Are You Suited to Your Profession?

You may be entirely successful in your profession; yet there are subtle matters that only the specialists perceive, which may disclose to you truths that were obscure and vague even to yourself.
Are you respected and honored?
Are you suited to a second profession other than the one you practice?
Here are questions that throw light on the facts; answer them privately, between yourself and yourself, and perhaps you will arrive at a satisfying conclusion.

1 — Do you talk to your friends about your work and the little things that happen in it?
If you speak of your work with eagerness, that is proof of your harmony with the position; if the talk is all criticism, and full of nerves, that is proof that you are not entirely satisfied, and it may be that your chief does not meet you with the appreciation you deserve.

2 — Do you go to your work with desire and enthusiasm? And when working hours are over, do you toss the unfinished work over to the next day, or do you carry it home with you to finish it outside working hours? If you do, then you were made for this work; if not, you are only feigning the desire.

3 — Does your mind wander, during working hours, outside the bounds of the work? That is proof of your boredom and your lack of desire — and the reverse holds in reverse.

4 — Do you feel that your chief bears down on you? Look for the reason; and if it points to his lack of confidence in your ability, try to prove the contrary to him. You will then stand well in his opinion, and he will change his negative manner of his own accord.

5 — Do you feel superior to your colleagues at work, or the opposite? If you feel you hold a special place among your colleagues, that is proof of your competence, and it may mean you are fitted for a higher post. And if you feel that, in spirit, you are at the rear, that means one of two things: either you still need training and testing, or you are suited to a position other than this one.

6 — Did circumstances drive you to this position, or did you pursue it long and hard? The position that comes by chance is generally not quite the right one; the position you strive after is without doubt closer to your inclination.

7 — Would you like your children to inherit your profession and take up your work? An affirmative answer is proof of your conviction of the position's worth and fitness; otherwise it is better that you find yourself another...

These are questions that throw light on your way of thinking and your own analysis of your attitude toward your work: are you suited to your present profession? Or are you suited to a second one, other than it?