Purpose Beyond The Paycheck
So many of us have poured our hearts into our careers—burning the midnight oil, seeking every opportunity to climb that corporate ladder. But you know what? Life can throw a curveball at us, and suddenly, we’re left wondering where all that fulfillment went.
We’re yearning for more purpose in our lives, that sense of growth and meaning that goes beyond the daily grind. And guess what? Our true purpose isn’t always neatly scribbled on our to-do lists, and that’s perfectly fine.
In fact, a recent survey found that a whopping 83% of employees have “finding meaning in their day-to-day work” as a top priority.
So, here we are, on a quest to uncover our true motivations and find that deeper sense of purpose.
Our CEO and Founder, Jessica Chen, recently hosted a Soulcast Media | LIVE event on LinkedIn, where she interviewed the former Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Meta, Regina Lawless.
They shared tips and personal stories about how to find your purpose beyond the paycheck.
1. Purpose
Purpose often ties in with personal growth, like finding that sweet spot where you feel like you’re really blossoming. The trick is to identify where that spot is, which means taking a breather and giving some real thought to what truly lights you up.
Consider the following:
- Make Space – Sometimes, our to-do lists can become these monstrous beasts that devour our days, leaving us no room to hear what would truly bring purpose to our work. Here’s a little tip: try taking a leisurely walk and tucking away those phones. It’s a fantastic way to clear your head, creating the perfect space for those purposeful thoughts to start flowing.
- Tune In – When it comes to seeking more purpose in our lives, it’s all about tuning in and figuring out what’s clicking and what’s not. Picture this: your current job might be a winner, but that daily grind of a commute? Not so much. That’s when it’s worth exploring if there are any remote work options that could add a dash of balance to your life.
- Get Involved – You know, there are moments when our day-to-day work might not feel as fulfilling as we’d like it to be. But here’s the silver lining: many companies offer various avenues to dive into, and these can be the secret sauce for finding more purpose at work. Take, for instance, those employee resource groups—they’re like treasure troves for getting involved in the things that really light a fire in you.
It’s pretty amazing what happens when we grant ourselves a little breathing room to think and tune in. That’s when we stumble upon that hidden treasure called purpose.
2. Don’t Be Stagnant
When we find ourselves stuck in a rut, doing the same old routine day in and day out, it’s easy to lose sight of our purpose. The key is all about giving things a good shake-up.
Consider the following:
- Create Opportunities – To keep the stagnation at bay, we’ve got to get a bit creative and start cooking up opportunities that spice up our daily grind. Here’s a little trick: Imagine you stumble upon a project that really gets your heart racing. You can march right up to your manager and pitch this exciting new venture, creating a golden chance for yourself.
- Boost Visibility – Amping up our visibility can be a game-changer when it comes to finding purpose and breaking free from that dreaded feeling of stagnation. Let’s say you’re feeling a bit stuck in your current role. Well, you need folks within your organization to not only know you but also recognize the valuable contributions you can make. So, what’s the move? Consider taking on roles like volunteering for a committee or stepping up to lead a project—it’s like turning on the spotlight on your career journey.
- Strengths – You know that feeling of stagnation? It often creeps in when we’re not tapping into our strengths. Our purpose and our strengths, they’re like two peas in a pod. Sometimes, all it takes to shake off that stagnation is returning to what we’re naturally good at—working our magic in our sweet spot, so to speak.
When the work doldrums start to set in, it’s high time we give things a little shake-up and make sure we’re playing to our strengths.
3. Align Values
Let’s not forget that what we truly value can be our compass in this purpose-seeking journey. Maybe it’s those heart-to-heart conversations or the joy of helping. Aligning our values can guide us straight to our purpose.
Consider the following:
- Core Values – When we take a moment to reflect on our core values, it’s like uncovering the treasure map to our purpose. Let’s say one of our core values is all about learning and growth. Well, that’s our cue to seek out opportunities to keep that growth train chugging along, whether it’s within our professional realm or not. Think about it – we can dive into courses to level up in our field, or maybe switch gears entirely and dive into a completely different world, like mastering the art of cultivating a beautiful flower garden. When we align our actions with these core values, we’re on a surefire path to uncovering more purpose in our lives.
- Company’s Values – During the Soulcast Media | LIVE, someone asked Regina about dealing with a mismatch between their personal and company values. Regina shared her own experience, mentioning that she gave it a shot to make things work, but eventually, she made the tough call to part ways with the company. Sometimes, we can find a way to make it work, even if our values don’t perfectly sync with our company’s. But when things turn toxic, and it feels like you’re swimming against the current, that might just be the signal to start scouting for a healthier work environment elsewhere.
- Be Engaged – You see, a big part of aligning our values is about being fully engaged and in the moment with our lives. When we’re truly engaged, we become like these super-aware detectors of what really matters to us and what fills our cups.
When our values are in sync, the perfect harmony boosts our engagement, productivity, and overall effectiveness.
Unearthing our purpose isn’t always neatly penciled into our to-do lists, and that’s perfectly fine. It’s all about being mindful of what truly tugs at our heartstrings; that’s the compass leading us toward more purpose.
If you want to see the full LIVE version of Jessica and Regina’s conversation, check out Jessica’s YouTube channel.
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