Career vs. Vocation

I speak periodically with people about jobs, careers, what they should study in school, etc.

Sometimes I find it helpful to relay this etymology lesson about the words “career” and “vocation”:

Career comes to English from the middle French word carere , which was a circular race track in the 1400’s and 1500’s. We get the word “careen” from the same root word.

You can go very fast on a race track, and may even win awards for it. But where did you go, really?

In contrast, vocation comes to English from the Latin word vocare, which means “voice” or “calling.”

You want a vocation, not a career. Understand that, if you are a believer, you are already falling the voice of the Master. You have a calling to pursue.