Build a calling by recrafting work around your strengths

Jessica, a marketing analyst, was buried in spreadsheets—yet her top strengths were “originality” and “social intelligence.” She felt drained at day’s end, dreading another round of number crunching. After surveying her strengths, she mapped every task for two weeks. Ninety percent involved data entry or compliance reports—activities that didn’t spark her at all. Jessica spent an afternoon listing three redesigns: pairing with the design team to craft data story–infographics, mentoring interns to handle routine reports, and launching a weekly brainstorming lunch to generate new campaign ideas. She pitched these to her manager as the “Spark Plan.” To everyone’s surprise, the new infographics improved client engagement by 20%, interns felt more invested, and campaign ideas increased by 30%. Jessica’s job went from a grind to a calling—she was innovating every morning, mentoring every afternoon, and collaborating every evening. Productivity soared, and the department’s morale skyrocketed too.

You’ll carve out a “strengths sprint” each Wednesday afternoon. First, block 90 minutes on your calendar labeled “Design ideas.” Next, pull your top strengths list and pick one to flex—say ‘curiosity.' Tackle a client challenge from that angle, jot down ideas, then share them over coffee with a teammate. You’ll return to your regular tasks reenergized, knowing you’re building a career on what you do best. Make next Wednesday your launch day.