The Reason You're Unhappy at Work

It's a straightforward word: fulfillment.

I woke up this morning to a message from someone telling me they had recently won an award at work. This award was illustrious and one that many of their peers had strived for. The award came with a cash prize and the recognition of so many of their peers.

While I congratulated them, their response was, "I feel stuck." (I heard that word from two people this past week, actually)

So, rather than tell me how excited they were about the award, they went on to explain that they were just not happy and couldn't figure out why. After all, they had just won the award a few dozen of their peers wanted.

My response? Fulfillment.

I went on to explain that fulfillment is the fuel for everything. Without fulfillment in what we're doing, everything falls flat.

Fulfillment is defined as a feeling of satisfaction from achieving or completing a task. Unfortunately we spend so much time on the surface level that we fail to truly define what the fulfillment is that drives us. We think of fulfillment as the output or the end result, or in this situation the award or a payday. Sometimes we fail to remember that the output is ultimately driven by an input, and that is where the majority of the fulfillment lives at.

You see, we chase the award, the paycheck, the equity, the payouts, the accolades, the title, etc. In reality, we're chasing the fulfillment or the joy that comes with it in the form of people, meaningful work, customers we enjoy, praise or recognition, learnings and education. We confuse the two; the inputs vs. the outputs on the journey.

The reason you're not happy at work has very little to do with the end result and everything to do with the process along the way.

I've known people who are making the most amount of money they've ever made who are miserable and vice versa. The difference? Their level of fulfillment.

The goal is to seek to understand what fulfills you. Everyone has a different level of inputs that drive them, and they change over time too. The inputs that drive you today won't drive you tomorrow, nor did they drive you ten years ago. There are external factors that you will continue to tweak over your career.

Our perceptions and priorities subtly influence the paths we choose. This understanding can lead to a profound shift in how we approach our careers and our lives. Instead of prioritizing external rewards, the focus should shift towards engaging in activities and roles that align with our intrinsic values and bring genuine satisfaction.

It's crucial, then, to take time for introspection to dig deep into our desires and motivations. What aspects of your job or your life bring you the most joy? Is it the challenge, the learning, the ability to influence, or perhaps the creativity involved? Once you identify these elements, you can begin to seek them out more deliberately and craft a career life that is rich in fulfilling experiences.

Ultimately, fulfillment comes from alignment—alignment between your daily activities and your broader life goals and values. When there is a disconnect, no amount of external success can compensate for the internal void that forms. If you redefine success to include personal fulfillment, not just achievements and accolades, you can create a more balanced and rewarding existence. This shift in focus can lead to not only a happier life but one filled with a sense of purpose and contentment that no external reward can match.

If you enjoyed this article, I write daily on Patreon.com/scottbond, I host a podcast, I run a Discord community and I genuinely want to help inspire and influence your career. Sure, it's $5 a month, but you spent more than that on an iced oat milk latte today.

by Scott Bond