Yes. Your career really does need a purpose.
I’m writing this for anyone who wants their life to matter; who wants meaning in their life; who wants to make some kind of a positive impact. Wherever you are on your career journey, this is for you. But it is especially relevant to younger people starting out in their careers. So please consider sharing this with the people you lead, your kids, your weird nephew who always seems lost, or anyone who could benefit from a little guidance and straight talk about their career.
I recently read an article that argued against the need for your career to have a purpose. [Grits his teeth…] I’d be excited to hear a well-informed and reasoned argument against purpose. But, like all the anti-purpose articles I’ve seen, this one was based on sloppy thinking and an egregious misconstrual of purpose. Frankly, I’m bored to death of these articles but the topic is important so once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more…
If you want to read the article to which I’m responding, be my guest. Obviously I think your time would be better spent going for a walk, flossing your teeth, finger-painting, or just quietly staring at a wall. Quietly, because that is the only acceptable way to stare at a wall.
Rather than engage in a point by point response I’m going to highlight what I see as the myths it assumes and set the record straight.
Myth
Purpose is a choice to have a certain kind of career.
Fact
Purpose is one of the most powerful human needs and drives. If you are a human, your life will be measurably and immeasurably better if you are driven by a purpose. This has been known for millennia by psychologists, philosophers, writers, social-movement leaders, religious leaders, and pretty much any serious thinker or practitioner who reflects on the human condition.
People whose lives are guided by a purpose live longer, better, healthier, happier lives. You can look this up yourself. Or, if you want to read a powerful book about purpose check out Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning.
Needless to say, if your life is guided by purpose your career must also be guided by that purpose.
Ask yourself: What kind of life do I want to lead? What impact do I want to have? In what ways do I hope some corner of the world might be just a little better off because of something I did? Then try and find a job that can help you make some progress toward that goal.
Myth
Purpose means your job will be fun and enjoyable.
Fact
Nope. Whoever told you that was a fool or a liar. Dishes still need to be cleaned. Garbage still needs to be collected. Those spreadsheet formulas aren’t going to fix themselves. Sometimes painful conversations with annoying people are required. Sometimes you’ll have to pull an all-nighter because someone else didn’t do their job right.
I don’t know a single person in any job, at any level that doesn’t have to deal with shit. There will always be tedious tasks. There will always be situations that make you question your career choices and hate your parents for having given birth to you in the first place.
Sometimes work sucks. Some roles suck. Some bosses suck. Some companies suck. If you hate your job, do something about it. But don’t blame it on purpose. Your job doesn’t suck because you made a choice to have a positive impact on the world.
Ask yourself: Are the aspects of my job that I don’t like necessary in order to have the positive impact I hope for? If yes, does it help to remind myself why I’m doing this work? If no, can I do the work another way to make it more enjoyable while still pursuing my purpose?
Myth
Purpose is the only factor or the most important factor when choosing a job.
Fact
Oh for fuck’s sake! Nobody who advocates for purpose-driven lives or careers has ever said that purpose should be your only consideration. That would be absolutely idiotic.
You need to pay your bills; you want to work with people you enjoy being around; you want to learn and grow your skills; you may want to live in a particular place…All of these and more are important considerations when choosing a career path or a job.
The argument in favor of pursuing a purpose through your career is that of all the jobs that allow you to pay your bills, be stimulated, meet cool people, and whatever it is that your heart desires, choose one that also helps you live your purpose.
Ask yourself: What do I really want and need from a job? How would I rank these wants and needs? What, if anything, would I give up for the opportunity to do work that I find meaningful?
Myth
Having a positive impact means you feel like you’re having a positive impact.
Fact
Nope. Not true. It is very common for people to not be aware of the positive impact they’re having and, therefore, to feel like their work doesn’t matter that much.
There are many reasons for this but the most prevalent one is that most people don’t interact directly with the people who benefit from their work; and those who do, often don’t get to see the moment of positive impact.
Think about the smile on a child’s face when they get a birthday cake. Likely, a mom or dad picked that cake up at a bakery. The person behind the counter who sold them the cake is usually not invited to the party. They don’t get to see little Susie’s angelic smile as she gets this cake that makes her feel like the most special girl on the planet. And that’s the person who sells the cake. What about the baker who doesn’t even get to interact with the paying customer? Or the person who sweeps the floor of the bakery. Or the people who work at the flour mills, or the creameries, or whatever the heck you call a place that makes sugar? How many people played some role in making little Susie smile? How many of them know it?
Ask yourself: Whose life is better because of my work? If you don’t know, you owe it to yourself to find out. (And if you’re a manager, you owe it to your team to help them see the positive impact of their work.)
Myth
Your purpose can never change and every career choice is a “once-in-a-lifetime” choice.
Fact
What a load of horseshit! Nothing is forever. Sure, purpose is more enduring than a temporary urge. But people change. We gain experience, we learn, we grow. Of course you can modify or change your purpose as you move through your life.
Young people: you have no idea who you will become. Yes, pursue meaningful work that makes a difference somehow. But no, there is no need to experience crippling fear when you’re trying to decide what your purpose is or if a given job fits that purpose. It is not a forever choice. Take a deep breath and relax. It’s ok. I promise.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking any one job will be the one that makes or breaks you living your purpose. Life is a journey and the impact we have is cumulative. Many people will never experience the thrill of a single moment when they realize their life’s purpose. That’s normal and totally ok. Just make sure you’re taking small steps forward in the direction of your purpose. By the end of your journey you’ll be surprised at how much positive impact you’ve created. For a beautiful heartwarming example of this, go watch the movie Mr. Holland’s Opus.
Ask yourself: Standing where I am right now, at the end of my life when I look back, what will make me proud? What kind of impact do I want to have had?
Myth
Pursuing purpose means you should never compromise.
Fact
No serious person believes this. Not compromising is for extremists and children.
Purpose is about pursuing positive impact. It is not about purity or perfection.
Of course, not all compromises are equal. If you’re a builder and you use shoddy materials that put lives at risk just to save a few bucks then you’re evil and you should be in prison. That is not an ok compromise.
But if you want to take a job for a while that isn’t exactly a match for your purpose because you need to earn more to buy a house or just because you’re tired and you want to coast for a bit, do it. Without guilt.
The goal of purpose is not to torture you and make you feel constantly guilty. The goal is to make your life better.
Ask yourself: Is the career choice I’m considering a step forward, backward, or sideways on the journey to live my purpose? What is most important to me at this moment? Why?
I want to close by highlighting the part of the article I find most objectionable.
“Let go of yearning for a career purpose. Dial it back and consider what you liked (not loved) about any of your previous jobs, school projects or other ways you spend your time.”
I get where he’s coming from. I can imagine how much pressure younger folks must be under to find work that fulfills some higher calling — even before they’ve really figured themselves out. And yes, it really sucks to work at a job you don’t enjoy. Been there, done that.
But the author here, while well intentioned, is actually part of the problem. The focus on me me me is bad for society, bad for the planet, and bad for individuals—even the self-centered ones. Humans are better, happier, more fulfilled, healthier when we pursue lives of purpose. And you cannot have a life of purpose if you do not have purposeful work.
We need a lot less “what’s in it for me” and a lot more “how can I be of service”. And, paradoxically, the more you serve the more you will feel rewarded. That’s the beautiful magic of purpose. Only when you dedicate your life to something bigger than yourself can you experience the fullest joy of the human experience.
