“I want to have meaning in my work.” It’s something I hear a lot as a coach. Most of us want to have a sense of purpose, and to feel like we are recognized for it. As it turns out, this is no small request. Dan Pink identifies purpose as one of three key factors to motivation in his fascinating TED talk.
Where I find many of us go wrong is when we think that purpose means going into non-profit management, medicine, counseling, or any of what I call the “Mother Theresa” jobs. Of course we all want to help others. But where I believe we can find much more personal fulfillment is in what I call skill-based, or functional, purpose. There are things each of us is hard wired to do. Like an endless well, we can do them every day and they never run dry. I often use the example of the salesperson who loves the “win.” That person will close a deal and get up the next day and want to do it all over again. Forget the celebration; they want to get right to the next win.
So what are your skill-based purposes? You may already know some of your strengths from you annual review process or any 360 assessments you’ve had. Another place to look is in the way you do your job differently from others with the same title at your company. Also try asking your friends and colleagues what they think you are good at. The trick is that these are often the things we don’t see because they come so naturally to us. The other trick is to know that they can be applied in many, many different contexts. A love of teaching might be used in front of a class. It might also be used to manage subordinates, to train executives, or as a selling tool for a complex product or service.
Remember, most of us got to where we are because a lot of the things in our work are a fit. Feeling more meaning in what you do may not mean a huge career shift. It may mean a slight shift, or just doing your job in a way that is a closer reflection of you.
Please share the skills that bring meaning to your work!