Finding Meaning & Purpose in Your Work

     One of the questions I've been asked is how to find meaning and a sense of purpose in a job when you really don't like the work you're doing.  The answers lie in one's mindset. 
     The first clue is that you don't like the work you're doing.  That tells you something is missing as well as what does NOT fulfill you. Rarely does someone hate their job just because it isn't paying enough money to pay their bills.  There are usually other reasons, such as you don't feel like you're making a difference by doing the work you do, you don't feel appreciated for the efforts you make, or perhaps you feel pushed to the point where you don't feel you can do your best work any longer because of deadlines or too much work.
​     Those reasons will also give insight into what it is that does bring meaning and purpose to you.  Do you enjoy serving others?  Helping them to be successful in what they do?  Do you need more instant gratification to feel valued?  Do you find meaning in creating something that can have a lasting impact on an individual or society as a whole? 
​     Look for the ways you're able to fulfill these needs in the small things you do every day.  Perhaps you discover that making sure documents are filed correctly means you get to put your hand on the memo your boss needs right away.  Doing so means you've served someone else and helped them to be successful in what they needed to do, and you can take a sense of accomplishment, meaning and purpose from that one simple step.
​     If you're working in Human Resources or Management and you can see the value in a presentation on this topic in your organization, please contact me to make it happen.