So, Val over at Mental Chew shared a Venn diagram on facebook last week. It was about finding the “sweet spot” in your work. Crazy thing was that not 5 minutes before, I’d posted this:

and then this: 

So, I’d been thinking about the “sweet spot” in terms of the work I do and though I liked the Venn Val shared, I was inspired to create my own based on a few other ideas I had floating around in my head. Here’s the finished diagram:
So many of the other diagrams I’ve seen either leave out money or leave out values. . . and I really felt like both were important.

Years ago, I put my B.A. in Psychology to work and was a social worker/case manager for at risk youth and then for at risk families and then for families trying to pull themselves out of bad places. It definitely was something I’m good at. . . it definitely served the world, but I was not valued with the cash and I really didn’t like it. I burned out. . . horribly. I was unhappy and guilty. I’d somehow gotten the idea that since I was GOOD at it, then I SHOULD do it. I’ve since given myself permission to focus on things I’m passionate about.

Just because you’re good at something does NOT mean you HAVE to do it!

This was a life changing idea for me. The ultimate goal for me is to hit my new version of the “sweet spot.” And, last week, I had it DOWN for about 3 hours.

I got paid (decently) to teach (which I’m good at AND love) adults with Developmental Disabilities (or Developmental Differences? not really sure what the term is these days) to make shepherd’s pie with 98% local ingredients from our farmer’s market.

Talk about hitting the sweet spot!!! All 4 elements were in full swing. I felt so.flippin’.great. all day. And now, a week later, I’m still shaking my head and trying to figure out how to be in the sweet spot ALL of the time!

So, what is it for you? The Sweet Spot? Are you doing work that fulfills you? How can we all do this sort of work at least most of the time? I’m inspired, how about you?