Do you dread going to work every day? Do you feel like you’re only doing it to be financially stable or is it something that you genuinely enjoy doing?
What many people don’t know is that finding purpose in your work is the turning point that separates whether you’ll enjoy your work or it will become a daily grind that you’ll grow to dread and resent as time goes on.
It’s important and downright critical to have a sense of purpose when it comes to work, for both your mental and physical health. So, what exactly makes a sense of purpose at work so critical– and most importantly, how can one find that purpose?
Today, we are going to take a look at the importance of finding purpose in the work you do.
The Purpose Driven Life
by Rick Warren
⏱ 15 minutes reading time
🎧 Audio version available
There’s no doubt that, for a myriad of reasons, no one gets to do what they want or love anymore. And when it comes to working, it’s the same case, unless you are passionate about your work.
No matter how busy or exhausted you are, if you’re passionate about your job, it’s safe to say that you’ll never grow tired of it and you’ll always have the desire to keep moving forward with it. Working brings you joy and satisfaction because it means something to you.
Unfortunately, the majority of people don’t get to experience the perks of having a sense of purpose in their work. Instead, they work to pay bills and keep a roof above their head.
Finding purpose in work is even more important now. With a deadly virus that has ravished the world and completely reshaped the way we live, it’s been getting harder to find motivation in anything in life. We’re already feeling uninspired and unmotivated; can you imagine the effect this has on our work, if it’s not something that we’re passionate about?
We’re not in any way, shape, or form denying that sometimes work, whether it’s something you enjoy doing or not, can be pretty tiring. After all, there’s no doubt that spending 40 hours a week– which doesn’t include traffic and commuting time– is capable of destroying your passion and motivation.
But, it’s important to keep in mind that those 40 hours are part of your life, and the last thing you would want to do is spend your life doing something that you don’t love or enjoy.
The good news is: it doesn’t have to be that way! Work doesn’t have to be worthless or meaningless. It can– and should– be a positive experience, and the key motivator should be the sense of satisfaction and fulfillment; not monetary gains.
It’s worth noting that while there are many people who find their job meaningless and purposeless from the get-go, there are also people who lose their sense of purpose for the job that they once enjoyed doing.
Perhaps it’s a new boss that caused them to feel that way, which is common, or perhaps it’s the difficult, uncommunicative coworkers that are impossible to work with. Whatever the reason, work becomes soul-draining — and understandably so.
And here is the most important question: how does one find purpose in their work? And if it’s something that they used to feel, how can you rekindle that fiery passion that you once had for your job?
Have the Right Attitude
Stay positive is a phrase that we hear on a regular basis. Yet, there’s not enough emphasis on how much positivity matters in every aspect of our lives; especially at work. For the majority of people, chances are, being stressed is the main cause of feeling like their work is meaningless. It’s fair to say that most people face countless stressors, like an argument with a coworker or feeling overwhelmed, on a daily basis.
For the most part, you might be able to handle these micro-stressors, but that ability can only get you so far. When they add up, their effect is amplified, and they become capable of killing any motivation that you might have. Let’s not forget to mention that, when there’s no outlet you can turn to destress and recharge your energy, all that stress will build up and your sense of purpose will vanish.
Thus, the simple yet effective solution to all of this is to avoid negativity. And when negativity is inevitable, find ways to help you deal with it and find your way back to how things used to be.
Whether it’s taking a hike, or for a more Covid-19 suitable option, binge-watching a new series, reading a book, or painting, there are countless ways to help you destress and stop the negativity from affecting your wellbeing and draining your energy.
Don’t Take Your Job For Granted
English historian Thomas Fuller once said;
“We never know the worth of water till the well is dry.”
This quote could not be more true when it comes to finding a sense of purpose in your work. We get so used to the things we have that we don’t appreciate them the way we’re supposed to. We take them for granted, not fully realizing that we can lose them at any time.
No matter how much effort you put in or how well your performance is, you can lose the work you once hated. Your job might be stressing you out and you might wake up every day dreading getting out of bed; however, you have a job that allows you to make ends meet and provides you with financial stability.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, there are people out there who have struggled for years to get that job that you’ve come to dread. They would do anything to work that job; the job that comes with so much stress and exhaustion, and they wouldn’t think twice about accepting it.
Turn Your Dream Career Into a Reality
Not everyone is lucky enough to work their dream job or pursue their dream career. As a matter of fact, there are people who spend a lifetime dreaming about working a certain job, all while doing nothing to reach that goal. They’re stuck at their current job and they don’t make an effort to turn their dream job into reality.
Create a list breaking down the steps that you need to take to move closer to your goal, even if they’re baby steps. And, most importantly, do everything within your power to accomplish them. Take it one step at a time and you will find yourself closer to your goal.
Let Fear Be Your Compass
Fear is the number one deterrent that keeps people from pursuing what they want to do. Fear is synonymous with making the wrong decision– a decision that we have to live with and regret for the rest of our lives. Fear creates internal obstacles that dictate how you act and what decisions you make.
So, instead of letting fear be a negative thing in your life, embrace that fear. Accepting and embracing fear will undoubtedly lead you to things that you would never even have attempted to do. Ask yourself what you would do if you weren’t afraid and let the answer lead you where you want to go.
Understand Why You Do Work
More often than not, we are asked about the type of job we have but not why are we working this job. The latter question is as important as the former and yet, we rarely, if ever, think about it.
If money was out of the question, there are still wants and needs that have to be fulfilled to feel a sense of purpose in your work. If you feel like your current job is only beneficial to you financially, but when it comes to your wants and needs, it does nothing, then it’s time to consider talking to your boss and figuring out how those needs can be met. And if that’s not feasible, then a career change could be your best bet.
Understand What You Want From Work
It has been found that working for the sole purpose of making money boils down to our evolutionary biology and it doesn’t equate happiness. It’s almost as if our minds are programmed to pass on our genetic material, which we can only do if we’re stable financially.
Happiness and money don’t exist in that equation, so, it’s one thing to have money as the primary motivation in work, and it’s a completely different story to feel a sense of purpose in your work.
Now that we’ve established that to find a sense of purpose, your motivator shouldn’t be money. Instead, find reasons that can act as the driving force in your work and hang on to those reasons.
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