Gaining Fulfillment from Your Work

I was talking to my 14 year old daughter today about her future.  She’s unsure of what she wants to do when she’s an adult.  Over the years, she has wanted to be many things – a doctor, a real estate agent and a dancer.  As her parent, it is my job to help her find a career path that will bring her many years of enjoyment, growth and financial security.  I know that this will come if she can do work that is meaningful and brings her personal gratification. 

At the age of 14, few children are aware of what they want to be.  Actually, if we look at the workforce at large, we see that many people are doing work that pay the bills but doesn’t fulfill them.

Why do we need to be fulfilled by our work?   First of all, we spend so many hours of our life working; wouldn’t it be wonderful to gain joy and personal gratification from it?  I truly believe that if this was so for everyone, people would be generally happier and healthier.  I think this would impact family relationships, children’s upbringing and the overall safety of our communities.  It’s so noble, maybe quite far-fetched; but not only do I think it’s possible, I believe it’s my life purpose to help people achieve this.

Fulfillment comes when we connect our work to our personal core values.  When we honour our values, we gain a sense of meaning in our life.  One may think that this is only possible from certain types of jobs – doctors; firemen; clergy.  I’ve met people from many types of professions who see how their work is meaningful to them.  I met a hair stylist who loves what he does because he knows that when his clients see themselves in the mirror when their hair is styled, they feel good about themselves.  This brings him a high sense of fulfillment.  A house painter I know believes that it is his job to bring to life a person’s dream environment.  By accomplishing this, he gains fulfillment.

We look at our careers from a cerebral point of view.  This makes us look at the job market, financial return and our skill set.  By including the connection of our heart to potential career paths, we open ourselves up to gaining gratification.  And isn’t this the highest payback we can achieve.

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