I am a huge fan of the TV show NCIS: LosAngeles. There is a line in an episode from season one that has stuck with me for several weeks. I literally think about it every day. I have shared it with a few people and it resonated with them too - so I think there is something there for us to ponder.
The line was Hetty's and she said "I was never cut out for this; I merely had the capacity". That line captures in a few words what many people struggle with every day. There is a great danger in having the capacity to do without thinking about fulfillment. If you have the capacity to do, you get caught in the trap of thinking that perhaps this is something you 'should' do. And you might end up in a career that you perform well in, but that is not fulfilling to you. In fact, having the capacity to do something does not mean you should do it. You should do it only if it brings you fulfillment. This applies to careers, volunteer work, and if fact all of life itself.
So if the test is not just capacity; what is the test? I'd say that the test is capacity (can you do it?) along with the test of how you feel before, during, and after. If the job/volunteer work is something you look forward to doing; then that's a good sign. When you are at work/at the volunteer opportunity and if time flies - that's a good sign. After work/after the volunteer activity if you feel fulfilled; if you feel tired but not drained then those are good signs. If you dread it before, time drags during, and you are drained after - these are not good signs.
As you go forward into 2011 and think about your life (most of us do at this time of year); I urge you to avoid the lure of capacity and instead to think in terms of capacity along with fulfillment. "Just because I can, doesn't mean I should".