Do you prefer Paycheck over Purpose?

Are you willing to accept a high paying job that doesn’t give you meaning or are you willing to forego your high salary for a meaningful job? Do you prefer Paycheck over Purpose? Money over Meaning? Would you go for a job that feeds your soul or feeds your stomach?

According to a Deloitte study, only 13% of the workforce is passionate about their jobs. I get it, of course most people would go for a job that offers high salary and forget about fulfilling work to support not only themselves but also their family. I would. Would you?
 
One of the valuable insights that struck me on Mr. Ramon del Rosario’s talk was when he said that we should look for the meaning or mission beyond paycheck or beyond the material things. This is my struggle. I wanted to make an impact, but I also wanted to earn a good money. So being the practical person that I am, I chose the latter. However, I realized that most of our entire life we are working, so it is very important to spend this time doing something that we love. Yet, many of us spend more than 40 years dragging ourselves to work and just trying to get through every single day. Ideally, our work should not be just a write-off, a “can’t wait for Friday or weekend”, or a “can’t wait till retirement” type of work. But how can we make both our soul and stomach full?

On Mr. Ramon del Rosario’s talk, I realized we don’t have to work for a charity, a non-profit organization, or a social venture to create an environment where we feel like our work matters. As an employee, we only need a better understanding of what we do and see the difference we make even with just one person. It may be hard but it’s all about the right mindset. Take for example the janitor who told former President John F. Kennedy that he’s helping put a man on the moon. He simply knows how big the impact of his job is to the world. We just have to pause and look at our job from the perspective of our values, interests, career objectives, and goals in life. As a leader, we can create an atmosphere or a positive work environment where employees would feel that they are doing meaningful work that better the lives of others. Inspiring them, making them feel valued, giving them autonomy over their work, as well as providing them career opportunities will make them appreciate their job more. It is important to constantly recognize them for their hard work because employees who feel supported by their employers find greater meaning at work. Promoting a culture of diversity and inclusion not to mention having the sense of collective, shared purpose adds an even greater boost to workplace meaning.

Finding a sense of purpose and meaning at work can be invigorating but sometimes it can also be infuriating. So, it’s all about reconnecting and asking yourself why you accepted your job in the first place. If you have the right mindset, you will find your purpose at work and appreciate your job even more.