Find Work That Gives You Energy
Ultimate Job Search Guide · Part 3.1
Think back to when you were a child. What did you choose when time was fully your own? Maybe you built Lego towers, wrote stories, organized games, drew maps, or asked endless questions.
These moments weren’t shaped by grades, job titles, or outside pressure. They reveal what absorbed you before the world taught you what you “should” do.
Now look at your work life today. When do you lean forward instead of holding back? When do hours pass quickly? These signals point toward the activities and environments where you naturally come alive. They are not trivial — they are your clearest compass.
The psychology of energy
Energy is what links three well-studied forces behind growth and performance: flow, deliberate practice, and grit.
Flow: focused absorption
Let's dive into research for a short while. Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi found that people enter a special state when:
- The challenge is high but not overwhelming
- Skills are strong enough to match the challenge
- Feedback comes quickly, so adjustments can be made
In flow, time perception changes, distractions fade, and both performance and learning speed increase. Noticing where you slip into this state reveals the conditions and tasks that energize you most.
Deliberate practice: effort that compounds
Ever heard about the 10 000 hour rule? The one behind it, Anders Ericsson, did some research on expertise which showed that mastery comes from deliberate practice: working at the edge of your ability, repeating with feedback.
It’s effortful and often uncomfortable. What keeps people going is that some part of the process feeds them energy.
- A musician endures scales because progress feels rewarding
- A developer grinds through debugging because the breakthrough lights them up
- A teacher plans lessons because student growth energizes them
Energy is what makes demanding practice sustainable. Without it, most people quit.
Grit: sustained passion and perseverance
Angela Duckworth’s studies on grit show that talent is not the main predictor of long-term success. The ones who keep going are those who combine:
- Passion: a genuine interest that sustains engagement
- Perseverance: the ability to continue through repetition and setbacks
Energy is what fuels both. With it, perseverance feels like progress. Without it, grit becomes a grind.
Mapping where energy comes from
Energy doesn’t come from a single place. It’s built from a mix of sources that interact:
| Source | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Mission | Do you feel connected to a larger purpose or goal? |
| Tasks | Which activities themselves are engaging? Writing, analyzing, teaching, designing? |
| People | Do colleagues bring out your best and share your values? |
| Conditions | Do you thrive with autonomy, structure, pace, or a certain environment? |
The role of childhood clues
Looking back at childhood isn’t nostalgia. It’s data. Early choices reveal what engaged you before external filters kicked in.
- If you organized games, leadership and coordination may energize you today
- If you built things endlessly, creating or improving systems may still drive you
- If you loved helping others, service and collaboration may give you energy now
These patterns often persist. Recognizing them helps you avoid drifting too far from your natural sources of drive.
Exercises
1. Energy moments reflection (20 minutes)
Write down three recent times at work when you felt fully engaged. For each:
- What were you doing?
- Who were you with?
- Why did it feel energizing?
Then do the same for three draining moments. Compare. Look for patterns.
2. Childhood clues (30 minutes)
List 3–5 things you loved doing between ages 7–12. Ask:
- What skills or behaviors show up?
- Do you see echoes of them in your current work?
- Where are they missing?
3. Create your Energy Map (30 minutes)
Draw two columns:
- Gives me energy
- Drains me
Fill them with examples from your reflections. Keep updating. Over time, this becomes a living guide for career decisions.
Energy Map Template
| Gives me energy | Drains me |
|---|---|
| Example: brainstorming new ideas | Example: long status meetings |
| Example: solving puzzles with data | Example: repetitive admin tasks |
| Example: collaborating with supportive peers | Example: working in isolation |
| ... | ... |
👉 Print this, copy it into a doc, or keep it in your notes app. Keep adding to it weekly. Over time, it becomes a living guide for what fuels you — and what to avoid.
What to remember
Energy is not just enjoyment. It’s the fuel behind focus, growth, and perseverance. It shows you where flow is possible, where practice is sustainable, and where passion can last.
Pay attention to the tasks, people, and conditions that give you energy. Reflect on the patterns from your childhood and today. Capture them in your Energy Map. These signals show you not just what you can do, but where you’ll want to keep going year after year.
Q&A: Finding work that energizes you
Q: What if I don’t feel energy in my current job?
A: Start smaller. Track brief moments of engagement. They can point you toward the kind of work or environment you need more of.
Q: Does energy mean work is always fun?
A: No. Energy doesn’t erase difficulty. It makes hard work meaningful enough to sustain.
Q: Isn’t passion unreliable?
A: Passion can fade if unsupported. Energy is more stable: it fuels practice and persistence, which deepen passion over time.
Q: How do I use childhood clues without being childish?
A: Don’t copy the activities literally. Look at the underlying patterns — problem-solving, leading, helping, creating — and seek them in your work today.
Further reading & listening
- Flow — Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (on deep engagement and focus)
- Peak — Anders Ericsson (on deliberate practice and mastery)
- Grit — Angela Duckworth (on passion and perseverance)
- Outliers — Malcolm Gladwell (on opportunity, practice, and hidden patterns of success)
Also, don't miss to check out the "Finding Mastery" podcast by Michael Gervais.
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Next: 3.2 Personal values in worklife: how to define them and use them
