I get this question all the time: “Is my career my calling?”

Maybe. Maybe not.

Years ago, I worked at a global medical device company where I oversaw labeling and instructions for use with our products. One of our responsibilities was translating English instructions into 34 other languages so we could distribute globally. This was before AI, before machine translation — we were relying almost completely on human translators to accurately convey complex medical language.

There’s one legendary translation error that’s still talked about. The English instruction said something like, “Apply a dressing to the patient,” but the translated version used the word for “salad dressing.” It’s obviously not the moment to debate ranch or blue cheese when a patient’s been laid bare on the operating table.

When people’s lives are on the line, getting the definition right isn’t just important — it is essential.

That’s exactly why the question of calling matters so much. If you get the definition wrong, the consequences don’t just confuse your life — they can derail your future.

I’ve talked to countless leaders who’ve told me, “I know my calling — I’m supposed to be a business owner. I’m supposed to be a CFO.” And while I agree, you have those roles, I still push back. Having a job isn’t the same thing as having clarity on your calling.

There’s a difference between what you’re paid to do and what you’re made to do.

Let me unpack this with a biblical framework. There are four distinct kinds of calling that we see in Scripture, and the fourth one is the one we are after here.

First, you are called to conversion. This is where it all begins — saying yes to Jesus and receiving His gift of salvation. This is the move from death to life, and it changes everything.

Second, you are called to transformation. You’ve probably noticed this: there’s often a gap between someone saying yes to Jesus and when their life actually starts to look different. Transformation is the process of being conformed to the image of Christ — the daily work of becoming who you were meant to be.

Third, you are called to faithfulness. Every one of us have roles — some chosen, some assigned. If you’re a parent, a spouse, an employee, a citizen, a trustee — you’re called to be faithful in those positions. God is watching what you do with what He’s entrusted to you.

But then there’s the fourth calling — and this is the one we point your focus towards in The Master’s Program: the call to fruitfulness.

Jesus made it simple: Love God. Love people. Make disciples. That’s what fruitfulness looks like. Eternal outcomes. The kind of life that multiplies the life of Christ into others.

If your job isn’t helping you become more fruitful — or worse, if it’s stealing your margin and masking your true identity — then it’s not your purpose. It may be your paycheck, but it’s not your calling.

A lot of churches and some coaching programs encourage believers to simply sprinkle Jesus on their current career. Show up with integrity. Treat people well. Follow the rules.

Those things are important — but they’re not fruit. They’re the minimum standards of faithfulness – aka table stakes. I can’t help but think that when we are being faithful, we lean on a prosperity gospel that tells us be good and life will be easy. Then the trap of if life’s hard, you must not have enough faith! What a sham! But I digress…

Fruitfulness means your life overflows into others for the sake of the Gospel. It means you’re not just getting through your week — you’re making followers of Jesus while they follow you, you’re loving people in tangible ways, and you’re leaving eternal improvements on everything you touch.

So, let me ask again: Is your career your calling?

Maybe. But here’s the better question: Are you being maximally fruitful where you are?

That’s the real measure. If your current roles — parent, spouse, leader, friend — aren’t producing fruit, then it’s time to build a new strategy.

Calling isn’t about job titles. It’s about outcomes. Eternal ones.

And so, design your life role to custom fit you. That’s one of the outcomes of The Master’s Program — to help leaders like you design your life around your highest and best use for Kingdom impact. Because often…

HERE’S THE ENEMY’S FAVORITE TACTIC ON WESTERNERS — WATCH THIS — other people and organizations are borrowing the best of you, your being celebrated — and it’s keeping you from becoming maximally fruitful.

And that tactic is always met by this one: “I’ll start my calling when…(insert some factor).” Don’t fall for the lie that fruitfulness begins when you hit a certain milestone — more money, more freedom, more control. Fruitfulness doesn’t wait for convenience. It starts now.

Look at your life. Where are you being fruitful? Where aren’t you?

In the next episodes in this series, we’ll walk through calling in more specific contexts — as an executive, as an entrepreneur, and as a parent. We’ll talk about your brand and the seasons of life that shape calling.

But for today, here’s the challenge: Stop asking, “Is this my calling?” Start asking, “Where’s the fruit?”

Because in the end, God isn’t aiming for your job satisfaction as the primary target. He’s looking for eternal outcomes. It’s always about fruit.

In your corner,
Jeff

____
Discover the locations of our new cohort launches! CLICK HERE