Whatever career we choose determines how we spend a large part of our lives. Work that really fits us, that taps into our reservoir of potential and challenges us to become our best, can make all the difference in our quality of life.
It is encouraging to know that the struggle to find a good match between who we are and the work we do is not a new one. Bachye Ibn Pakudei, in his classic work entitled “Duties of the Heart,” written around the year 1040 in Zaragosa, Spain, deals with this issue and offers a brilliant, five-piece framework for finding a career that really fits. Here it is (Duties of the Heart, The Gate of Trust, Ch. 3):
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Does it pull you? Just like a cat is drawn to mice, and a hawk is attracted to birds, so too within each of us is a nature and a desire for a particular livelihood.
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Does it match your resources? A bird that captures fish possesses a long beak and extended thighs. A lion, that tears apart other animals for food, has powerful teeth and claws. So too, our physiology, and character is more suited for certain types of work than others.
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Are you willing to invest? Each profession has its hurdles to overcome, its entering price that needs to be paid before it can be practiced. Medicine requires many years of study. Professional sports require years of serious training. When considering what you want to do, ask yourself if you are willing to pay the price it takes.
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Do you have a desire in it? Passion may not always be there, but for you to love your work that level of vitality, of absorption, needs to be there at least some of the time.
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Emunah – translated loosely as faith. Keep the faith that once all the above line up and you have committed yourself to whatever path it is, that you will meet with success. Don’t get derailed the first time you get challenged, or even knocked down. Dig deep and stay the course.
If we want the pride of great work, we need to choose our path with these in mind. An easy way to remember these five pieces is with the acronym PRIDE:
P – does it pull you?
R – does it match your resources?
I – are you willing to make the investment
D – do you engage in it with desire?
E – do you have faith, emuna?
Four Common Obstacles
Knowing how to choose well though is not enough. We need to understand the four common obstacles that lie in the way of being true to ourselves, and how to overcome them, in order not to lose the race before we even begin.
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Approval and disapproval: We sometimes use career as a means through which to gain the approval or avoid the disapproval of those whose opinion of we care about. This may be a parent, a mentor, or even the society we are part of. This is normal and natural, but can end up being very expensive. Remember that no approval, outside of our own, is worth the price of our life.
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Fear: Going for our greatest life often demands that we step out of our comfort zone and do things that are not yet familiar, not yet comfortable. This can be scary. As human beings we crave certainty and safety and dealing with the uncomfortable challenges this need. We need to remember that in every process of growth darkness always precedes light (Zohar). Know that when we summon the courage to break through the clouds that we face, on the other side a sun is waiting.
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Failure: No one likes failing. As a result, so many never even try. When we feel like holding back because maybe we might fail, we need to remember Edison. He tried over a thousand different models before succeeding in making the light bulb. When asked about getting discouraged by his many failures, he replied that he never failed; he just learned one more way not to make a light bulb. So often the things that don’t go right are our best teachers. Ask any really successful person and they will tell you that it is was only by making mistakes and learning from them that they were able to reach the achievements that they did.
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Giving up too soon: It usually takes a significant amount of time and a lot of hard work to achieve our dreams. Oftentimes, we underestimate what it takes. As a result, when things don’t happen as easily or as quickly as we would like, we feel like giving up. When this happens we need to remember Bachye Ibn Pakudei and keep the faith. Let us refuse to accept less from ourselves. As long as we keep on climbing, one day we will stand on top of that mountain of our dreams and marvel at how we got there.
Finding a career that fits is one of life’s greatest opportunities. When we find the endeavor that pulls us, matches our natural resources, and inspires us with a vision of who we can become, our tremendous wellsprings of energy have the channel they need to rise up and brighten the world. Run with the PRIDE formula and shine.
(10) Tanay Sharma, November 29, 2019 6:29 AM
This post is really well-written. All the points you have mentioned are completely relevant when it comes to job selection. Most of us also face the common hurdles you have listed out here. I think you have covered every aspect one needs to keep in mind while selecting a job. Thanks for sharing this post.
(9) Tanay Sharma, October 14, 2019 4:31 AM
This is a very interesting way in which you have linked the five basic principles of Judaism to help make the right career choices. Most people find it quite difficult to choose the right career path. They do not understand how well they will fit in and what exactly they are seeking. This post will surely guide some make the right choice.
