Day-42-101 Day Reading Challenge-Look for the Higher Meaning of Your Work--Who will cry when you die
Day-42-101 day Reading Challenge- a Mine2Shine initiative-9789186428
Look for the Higher Meaning
of Your Work
One of my favorite magazines is Fast Company, it
provides a refreshingly human look at the new world of work. In a recent issue,
Xerox PARC guru John Seely Brown said something that really made me think: “The
job of leadership today is not just to make money, it’s to make meaning.”
In the old days, most of us were content to
have a job that simply paid the bills. But now, we crave so much more in our
work. We want fulfillment, creative challenge, growth, joy and a sense that we
are living for something more than ourselves. In a word, we seek meaning. One
of the best ways to find the higher meaning in the work you do is to use the
technique of creative questioning to become aware of the impact your work has
on the world around you. Ask yourself questions like, Who ultimately benefits from
the products and services my company offers? Or What difference do my services
my company offers? or What difference do my daily efforts make? Once you do so,
you will start noticing the connection between the work you do and the lives
you touch.
For example, if you are a teacher, stop
focusing on all the tremendous changes in your profession, and remember that
every day you enter that classroom, you have the privileged to shape a young
mind, there are children and families that count on you. If you are a financial
adviser, remain centered on the fact that your services help people retire
early, build the homes they have always wanted and fulfill their dreams. If you
are an insurance professional, remember that you help people bring security to
their lives and serve them in times of need. And if you are a retail clerk,
think about how your work serves people and how the products you offer
them add joy to their lives.
By concentrating on the value your work
adds and the contribution you make, you will see quantum improvements in your
satisfaction and motivation levels. Few things energize the human spirit more
than the desire to make a difference in the lives of others. Mahatma Gandhi
knew this. Nelson Mandela knew this. And Mother Teresa knew this. The simple
shift of mind I am encouraging you make can bring a whole new sense of enjoyment
into your life.
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