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“Follow Your Bliss”: A Process for Career Happiness
Author(s) -
Henderson Sheila J.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of counseling and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.805
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1556-6676
pISSN - 0748-9633
DOI - 10.1002/j.1556-6676.2000.tb01912.x
Subject(s) - happiness , bliss , meaning (existential) , psychology , social psychology , work (physics) , positive psychology , personal development , qualitative research , job satisfaction , applied psychology , sociology , social science , psychotherapist , engineering , mechanical engineering , computer science , programming language
In this qualitative study, 8 individuals, notably happy at work, were interviewed to explore the psychological and environmental determinants of their work satisfaction and the significant factors in their career development. Results indicated that participants (a) demonstrated a dogged commitment to follow their interests, what they succeeded in and enjoyed (careers tended to follow a positive meandering path); (b) exhibited a breadth of personal competencies and strengths; and (c) functioned in work environments characterized by freedom, challenge, meaning, and positive social atmosphere. Joseph Campbell's (1968, 1988) paradigms provide a framework for conceptualizing happiness at work. Practical suggestions are offered to counselors and researchers.