Make Things Better.
If you've been following this since the outset, I've been talking about purpose quite a bit of late. As we've explored this topic, we've talked about:
Thinking through those questions has helped me contemplate and process my purpose in the work world. I am proud of what I've accomplished and what I'm working on; I enjoy my job with or without obligation to earn a living. I do take on hard tasks, and I do them because they're the right thing to do. I work to be a bridge, even when I have to say 'no'. I try to grow and learn every day, even when I'm doing repetitive tasks. And I'm constantly soliciting feedback from people I respect, and working to learn from their feedback.
Is my work purpose to be a lawyer? The head of HR or IT? A specialist in identifying appropriate levels of insurance coverage? A salesperson or customer concierge? Is my purpose to be the stern voice on termination calls? Is my purpose to be the content writer who explains complex topics in an understandable fashion?
No. None of those are my purpose. Those are all tasks, and they're all tasks that I periodically undertake. But they're not my purpose.
My purpose is to make my organization better--to make my organization the best. My purpose is to ask questions and look for process enhancements. My purpose is not to engage in "sales", but to find opportunities to truly collaborate with clients on meaningful projects that improve their company and mine. My purpose is to build up those around me, and to support the people who report to me.
My purpose is to make things better. It's been my purpose in every meaningful job I've ever held.
This conclusion is one that I've literally come to through the process of writing these posts--so if you're one of the handful of readers, feel free to send me a bill for the therapy sessions. The irony of this purpose is seeing it carry through my work life to date. When I've worked in static environments that resisted positive change, I chafed at the bit. When I've worked in environments that could be improved and changed for the better, I've thrived--even when it was hard to do so. The challenge was tolerable because the beneficial outcome was possible.
The other funny thing about this purpose is how broadly applicable it is. A specialist in brain surgery may find that their purpose is helping patients overcome some very specific issue that only this surgeon is capable of addressing. For me, my purpose isn't limited to occupational health. For that matter, being a lawyer is a helpful skill that enables my purpose--but my purpose isn't to be a lawyer.
Have you contemplated your purpose? Do you know what it is? Is it fulfilled by your current job?
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