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A vocation is all about love. A vocation is a life of love in a concrete, particular form because love is always concrete and particular.
A vocation begins with Christ's love for you. In that love for you He is calling you to a particular form of life. This love involves first His total gift of Himself to you, and then in response your total gift of yourself to Him. After all He tells us in the Gospel according to St. John, "You did not choose me, but I chose you" (Jn. 15:16). His choice for you is what makes a vocation different from an "occupation" or a "career". You can choose an occupation or a career for yourself, but a vocation (from the Latin verb vocare, "to call") is HIS choice for you and which He invites you to undertake for love of Him. Often we are taught to ask, "What do I want to be when I grow up?" or "What life will I choose?" The better way to think is, "What does Jesus want for me?", "What life will bring Jesus the greatest glory?" and ultimately to say, "I want what Jesus wants."
A vocation is the concrete life He has chosen for you, and for which has specifically created you. He is God and therefore knows which life that will be the best way to bring about your salvation, your happiness, and His greatest glory. His call will completely fulfill you as a man and a father. A vocation means to be sent by Jesus on a mission to help Him bring His salvation to the world, and so will call for much love, heroism and sacrifice on your part. He loves you and has chosen you. His love gives you the ability to love Him in return. The key to discovering your vocation is first to allow Jesus to show His tender love to you. This love will make you capable of loving Him in return.
As you can see, it is vital that you find your vocation. Your fulfillment, your happiness, and ultimately your salvation can depend on your acceptance of the mission that Jesus has chosen for you. Moreover, other people's salvation will depend on you giving your full "Yes" to Jesus in your vocation.
Presented below are the basic steps of vocational discernment. These steps, however, are not steps that are taken and finished. We are always engaging these steps at deeper levels, even after saying "Yes" to our vocation. Sometimes these steps are going on at the same time, and there is always more work we can do at each step.