coming out on top with money in your bank. 

Conclusion

Having a job that consists of all these 3 pillars can be difficult. I know for me specifically I had many jobs that would check one or two boxes, but not all three. I was passionate about the work while making little money at the beginning. And then making good money with the freedom of time later in my career but lost the passion. 

Your job makes up for about one-third of your life! It’s important to find something you love, that gives you the freedom of time, and where you earn a good living. 

Here are the 3 pillars once again:

1. Passion

2. Freedom (time)

3. Money

Focus on one or two and you’ll feel like something is missing. But, if you can accomplish them all at your job simultaneously, you’re probably in the sweet spot. 

If you’re not doing what you want, I enjoy you to enroll in my free Career Jump Masterclass below. This is a 25-minute pre-recorded video webinar created to help you make a career transition. 

Sign up for the free Career Jump Masterclass HERE!

Chris M Wilson

Chris M Wilson is a career coach, entrepreneur, blogger, author, creator, and doer. He is passionate about helping people leave the job they hate and jump into their dream careers!

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