Mary works Monday to Friday, eight hours a day in an office. Her main motivation is to earn enough money to spend on her after work activities. Most of the money goes to her hobby – photography – and to other small joys like going out with friends, weekend escapades in the mountains and once a year, a vacation outside the country.

If money wasn’t an issue, she would definitely change her job and would try something else. For her, work is a necessity, an 8 hour sacrifice in exchange for the after work freedom. Everyday, she patiently waits for the 8 hour program to end, Friday is her favorite day and the alarm clock every Monday morning is her worst nightmare.

Alex likes his job, but he doesn’t see himself doing the same thing in the future. He dreams of a higher position and a better salary, and to achieve this he has a well established plan for his career path. Sometimes, he considers his daily tasks to be a waste of time but the perspective of a promotion in the future keeps him motivated. To him, a promotion is not only the recognition of his value, but also a victory in front of his coworkers, with whom he competes.

To Anne, working is part of life. In fact, if we ask her she will say that doing the thing she loves most doesn’t feel like work and that she feels lucky to get paid for her passion. There is no border between work and free time, they perfectly blend in together in a whole, and most of her colleagues are now her best friends. She can’t imagine doing anything else and she strongly believes that by doing what you love most, you can make the world a better place.

Who do you feel most like? Mary, Alex or Anne?

As you’ve probably guessed, the situations stated above describe three completely different ways of seeing working: as a job, as a career or as a Vocation. In an ideal situation, we are all Anne. So what’s stopping us? Maybe the often encountered mentality that only few of us are lucky to do what we love, while others have to stick to the jobs that allow them to pay the bills. Anne isn’t just a lucky case and science can prove it. Under the name of “positive psychology”, Professor Martin Seligman from the University of Pennsylvania came with a very interesting theory on how one can develop and improve potential and enjoy a balanced and fulfilled life. We ask ourselves daily what makes us happy, and why for some working comes as a joy and not as a burden.

So, if you’re more like Mary or Alex there are 3 lessons you can learn to become an Anne.

1. Instead of always “repairing” your flaws, discover your qualities and build on them

Those who are truly passionate about their jobs are, almost always, the ones who are intensively using their best Qualities in everyday work. We tend to be so caught up in revamping that we forget about what actually works, our strengths and how to better perform at our job. Let me ask you, when was the last time you were praised for your qualities? When was the last time you thought about ways to highlight them? Think of your qualities as a treasure hidden buried in your consciousness and bring them to light. If you’re a manager, you can apply this analogy to your team and stimulate them to use their best qualities.

2. Look for ways to increase the level of control in your activity

People who see working as a vocation and not simply as a job, are in control of their activities and know very well what’s on their plate. One of the biggest reasons for dissatisfaction at the workplace is the lack of control and options - when others set for us schedules, objectives, dress codes we feel like prisoners for 8 hours and very likely become Mary, seeing the job as a burden. Ask your manager to involve you in setting the objectives, and ask for tasks that better suit your qualities. This way, both parties win, resulting in increased motivations and productivity.

3. Think win-win

It’s more likely to transform your job into a vocation if you have a win-win mindset by actively looking for opportunities to collaborate with others. Hyper-competitiveness, permanent struggle with peers, the constant pressure to succeed can be a major source of stress and dissatisfaction. As people, we are by default Social creatures with a profound need of networking, and giving and receiving help is among the most powerful means to personal fulfillment. When we have few opportunities to offer or to receive help, advice, etc. from our coworkers and the office mantra is everyone for himself, the level of discontent can increase very fast.

Now, how can you develop a win-win mindset in a culture built around win-lose? You can create your own set of levers to help you develop professional relationships, by offering some of your experience or, if you are a manager, you can create special projects that encourage your team to work together but keep in mind to reward them individually.

Of course, the 3 lessons stated above do not constitute the absolute recipe for success, but they give us a good direction for our destination in finding meaning and joy in our work. A Great Job should allow you to showcase your best qualities without forcing you to fit in default standards. A great job allows you to share knowledge with your colleagues and build together on the things you believe in.

If we try to stick at least to these 3 things, our chances to wake up easier on Mondays are greater than ever.