If you're looking for a more inspiring job or career, don't limit yourself to traditional opportunities in corporations or small businesses. Just keep this in mind: People will pay you to do something if you add value to their life.

To get your creative juices flowing, consider three questions:

1. What task might someone pay you to do that they can't do because they're too busy working?

2. What task might someone pay you to do that they don't want to do because it's just too gross, too complex or not how they want to spend their time?

3. What task might a rich or super-rich person pay you to do because they are, well, busy doing things rich people do?

The I'm too-busy-working category covers everything from watching kids and walking dogs to cleaning houses and making meals. Many businesses and careers have sprung up in recent years to help people do these things while they're busy toiling away at the office.

Lesser-known careers and businesses do work people simply don't want to do such as picking up dog droppings in their yard and snatching head lice from their kids' hair. And some folks are making a nice living doing it.

DoodyCalls, a company profiled in a recent USA Today article, which takes care of your yard's dog droppings, has expanded to 26 franchisees and will take in more than $2 million in revenue this year.

I've heard of hair salons specializing in picking head lice from children's hair. Some independent contractors make $30 an hour.

There also are tasks like wading through health insurance and medical bills for which people will pay others to assist them.

The wealthy may pay "an astonishing array of niche professionals to take any number of daily tasks off your hands," according to an article in The New York Times Magazine.

Take the baby-room decorator and kids' party planner.

If you are certified to help people with nutritional, lifestyle and wellness needs, there's the role of Off-the-Menu Nutritionist, someone who reviews menus of restaurants at which their patients dine. Such nutritionists visit restaurants in advance of their patient's reservation to tell them what to order.

Medical concierge services offer various services from visiting you at your hotel room or at home, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Some carry mobile pharmacies and basic lab tests and specialize in everything from dentistry to chiropractic care.

People pay a hefty annual fee — between $5,000 and $40,000 — to get such services as a three-hour physical, same-day appointment and the doctor's personal cell number.

There's the profession of high-end household services professional who cares for art collections and wine cellars. The Times article profiled a contemporary art conservator who serves modern art collectors, museums, galleries and artists who might need to replace an object that's part of a piece of artwork, or to fix a piece damaged by a client's daughter who has a pillow fight.

Whether catering to the wealthy, the busy or folks who don't want to or can't do a task, the key is to look at the skills and interests you have that can add value to their lives. When you put together a need with what you're good at, you get what you want, which is getting paid for something you like to do.