Please first read a brief description of the four most common approaches towards jobs. 

A) I am my job.

My job is an integral part of me; it is an attractor towards which my thoughts naturally float. If you do not appreciate what I do or how I do it, it means to me that—at least to a certain extent—you do not accept me as a person.

B) I am not my job, but my job gives me purpose (from Japanese, ikigai).

It is a motivation for me to jump out of bed in the morning and a source of never-ending joy and excitement.

C) I express myself by doing my job.

I am not my job, and the job is not my purpose. However, I like adding my personal touch to everything I do and developing my personal style—even if I primarily just follow instructions at work.

D) My job and I are two separate things.

I sell my time as an exchange for material profits and other benefits. If you do not like my job, no hard feelings but I will find someone else who does.

Now, try to identify your personal approach.

Answering the following questions should help you in this task:

1. What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you wake up on Monday morning?

2. How do you feel when you go on vacation? Do you watch yourself thinking about your job during the vacation break? Do you miss your work? Do you tend to look forward to going back to work while you are on vacation?

3. In private life, do you prefer to surround yourself with people with whom you can discuss your work? Or rather, do you forget about work once you are surrounded by your family and friends?

4. How do you feel if your boss or your close coworker tells you that your work is not of good quality and requires corrections?

5. Would you still do what you do now, even if you were not paid for it?

6. Would you still do what you do now, even if you were not allowed to sign with your name under what you do?

7. When you hear, “Good job!”, what emotions do you feel? Do you feel: a) relieved? b) satisfied? c) proud? d) fulfilled? e) deeply happy?

8. Does this matter to you if what you do has a direct impact on the quality of life of other people? Does this notion of the impact of your work motivate you to put an extra effort?

9. Do you only engage in projects that give you a sense of mission? Or, do you also engage in projects just because they give you good working benefits in the short term?

10. Would you be fine with a job that is highly procedural and does not leave space for creativity, and for your own initiatives?

11. Do you easily switch your mind off, and stop thinking about work? Or perhaps, you cannot help the intrusive thoughts on your projects coming to your mind in free time?

12. If you had one last day to live, would you still look into any of your projects, even for ten minutes?