Does your work make you happy? Or are you simply trading hours for cash, doing something you could not care less about? Meaningful work means different things to different people.
Some of us believe that in order for our work to be meaningful it must have a huge impact on the world. Discovering a cure for cancer, feeding millions of starving children around the world, or protecting endangered species are good examples of what most people would consider meaningful work. But is that all? What if our passions lie elsewhere? Can any type of work be meaningful? Will Edwards believes the answer to all these questions is YES – to those who benefit from it.
What if we consider an alternate definition of meaningful work as something that you feel passionate about, which also provides value to the world.
Then any type of job or career can be valuable, if you think about it. Doctors, lawyers, accountants, caterers, musicians, artists, housekeepers, dog groomers, party planners, product manufacturers, hair stylists – they are ALL providing something of value.
In that sense, any job at all can be meaningful. But is it meaningful to YOU? This is where a lot of people go wrong, by choosing work that “has meaning” but is not exactly meaningful to them. “The very first step towards success in any occupation,” Sir William Osler opines, “is to become interested in it.”
Perhaps your high school guidance counsellor convinced you to go into medicine, but your true passion is music. Or your father was a lawyer, so you felt obligated to follow in his footsteps. Or you were not sure what to study in the university, so you picked a field that seemed simple, paid well, and was in vogue but now you feel bored.
You may not think it matters what you do, as long as you are able to pay the bills. Or you may be what Edwards refers to as “weekend warrior,” devoting weekdays to a mundane job and following your passions on the weekends.
There is nothing wrong with this if it makes you feel happy and fulfilled. But if you walk around with a constant feeling of frustration and emptiness, you might want to re-evaluate your career path and choose something that truly fulfills you.
DOING WHAT YOU LOVE FOR A LIVING
What were your dreams when you were a child? Did you dream of being a heroic firefighter? A famous singer? A university professor? President of your country? What happened to those dreams?
If you have buried those long-ago dreams so deeply in your subconscious mind that you can no longer even remember them, do not despair! A little introspection can help bring them to the surface, but even if they remain hidden, there is one important thing to remember: You are not the same person now that you were back then.
While it is possible to rekindle a dream you have held since childhood, you do not have to. Instead, let new dreams make themselves known to you. Ask yourself what type of work would make you feel most fulfilled. Ask yourself how you can best make a contribution to the world by doing something you truly love.
It sounds simple in theory, but how do you start? Many of us have fallen completely out of touch with our passions. We are so focused on the things we HAVE to do that we have no time for play or exploration.
Will Edwards reiterates that there is no other alternative but to MAKE time. Set aside some time to really get to know yourself. Figure out what you like to do, or explore new activities so you can decide whether they might be one of your true passions.
IDENTIFYING AND NURTURING YOUR TALENTS
A good place to start is by gaining a clear idea of your skills and talents. Make a list of the things you are naturally good at, as well as the things you have become good at through repetitive effort. Write down the skills you use in your job, the things you learned in school, and the things you enjoy doing in your spare time.
When you have listed everything you can, look over your list and consider whether any of these skills and talents might be marketable. How can you use your talents to provide something of value to others? “We are each special and unique, and we each have something to offer this world that no one else does. By denying our own talents, we deny others the gift of what we have to share.”
WORK SMART – NOT JUST HARD
Many of us fall into the trap of believing that becoming successful will require a lot of hard work. While hard work can be good for us, too much of it can create the opposite effect we are going for. Think about it: we crave fulfilling work because we want to enjoy our daily lives, not feel exhausted or bored. Taking hard work to the extreme only holds us back, personally and professionally.
Contrary to what you may have been taught, hard work alone has little to do with success. Think about people who are working long hours at low-paying jobs every day. Are they becoming successful because of their hard work? Or are they simply working from hand-to-mouth – as so many of us do?
Simply working hard is not the answer to becoming successful. Working steadily in a FOCUSED direction is. That is why you were led you through all that “identifying your talents” material. “If you do not know what you are working toward, you will be spinning your wheels no matter how hard you work.”
Once you know your objective: passionate, fulfilling work that contributes value to the world, it is easy to come up with focused action steps that will make it a reality.
Working hard in THAT context can be extremely effective. You know where you are going, you know exactly what to do to get there, and all you need is the discipline and determination to see it through.
MAKING TIME FOR WHAT REALLY MATTERS
It is crucial to avoid getting caught in the trap of all work and no play. Often when our dream is big, or it has been a part of us for a very long time, we become consumed by it. We trick ourselves into believing that sacrificing our relationships and family time in order to achieve our goals will pay off in the long run – but sadly, this is rarely true.
Instead, keeping a healthy balance between work and play automatically helps us feel energetic and enthusiastic, therefore we are less stressed, and therefore our focus becomes sharper and we get more done in less time. “Think about it this way,” Edwards advises, “whatever you focus on the most expands, and whatever you turn your focus away from shrivels and dies.”
That may be the reason you do not feel like you have achieved the success you desire; because you have not given your career path the focus it deserves. Likewise, if your relationships are lacking, or you struggle with financial strain, or your health and fitness leaves something to be desired. It works the same in all areas of your life. Everything needs nurturing to help it grow. So, believing that it will not matter if you neglect the other areas of your life while you are actively pursuing success is a grave mistake.
If you make a conscious effort to see all aspects of your life as an INVESTMENT in your productivity, you will reap great rewards. The time you take to care for yourself, build strong relationships with your family and friends, and recharge your mental and physical batteries will DIRECTLY affect your ability to succeed at anything else in life. Not only will you feel happier and more centered on a daily basis, you will not grow to resent your passion because it sucks the life out of you.
BY CAPT SAM ADDAIH (RTD)
