| This article is designed to get you thinking about your | | | | high.The feeling of being driven comes from the |
| life from a new perspective. For the sake of clarity, | | | | message of your work, not the medium.When you |
| we'll focus primarily on your career, but by the time | | | | wake up each morning, how do think about your |
| you're done reading, you should be able to apply | | | | work? Do you say to yourself, "Today I'm going to |
| these ideas to other areas of your life as | | | | write something (medium)?" Or are you thinking, |
| well.Consider a physical recording medium like a CD or | | | | "Today I'm going to improve the human condition in |
| DVD. By itself it's an empty vessel. The "message" is | | | | some small way (message)?"Which perspective do |
| the information contained within that medium, | | | | you think is more intrinsically motivating?Certainly |
| whether it be music, a film, software, or some other | | | | both the message and the medium are each an |
| information. The message is what provides the value | | | | important part of your career, but with the rapid |
| -- the actual recording medium is often | | | | pace of technological advancement, your medium is |
| inconsequential. You may pay $20 for a CD that | | | | likely to be far less permanent than your message. |
| contains music, or you may pay $300 for a CD that | | | | Notice that medium-based work is highly subject to |
| contains certain software. But the physical CDs are | | | | automation. A salesperson is replaced by a web site. |
| essentially identical except for the information they | | | | A secretary is replaced by a PDA. A PR firm is |
| contain. This price difference isn't due to a difference | | | | replaced by a blog. But automating the message |
| in the medium but rather due to a difference in the | | | | that's provided by a conscious human being, now |
| message.Now let's extend this concept of the | | | | that's a lot tougher. How would you automate the |
| medium vs. the message and apply it to your career | | | | message of personal development, for |
| (or any other part of your life for that matter). For | | | | example?Finding Your MessageNow how do you |
| example, in most cases your job title represents the | | | | identify your message? Your message is essentially |
| medium of your career. Career media include being an | | | | your purpose, which I've addressed many times in |
| attorney, a salesperson, or a computer programmer. | | | | various blog entries (see the Purpose category on |
| Think of your career medium as the vessel through | | | | the blog for details). But here's yet another way to |
| which you work.Much like a recordable CD, your | | | | discover your message:Think about what you bring |
| career medium is an empty container waiting to be | | | | to your job or career (or even to any random task |
| filled. If you identify yourself as an attorney or a | | | | or project) that's different than how the "average" |
| salesperson or a computer programmer, that doesn't | | | | person would do it. What's different about your |
| give you any sense of the value your work provides. | | | | approach to your work vs. how other people would |
| Those professions are conduits for providing value, | | | | do the same job?For example, when I primarily |
| but they contain very little value in and of | | | | worked as a computer programmer, I was extremely |
| themselves. Some attorneys earn $100/hour while | | | | aggressive about improving my skills, and I'd |
| others charge $1000/hour. And you'll find tremendous | | | | enthusiastically share what I learned with other |
| pay differences in other fields as well, even among | | | | people. In building my games business, I did the same |
| people who appear to have the same job title, | | | | thing. You can put me in virtually any job, and I'll bring |
| whether it be secretary or CEO. The medium of the | | | | these same qualities to it. I'll aggressively strive to |
| career (i.e. the job title) cannot account for these | | | | get better and better, and I'll share with others what |
| differences.It isn't hard to recognize that the primary | | | | I learn along the way. That's the "message" that's |
| value comes not from the medium of your career | | | | uniquely me.Imagine yourself working at different |
| (i.e. your particular job) but rather from the message | | | | jobs and in different fields. What qualities would you |
| of your career. The message is what you bring to | | | | bring to your work that are uniquely you? Do you |
| your career. It's what fills the otherwise empty | | | | spread good humor, harmony, or passion? Do you |
| container.For example, I can identify my career as | | | | provide analytic depth, intuitive insight, or a rational |
| being a writer, blogger, speaker, web developer, | | | | outlook? Do you bring loyalty, teamwork, or honesty |
| entrepreneur, computer programmer, etc. Or I can | | | | to your workplace?You may find it helpful to try to |
| more broadly say that I'm a communicator. But that | | | | define yourself in terms of a metaphor. Are you a |
| would mean defining my career as a medium -- an | | | | rock? An eagle? A storm?If you have trouble figuring |
| empty container. It's like saying that I'm a | | | | this out for yourself, ask people you know for their |
| microphone.The message, as opposed to the | | | | opinions. (You may want to have them read this |
| medium, is what specific information I communicate | | | | article first, so they know what the heck you're |
| through these various vessels. What am I saying? | | | | talking about.) Often other people can see us more |
| What information is traveling through the | | | | clearly than we see ourselves.Embracing Your |
| microphone?In my case the message is that I'm here | | | | MessageOnce you develop an understanding of your |
| to grow and to help other people to grow. The | | | | own message (and your understanding will surely |
| media I use to convey this message will change and | | | | evolve over time), you can begin to express that |
| evolve over time, but the message is a constant. | | | | message more consciously. You can redefine your |
| And the message is a much better description of my | | | | career in terms of that message. Believe me -- this is |
| true career than the media that I currently use to | | | | likely to feel very awkward at first. But over time if |
| express it.Changing PerspectivesChances are that | | | | you can overcome the social conditioning that tries to |
| you currently think of your career primarily in terms | | | | pigeonhole you into a single medium instead of |
