A Job or a Calling?

By Tom Reilly

 “When I was five years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.” (John Lennon)

What is the difference between a job and a calling?

• A job is about a paycheck; a calling is about passion.
• A job is an eight-hour day; a calling is for a lifetime.
• A job is about getting to the finish line; a calling is about living the dream.
• A job is a place you go to work; a calling is the life you live.
• A job feeds the wallet; a calling feeds the soul.
• A job means you work to live; a calling is a place of self-fulfillment.
• A job means watching the clock; a calling means listening to your heart.
• A job is a paid position; a calling is a dedicated profession.
• A job earns you a vacation; a calling earns you a vocation.
• A job is working for a promotion; a calling is satisfying your purpose.
• A job asks the what and how of work; a calling answers the why of work.
• A job is a means to an end; a calling is an identity.

Value-added salespeople view sales as a calling, not a job. For them, it is more about making a difference than just making a deal. They sell to the customer’s needs, not necessarily against the competition. It is more about opening relationships than closing sales. Value-Added Selling is a calling, not just a sales call. It is a philosophy of actively seeking ways to create something of value for the customer. Value-added salespeople believe that the sale is more about the customer than themselves. They believe that a person of value gives more than he or she receives.

Please join us in sharing this philosophy with others. Share it with your example, your performance, and your results.