Answered Callings,Unanswered Callings,or No Calling: Examining a Nationally Representative Sample

Research suggests that workers with unanswered callings have poorer outcomes than those without callings; however, these studies have used small or homogeneous samples (Berg et al., 2010; Gazica & Spector, 2015). We aimed to replicate this finding using a nationally representative sample of 445 full-time workers. We compared key work and life criterion variables across three groups: individuals with answered callings, unanswered callings, and no calling at all. Results linked answered callings to benefits but, unlike earlier studies, suggested that unanswered callings were no worse than lacking a calling. These findings call into question the narrative that unanswered callings are associated with adverse effects, suggesting that career counselors may be able to facilitate discernment of a calling without having a negative impact on those for whom that calling goes unanswered. Research designed to test causal influences of these dynamics is an important next step for understanding the experiences of individuals with answered callings, unanswered callings, or no calling at all.