(8) Noach, September 30, 2013 7:40 AM
how do you know
Shalom,
great article. I have a question. When you suffer with clinical depression, your feelings of happiness and sadness are the same, you feel no excitement or sadness about anything in life, how do you then know which career is best for you?
(7) Anonymous, December 28, 2012 9:36 AM
Great Article
Thank you Rabbi Ben, Awesome website, you should have link on the bottom of the article next time to direct people to your site. I look forward to more articles from you on AIsh
(6) DBS, December 26, 2012 1:28 PM
I'm married 3 years with a baby at home, and my husband is just starting on the path of education for a livelihood. His top 2 choices as described above are: 1. Detective (not ideal for a frum person and I'm too nervous for him to go into this professtion) and 2. Doctor (an extremely long path considering that he's starting from square 1). It looks like he's going to study Accounting since it's the quickest path to making a decent income in the near future and he might enjoy it (though it's hard to know until he really gets into it). I'm curious to read your thoughts if we're making a big mistake by not choosing one of his top 2 choices.
Ben, December 27, 2012 10:33 AM
Dear DBS, To respond responsibly and intelligently to such an important question, I would need to know more of the variables of your situation. Please feel free to contact me at ben@benjaminrapaport.com Wishing your family much success, Ben
בינימין, January 6, 2013 2:11 AM
Forensic accounting?
He might like forensic accounting. Computers are ubiquitous and another idea is cyber detective. All the best!
(5) Anonymous, December 25, 2012 5:35 AM
but how do i know my true nature?
How can i trust myself to know if my feelings are accurate? Meaning maybe something pulls me but for the wrong reasons. Maybe what i think my talents are, are not true? Maybe i haven't discovered my real talents yet? My real self?
Anonymous, December 26, 2012 2:49 PM
Dear Anonymous, Please check out The Jewish Art of Self Discovery published by Urim. I think you might find it helpful. Best regards, Ben
(4) Anna, December 25, 2012 4:46 AM
I left a well paying job in military intelligence for horticulture. I came under a lot of criticism from my family, but the stress wasn't worth the pay. Life is short, be happy.
Ben, December 26, 2012 2:37 PM
Dear Anna, Congratulations on your courage. I am happy to hear you were able to find something that fit you better and go for it. Ben
(3) Rachel, December 24, 2012 8:37 PM
No advice here for the Shabbat observer
There are many careers/professions that require one to be available 24/7. There are others (e.g. performing arts, pro sports) that cater to fans who are usually available in the evenings and on weekends. As a shomeret shabbat, I had to give up a career in the performing arts. And when I moved on to another career, I was denied promotion because of my schedule (leaving early on Fridays, not working on holidays, not traveling on Shabbat, etc.) I'd expect a Jewish website to address these issues. Or, at least, to remind people what I have had to constantly remind myself -- I am not my job; a job is what supports our lives, but it shouldn't become one's life.
Anonymous, December 26, 2012 10:47 AM
Emunah
Ideally, the Midda of Emunah should give a person the feeling that Hashem is guiding his/her life to fulfill their purpose (To change for the better all the time).
Anonymous, December 26, 2012 2:59 PM
Absolutely! Thank you, Ben
Anonymous, December 26, 2012 2:57 PM
Dear Rachel, It sounds like you have really invested a lot in being true to your beliefs. That is a tremendous strength. The piece here was not intending to suggest that we are our job (I agree this should have been clarified by me) but rather to help provide some insights from a great scholar on how people can choose a career that fits them best within the boundaries of halacha, challenging as this may be. Wishing you much success in your path, Ben
(2) Anonymous, December 23, 2012 5:19 PM
you forgot to mention money! while its not the most important factor, that cant be ignored either
Anonymous, December 26, 2012 10:42 AM
The Obvious does not need to be stated
Since working is for the purpose of earning a living, it would be redundant to mention that a career path should be capable of earning an acceptable livelihood.
Anonymous, December 26, 2012 2:40 PM
Yes. It definitely is important. It could be that Rabbi Bachya felt that if a person finds their passion the level of excellence they are capable of reaching will likely lead to better opportunities in terms of finances as well. Recent research also shows that happiness is directly correlated with higher earnings. Best regards, Ben
(1) M.Rap, December 16, 2012 9:06 AM
Wow! you are soooo right! Thanks!