Meaningful Work, Purposeful Lives: How Do We Do It?

Notes from decades of researching, interviewing, questioning, experimenting, and coaching - all in the pursuit of meaning and purpose.

If I began this article by thanking you for the difference you make, how would you feel?

Appreciated and affirmed?

Doubtful? Cheesy?

Or maybe even, “She’s never met me - she has no idea if I make any kind of difference at all.”

Regardless, here I am, thanking you for the difference you make. Because even if we’ve never met, even if we’ve never so much as exchanged an email, even if you’re reading this after royally messing something up, I still know that you make a difference in the world, and I am thankful for it.

And if you’ve ever wanted to gain more clarity on the difference you make, or on how to make an even more purposeful, intentional difference, this article is for you.

For over 20 years, I have dedicated my professional life to studying, writing, sharing, researching, teaching, and coaching on the topics of meaning and purpose.

If you think meaningful work and/or a purposeful life is a luxury you don’t have time to explore or a fluffy aspiration that doesn’t really matter, today I want to share a few points that may start to change your mind - as well as some practical action steps to begin experiencing greater meaning and purpose. Thousands of clients and workshop participants have benefited from this experience, and I’d like to help you benefit, too.

On a related note, in an effort to support more people than my current workload allows, I have spent the past year behind-the-scenes redesigning my purpose statement coaching into an offering that is shorter and more accessible than typical coaching engagements. This offer is now available and, while I’ve cleared space on my calendar just for this, spots are still limited. If you’d like to experience meaningful work and/or a purposeful life, you are welcome to learn more here.

Meaningful Work, Purposeful Lives: Getting On The Path

Before I offer a few getting-started tips for bringing meaning to work and purpose to life, please note a couple of important points:

Work, as I define it, includes all work - paid employment, volunteer service, running a business, raising a family, and so on and so forth. Regardless of income or title or anything else, whether it pays the bills or anonymously serves the community, if it’s your work then it counts as work. And it matters.

I share my definition of purpose here. Your definition may differ, which is totally fine. In addition to purpose statement, I’ve had clients call it a mission statement, personal manifesto, guiding light, values statement, personal ethos, and more. If it points to your ‘why’ - and who you are at your core as you live out that why - it works here.

Now that we’re clear on that, here are a few ideas to start bringing meaning to work and purpose to life!

1. Consider your ripple effect.

A while back, I coached someone who described himself as ‘a cog in the machine.’ If it seems like the spreadsheets you build or the calls you field only serve the corporation, or if your work occurs many steps away from the end user, you might sometimes feel that way, too.

On a piece of paper, try drawing out the different ‘layers’ of people your work touches, even if you don’t interact with them directly. What might seem like just you and the organization will likely start to become rich with layers: you, your family, your coworkers, your leader, other departments, the customers, the customers’ families and all the people with whom they interact, your community, your industry…hopefully you’re starting to see the picture. Your work is like a pebble dropped in a pond, with ripples extending out farther than you can see or likely will ever even know.

Reflect on the fact that your work makes a difference for each of these different layers - and beyond. Believe me, it does.

2. Bring a passion into your work.

I’ve mentioned before that I love Christmas music and listen to it year-round. (I know, I know. :-)) I don’t, however, feel inclined to create or sell or market Christmas music as part of my life’s work. It’s great to be passionate about what we do, but not every passion needs to become our profession.

I do, however, have Christmas music playing throughout much of my workday when I can. If you suspect that I have it playing as I write this article, you’d be right. (Just instrumental, of course - otherwise I’d spend my days singing along and get nothing done.) I also love nature hikes and plants of all kinds, and while my work doesn’t often bring me into the forest, I use photos I’ve taken from those hikes in my slide decks and presentations.

What do you have a passion for, and how might you incorporate it into your work?

3. Thank someone else.

Lack of appreciation is a big issue in the workplace - bigger than you might think, actually. There are numerous ways to address this, particularly as a leader (this topic comes up often in my coaching work), but one simple action you can take today:

Thank someone else for the work they do.

Tell your coworker how much you learned from their presentation at the staff meeting this week. Catch a team member doing something well and thank them for it. Send a handwritten note of gratitude to a teacher or nurse or the bank teller who was so kind and thorough in answering all your questions.

Just like giving a gift can feel as good as receiving one, same goes for appreciation. (And hey, why not give yourself a pat on the back and a word of thanks for all your hard work while you’re at it?)

But Is It Worth It?

Fair warning: doing the self-discovery work to bring greater meaning and purpose into your life can include thinking about things you haven’t thought about in a long time - or possibly ever. Your values, passions, dreams for the future, highlights from the past…it’s so fun but may also challenge you. It can require reflection, visioning, time, energy, effort.

So you might think, is it really worth it?

Personally, I’d say a resounding YES. I believe most if not all of my purpose clients would agree. Here are just a few of the benefits of clarifying their purpose that they’ve shared:

• Making important decisions. You can call on your purpose when evaluating new job possibilities, contemplating a move, stepping into (or away from) a leadership role, or deciding how to handle a difficult situation, to name a few.

• Clarifying your ‘next chapter.’ If you are in or nearing a transition - career shift, empty nest, or retirement, for example - your purpose can help ensure your actions align with your core values.

• Getting unstuck. ‘I feel stuck’ or ‘I feel like I’m spinning in circles’ are two phrases I hear often from potential clients. If you notice yourself saying something similar, clarifying your purpose can help you get unstuck.

• Strengthening confidence and courage. When you don’t know your ‘why’ behind an action, you may find yourself more susceptible to procrastination, overthinking, fear. When you are clear on your ‘why,’ however, you can tap into a level of courage you didn’t even know existed!

• Believing in yourself, your actions, and what you’re here to do each day. Reviewing my purpose statement is part of my morning routine and helps me answer the question, ‘Who and how do I want to be in the world today?’ Big or small, significant or seemingly inconsequential, purpose can help answer the questions life brings.

Taking intentional action to work with meaning and live with purpose has definitely been the difference-maker for me, and for so many others. I trust that it can be for you, too.

Here’s to your meaningful work and purposeful life! And again, thank you for the difference you make. You are important, your work matters, and you matter.

Dr. Christi Hegstad is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) who helps you work with meaning, live with purpose, and reach bold + difference-making goals. Purpose coaching is now open with a limited number of spaces available - learn more here!