| of the medium (i.e. your particular job) rather than | | | | embracing your message, I think you'll find it a much |
| the message (i.e. the unique value you bring to your | | | | more fulfilling way to think about your career.In |
| work). I want to dive a little deeper into this | | | | school we mostly learn a medium. In high school I |
| distinction with you and show you some perhaps | | | | learned the medium of writing. In college I learned the |
| unexpected benefits that may arise when you shift | | | | medium of computer programming. In Toastmasters |
| your focus and begin thinking of your career primarily | | | | I learned the medium of speaking. And from other |
| in terms of the message.There are two significant | | | | bloggers I learned the medium of blogging. But the |
| risks that come from defining your career in terms of | | | | message that I bring to these multi-media isn't |
| your primary medium (i.e. "I'm an attorney" or "I'm a | | | | something I learned in school. The message is |
| programmer"). The first risk is that you'll unnecessarily | | | | something that's been a part of me since childhood, |
| limit yourself. You will only recognize opportunities | | | | although my awareness of it has certainly increased |
| that present themselves in the form of a nail | | | | as I've grown up.When I switched careers from |
| because you've defined yourself as a hammer and | | | | game publishing to working in personal development, |
| nothing more. You'll fall into the trap of thinking, | | | | it was more than just a job change. It was a shift |
| "Dammit, Jim! I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer!" As a | | | | from medium-based thinking to message-based |
| human being, there are many ways for you to | | | | thinking. Writing and speaking and blogging are better |
| express and deliver value to others. The current | | | | media for my message than developing computer |
| medium of your career is only one of them. When | | | | games. And as technology continues to evolve, I |
| you think of your career as being greater than any | | | | have the flexibility to embrace any new media that |
| single medium, you'll open yourself to new | | | | arise. The media are just empty containers. The |
| opportunities that lie outside your current primary | | | | message is what fills those containers.Once I began |
| medium.The second risk is that by focusing too | | | | defining my career in terms of the message instead |
| heavily on a single medium, you're likely to lose sight | | | | of the medium, I felt much more in tune with my |
| of your message. Your message is far more | | | | work. Sometimes I tell people I'm a writer or a |
| important that any one medium, so by putting the | | | | blogger or a speaker -- all of those are true for now. |
| medium first, you're likely to suffer from a gradual | | | | But internally I feel that any one of those containers |
| decline in motivation regarding your work. You begin | | | | is too small a description of the real work I do. Have |
| a new job, and it's very exciting at first, but the | | | | you ever felt the same way... that your job title is |
| longer you work at it, the less enthusiastic you | | | | too small for you? How do you feel when you say, |
| become. Does this seem familiar at all?For example, | | | | "I'm a _____" (fill in your current job title)? Say it |
| today you'll find people who define their careers as | | | | right now, and notice how it makes you feel. Does it |
| professional bloggers (the medium), and so they blog | | | | really describe the totality of the work you do?How |
| about anything and everything. But after several | | | | could you give yourself a more expansive |
| months or perhaps a year of this type of work, it | | | | message-based career name? Instead of thinking of |
| isn't uncommon to see them becoming apathetic and | | | | yourself as an attorney, for instance, how about |
| even depressed about their work. Why? Because the | | | | giving yourself the job title of "Peacebringer" |
| medium (in this case, a blog) is hollow by its very | | | | (someone who resolves conflicts and restores |
| nature, and something hollow cannot provide lasting | | | | peace)? Or instead of being a salesperson or a |
| motivation.Defining your career in terms of some | | | | computer programmer, try adopting the job title of |
| arbitrary medium, like being a professional blogger, is | | | | "Problem Solver." Wouldn't that be more accurate? |
| like a garage band saying, "Yeah, man, it's all about | | | | How would you react if someone handed you a |
| the CDs."So what happens when you put the | | | | business card that said, "Jane Smith, Peacebringer?" |
| medium before the message? You define your life in | | | | I'm sure some people give more credibility to a card |
| terms of the container instead of what fills that | | | | that said "Attorney at Law," but I'd rather hire the |
| container. You put emptiness before fullness. And this | | | | Peacebringer, since that title tells me this person |
| can lead to procrastination, lack of motivation, and | | | | understands that the value of their work extends |
| low energy. How motivating is it to define your | | | | beyond any single medium.What does your business |
| career as being a professional blogger (or any other | | | | card say? Does it only note the medium of your |
| arbitrary job title)? On a scale of 1-10, maybe it | | | | work, or does it convey the message? What would |
| would start at around an 8-9 the first few weeks, | | | | be a more appropriate job title for you?Beyond |
| but where will it be after five years? Probably a 4 or | | | | CareerAs I mentioned at the beginning of this article, |
| 5 at best. But by defining your career as the | | | | you can apply this concept of the medium vs. the |
| message instead of the medium, you're probably in | | | | message to other parts of your life beyond your |
| the range of 8-10, and five years later you can still | | | | career. I'll leave it up to you to think about how you |
| be up there. In my case the message of personal | | | | might differentiate between the medium and the |
| development is indeed a 10 for me. My level of | | | | message in terms of your health, your relationships, |
| enthusiasm for writing, speaking, blogging, or | | | | your spiritual beliefs, and so on. And for another |
| programming waxes and wanes over time, but my | | | | perspective that overlaps this one, you may enjoy |
| interest in personal development remains perpetually | | | | reading this blog post: End Goals vs. Means Goals. |