Two Points of View on Purpose

I listened with interest to Tim Kelley's teleseminar on "Finding Your True Purpose" and then bumped into Po Bronson's article in Fast Company on "What Shall I Do With My Life Now?" The first asserted that everyone has something that they are "meant" to do and that they can find out their true purpose through an inner dialogue (between self and soul or some other source).

On the other hand, Po Bronson, author of bestselling books and most recently, "What Shall I Do With My Life?" says, "There is no one thing each of us is meant to do on this planet." He goes on to say there are dozens, even hundreds of jobs that might satisfy someone's need for "meaning and goodness." He says that one can evolve on the job into work that is deeply satisfying.

Where the two authors converge is on the importance of doing work that is meaningful to the person doing it. I think our experiences dictate how we  come down on the question of uncovering our particular work choice(s). From my point of view, finding what one is is going to do next comes from an inner place, from a place of insight, and varies according to the time or stage of life.

Where do you come down on this question? What have you learned about finding out what work you really want to be doing?

Comments

[Sital]

Jean,

I'd agree with Po and say that there is not 'one thing' we're meant to do in order to have a meaningful career/life.

Instead I think that we're all equipped with a specific set of talents and unique abilities that, once discovered, allow us to apply them in any number of roles and vocations. It's the application of those talents in the service of something that is bigger than ourselves that creates meaning.

The key to finding meaning (in my opinion), is to discover those natural talents and then finding people, organisations or a cause that can benefit from them - rather than a specific 'ideal job'. When you do that, you stop the search for the 'one perfect job' and instead create career filled with a string of meaningful roles

BUT - meaning doesn't necessarily have to come from your work - it can come from elsewhere. It may be that you need to structure your work life to give you the time, money and resources to achieve meaning elsewhere.

Sital

[Career Sherpa]

Sital, I agree with your opinion! As we go through life's stages, different things are important to us. Yes, we have to discover natural talents. We also, and perhaps, more importantly, have to be open to seeing other applications for those talents. If we keep an open mind and are always assessing the world around us, we are much more likely to see application for these talents. If all else fails and things are not clear, asking for advice from people who know us best can sometimes reveal the next path. Jean, great question and thanks for asking!

[Steve]

Hi Jean,

I love the track you are on ... purpose coming from an inner place. I will say that I find that sometimes our society leads us to focus on the past and future a little too much.

The present is all we have. I suggest that each of us could focus on whatever we are doing today ... and enjoy every minute of it. Spending time on finding "our life focus" devalues the present moment.

A quick example ... i have been canoe tripping alone for 20 years. When i was a younger man, it was all about "beating" the elements and "moving quickly". As i grew older (and only somewhat wiser), i learned to work with the elements and accept what they are. Instead of fighting the winds and rain ... I learned to accept them ... and work with them. And everything needed came my way.

And so ... from a career perspective ... I think our journey is about the journey rather than the destination. Enjoy the career journey ... and enjoy everything that comes your way rather than focusing on the career destination. Don't worry too much about "making things happen".

[Rose Myers]

I agree with the thought that it's your experiences in life that dictate what you eventually enjoy doing. Whether it was a childhood obsession or a later-in-life realization that led to your perfect career. Personally, I found mine (virtual assistant) almost by accident... was it destiny or my own free will? But I don't think we can answer those here. :)

[Clare]

When I look back on my previous jobs, I can see how I've ended up to where I am now. Everything has been in preparation for what I'm currently doing, but my career will continue to evolve. I think that many people (myself included) have not had a traditional career path, which leads them step by step up the corporate ladder. Rather, a series of jobs and roles has led us to (hopefully) more interesting and meaningful work.

I think that what we're seeing now is that even the best laid plans can get derailed by forces outside of our control. And this is true of those who work in companies, and those who have their own businesses. We all need to adapt to what is thrown at us, learn along the way, and hopefully pick up greater experience and skills.

[Sharon Wilson]

I believe that there are many jobs that we have a calling for. I also think, with so many jobs and all of them being so diverse it is impossible for a person to narrow it down to just a few without experiencing some of the others. I have a client who took a quality control job to pay his bills. This is a career he never even considered while in college. Now he loves his work and would be hard pressed to leave his job.

[Craig Althof]

(ooops-rookie mistake. I put this under Billie's post. Apologies, all!)

The meaning of “work” has shifted. As a boomer, my folks were of the generation that believed any job that paid the bills was worth fighting for, and eventually dying in. Forget “job satisfaction”…that’s why they call it “work”. “Put down the guitar, get a haircut and get a real job!” Not so any more, thankfully.

In the mid-90’s I got involved in Managing Personal Growth (MPG) from BlessingWhite (www.blessingwhite.com ). As part of certification, I completed the two-day values identification / career management process. By “values” I don’t mean the real kumbaya-type stuff. Besides family happiness, mine include helping others, creativity, learning new things, and freedom from constraints. So many major “AHAs” came out of that two-day workshop and my subsequent involvement with MPG that I won’t list them all, but two deserve noting:

1. If your own values are disconnected from your company’s, and if your work does not satisfy your true core motivators, you’ll be miserable and will not be a top contributor. Self and company both are short-sheeted.

. If you take the time to establish your own values-based vision, mission and objectives you will stand a much better chance of surviving job loss and transitioning to a new and meaningful professional life. I will personally testify to that Truth….twice. I am currently seeking work for the second time in nine years, and my values-based plan is once again my Keeper of Sanity.

At the very top of my strategy is my Vision: Leave a Legacy. That is pretty much wide open—needs meat. Two key areas of influence became my Objectives: education / secondary schools through school-to-career; and business and industry, by focusing on engagement, alignment and execution (just as values-based as I can covertly get the message across. Ops managers, bless their hearts, do not care for values-based discussions as a rule. Don’t tell on me, please!).
Further down my strategic hierarchy are more detailed tactics and action plans, which I am executing right now.

To sum up—identify what really drives you beyond position, power and lots of coin. Then, be true to your values. You’ll live longer, be more fun to be around, and be much more productive to boot.