Aligning Work With Purpose
When we're considering our careers or looking for the next position, we tend to put details like salary, location, and job title at the top of our priorities list. But one major piece of the job satisfaction puzzle gets left out—and that's purpose.
Unlike the overarching and elusive life purpose, finding purpose in your career is a lot simpler. What it really boils down to is feeling like you're making a positive contribution to the world in a way that's meaningful to you.
By aligning your work with purpose, you'll feel greater engagement and satisfaction in your role, have more energy to put into your work, and likely perform better. So let's dive into the practical steps to find purpose in your career and bring it to life.
1. Figure Out What Your Purpose Is
The key to finding purpose in your work is figuring out what you value and care about, and then determining how your role fuels these passions. In other words, get specific about the big picture of who you are and what matters to you. How do you want to contribute to the world? What impact do you want to make?
Don't worry if you have multiple passions and interests. Purpose isn't about narrowing your focus. It's about making sure that what you do contributes to who you are and vice versa, so feel free to take the time to unpack each layer.
A good way to do this is by determining what your core values are. As you know, values are different from interests. Interests can change on any given day—you might be into working out one day and gardening the next.
Values, on the other hand, act more like an internal compass that guides you in your decision-making process. They usually reflect the things that are most important to you in your current phase in life, like authenticity or family.
On a sheet of paper, write down what your top values are and then come up with at least three ways that you already express these values in your life outside of work.
2. Determine The Skills You Have To Offer
Now that you've clarified your purpose and the type of person you are, it's time to get clear on how your skills can help fulfill these values.
One easy way to do this is by organizing your skills into four buckets: People Skills, Technical Skills, Business/Strategic Skills, and Creative Skills. Write out each skill you have and place it in the appropriate bucket until you have a comprehensive list.
Don't be shy! This is the place to brag about your skills and what you're capable of. For each skill, write down how it makes you feel and the impact that having this skill has on others. Also, don't forget to include why these skills will help you fulfill your purpose and values!
3. Brainstorm How To Use Those Skills In A Valuable Way
Marrying your purpose and your skills is the road to bringing your career into alignment.
Look at your list of skills and determine how you can use each one in a way that's meaningful to you and others. Even if it doesn't line up with your current role, there are still ways to bring it into your workday.
Get creative and come up with multiple ways that you could integrate your skills and passions. If you need some guidance, ask yourself:
How can I use my skills to support our team and company vision?
How can I use my skills to further my purpose and make a difference in the lives of others?
Once you've listed out some ideas, it's time to start exploring what opportunities exist for you. Think both about new roles you'd like to take on and ways to bring your current job into more alignment.
And remember, this process is ongoing. Your work should be a reflection of who you are and what you stand for—and knowing yourself will only help pave the way.