Do what you love and the money will follow.

How many times have we heard that or something similar? Success pundits and self-help gurus are fond of linking passion and success. Partially because it is often true. More so because their followers desperately want to believe it.

But how much credence do we give to callings? And how exactly is a calling different than passion, a job, or a career? In an interview for Fast Company, Timothy Butler, business psychologist and co-director of the the MBA career development programs at the Harvard Business School, provides a great definition:

“There are three words that tend to be used interchangeably—and shouldn’t be. They are “vocation,” “career,” and “job.” Vocation is the most profound of the three, and it has to do with your calling. It’s what you’re doing in life that makes a difference for you, that builds meaning for you, that you can look back on in your later years to see the impact you’ve made on the world. A calling is something you have to listen for. You don’t hear it once and then immediately recognize it. You’ve got to attune yourself to the message.”

I love the implication that we can bring meaning to whatever job we choose. Your calling can be reflected in any career path if your core values are addressed and honored.

The dictionary defines adopt as: take up or start to use or follow an idea, method, or course of action. When we consciously choose to adopt a calling, we actively bring meaning and impact to whatever job, task, or project we are involved with. And in that regard, we can win success in whatever calling we adopt.

To your good fortune!