2021: Find Purpose in Your Work

If you were lucky enough to have some time off for the holidays, you may dread returning to work today. As we move into 2021, here’s a couple of quick thoughts on work as we return to the grind:

Let’s resolve to not overlook the meaning and value in our daily work. All work has meaning and value if we take a positive frame of mind.

Sometimes it is not as easy to see the value in one job as it may be for another job. My role recruiting in the equipment rental industry could seem less meaningful than my wife’s job, which is working for an ophthalmic company where they help save people’s vision. My role could easily be perceived as just part of the machine (see how I did that) or…

…I can see the true value it delivers in the form of good jobs that support families in a business that makes our industry greener, removes the need for large capital outlays so small businesses are more competitive, & keeps north America building, which means growth for the overall economy.

Taking it a step deeper, I can see how my role impacts others: In the summer of 18, I recruited a first generation, Hispanic female for an internship. She wanted to be in operations not sales; but we talked, and she took the sales internship for the summer. In 2019, she joined our sales training program and in 2020--this daughter of brick layer & a stay at home mom caring for her disabled sister—is helping support her family as an Outside Sales Representative.

Seeing the bigger purpose in your work will help you develop a passion for what you’re doing today. I am all for chasing passion, but it is less about doing what you’re passionate about and more about being passionate about whatever it is you’re doing.

When your passion is your work, your passion becomes another job. Every job (even your passion) has parts that suck. That’s why it’s called work. Redefining the source of passion will remove the feeling of getting back to the grind.

This is how my role enables my passion: I enjoy helping others. Unfortunately, my responsibilities (e.g., my 401(k) balance) do not allow me to volunteer for a living or take the pay cut required to work non-profit. My current job allows me to meet those commitments but also leverage some of my income to buy a person in need’s entire holiday wish list for her children. Until I win the lottery, knowing my job supports this passion motivates me as I return to work today.

So, my wish for us all in 2021, is to redefine our success as finding a job that allows us to balance enjoying what we do while making a sufficient living to enjoy the level of lifestyle we want to live and the ability to do something outside of work that we’re “passionate” about.

P.S. If your one of the millions currently out of work, my thoughts are with you. Please remember these as you seek work because the job does not define you - you define the job.

Cheers and be excellent.