What would it be like for you to wake up each day looking forward to the work that you do?
How would you feel if your work made a positive impact in the world?
There’s a new wave of workers who are no longer willing to settle in their jobs by punching the clock each day simply for a paycheck. They desire MORE from their work. They want work that is meaningful. They want work that is fulfilling AND they want work that provides for them financially.
They want a Purpose-Driven Career.
Having a Purpose-Driven career means you place value and assign a sense of meaning to the work that you do and strive to make a difference in the world through your contributions.
Workers who embrace this mindset provide a valuable benefit for themselves and society as a whole. A win-win! Positive psychology researchers have found that workers are more engaged when they are able to use their authentic strengths and skills on a daily basis. People also feel more satisfied when they find meaning in their work and when others benefit from it.
Here are 3 tips for building a Purpose-Driven Career:
1) Understand What Makes You Unique
If you step back for a moment and really take a good look at yourself, you will see that you are amazing! As “woo-woo” as this may sound, it’s true. You came into this world unlike anyone else. You were designed to be a one-of-a kind all the way down to your DNA. Advances in modern science prove it. It is now possible to inspect our individual genetic codes which reveal an elaborate combination of markers that identify each one of us in a unique and very specific way.
Although you might not know your genetic code, there is no one else like you that has the exact combination of interests, strengths, abilities, gifts, values, personality, experiences, and passions as you. No one! If you look at all of the variables that make up who you are, you will see that you truly are a masterpiece.
In order to find your purpose, you FIRST need to know who you are and what makes YOU – well, you.
2) Infuse Your Career with Meaning
If you are on a quest to find more meaningful work, become more aware of who you care for and what you care about.
Are there certain people you have a heart to help – children, teens, young adults, married couples, singles, mid-lifers, or the elderly? Can you make a difference in their lives by providing a service, solving a problem, creating a product or in some way helping them out by the work that you do.
Are there certain causes you are passionate about and want to get involved in? Social or environmental groups that you feel compelled to be a part of and want to align yourself with? You may find that spending time getting to know people who are a part of a cause that you believe in might open up a door of opportunity for you.
What work role would be ideal for you? Maybe your best fit includes being in a leadership capacity inspiring others to carry out the company’s purpose-driven mission. Or perhaps you work best being a part of a team collaborating together on a project with a shared vision and goals.
3) Decide Where You Want to Contribute
Determine where you will be most effective in building a purpose-driven career.
If you have an entrepreneurial spirit, look into ways to start a purpose-driven business. Purpose-driven businesses make their purpose and mission a top priority. They develop measures to track progress and devise strategic efforts to meet their objectives that go far beyond financial profits.
Gamechangers500.com , an organization dedicated to promoting purpose-driven businesses writes “With a for-profit head and a nonprofit heart, for benefit companies create a thriving world while financially sustaining themselves. People + planet + profit”.
If you are better suited working for a company rather than being a business owner, look for employment opportunities at a purpose-driven company. Working for a company that makes it their mission to provide a positive working environment for their employees by upholding values such as a “freedom-focused workplace” and providing an “employee growth ecosystem” certainly has an appeal for many. Game Changers lists a variety of purpose-driven companies that you can check out and learn more about what they offer.
Getting to know yourself better and what makes you unique, infusing meaning into the work that you do, and deciding where you want to make the biggest impact are three keys for finding purpose in your career.
Need help building a purpose-driven career?
Contact Jolie for a complimentary consultation.
Find out how you can make a difference in the world today!
© 2017 Jolie Steers. All Rights Reserved.
