Finding legitimacy in your craft

If you feel there is an un-bridged gap between what brings you joy and what makes you feel legitimate in your work, pull up a seat. 

The lucky (hardworking) people we admire truly enjoy their work, so much so they never stop developing their craft. Their work provides a sense of fulfillment and a sense of legitimacy. They know their path was intended for them and they are proud of where the journey led. Like them, we aspire to pursue what fills our lives with joy and pride. Unlike them, we haven’t figured out how to do so and be a responsible adult.

How are some people able to bridge this gap while others drift further from the kind of calling that feels less like a job and more like a gift?

There’s a phenomenon occurring within those of us “coming of age” where we reflect and realize, somewhere along the way, life shifted. For years, we experienced life as a constant, slightly challenging progression and without realizing, our day-to-day became an endless, mundane fog of tried and true familiarity. The excitement of building toward newness, the many first-time experiences that define our quarter-century years, becomes less and less familiar. Suddenly, opportunities to do the novel work that rewards us with fresh knowledge and acknowledged legitimacy seem few. The things that brought us a sense of fulfillment apex into just work. A job. A constant, repetitive cycle of actions each day. 

This doesn’t have to be the way. What is most encouraging about the mundane is seeing professionals who nurtured their own personas or careers from it. Bozma Saint John led marketing at multiple corporate powerhouses before stepping into her own self-made brand in her 40s. Instead of speaking in boardrooms, she speaks at events globally, promoting her ideals of success and, most importantly, herself. Elaine Welteroth blossomed through the ranks of corporate journalism, quickly, becoming Teen Vogue’s youngest Editor-in-Chief at age 29. She ultimately left her employer to continue developing a professional persona of her own as an author, talk show host, Black maternal health advocate, and high-profile event moderator. Both women found ways to pursue paths that made them whole. These paths filled them with a sense of purpose and legitimacy their successful, yet familiar, careers didn’t provide. 

The insight to extract for this is, connect with yourself on a deeper level, creating self-awareness of what sparks joy and what dims your light. It’s possible to create legitimacy in your pursuit, whatever it may be. Legitimacy doesn’t come from letters associated with a degree, nor from a job title, income bracket, or number of hours clocked. Legitimacy comes from choosing a craft that inspires you to become 1% better each day. The drive and joy amassed throughout the journey increases your chances at becoming an adept of your craft, and once you do this, you’ve reached your purpose.