I’ve been through my share of ups and downs—from moving to different countries to taking on a struggling business and finding success. One thing I’ve discovered through all these trials is that life is built on change. And if you can learn to change your perspective, you might find that your life is full of meaning after all.
Finding meaning is a heavy phrase, and can feel like an even heavier burden. If you’re not sure how to get started, here are some tips to help you find purpose in your life, whether that’s through work or otherwise.
Find Out What Matters to You
For some people, finding meaning in their work is accomplished by finding work that directly aligns with their ideals. In other words, where the work itself is meaningful. For others, finding meaning in work might be less about the job itself, but more about what they gain from it.
Money is important, but what does your work give you beyond that? Ask yourself why you do what you do. Is it challenging? Do you enjoy the company of your coworkers? Do you want to be successful? When you find out what’s most important to you, you’ll learn how to make your work meaningful.
Value Your Work
If you think your work has no meaning, you might just be looking at it in the wrong way. Whether you work at a charitable organization or a company, the work you do is affecting someone positively. It could be your colleagues, upper management, the C-suite, or the clients who benefit from your company’s services.
All work is intrinsically valuable and makes a difference. The next time you find yourself feeling a lack of purpose at your job, stop for a second to smell the roses—or in this case, think about the difference you make by doing the work you do.
Don’t Take It for Granted
In the past year, Canada’s labour market has seen several losses, with the unemployment rate rising to 8.1%. Being employed is a cause for celebration for many, and with this perspective, simply having a job can be a source of meaning.
Look Beyond Your Work
The pandemic has changed the lives of many, irreversibly for some. This has led to several people considering the trajectory of their lives so far, and how they want their future to look. But the future you envision doesn’t have to revolve around your work.
Throughout the pandemic, I experienced many changes and took away one key learning—the importance of valuing yourself as a person. Attaching your worth to your job might work temporarily, but will fail you in the long run. Ultimately, you need to find out who you are outside of your work, and all the different things in your life that give you joy. Spend your time cultivating these, and you will find the meaning you’ve been looking for.
I find meaning in my life in several places—my family, my community, the work I do, and the people I help. Through adversity, perseverance, and great mentors I developed a strategy—what I call The Maestro Mindset—which has helped me embrace change in all aspects of my life. If you’re interested in learning more and how you can use this strategy to become the person you want to be, contact me. It only takes one step to get started.
