Author : Alvah Parker

Perhaps like me you chose a major in college or had graduate work in a field that you sort of fell into It is hard to know exactly what you want when you are 16 or 17 years old In my day the choices for women were nurse, secretary, or teacher I chose teacher because I couldn’t type and hated the sight of blood

Today I am a coach and practice advisor not too far from my teaching roots but I have had years to really think what I wanted from my work and how to insure that it was meaningful work

Are you doing meaningful work? At the beginning of your career of course you are just concerned about supporting yourself and your family Once those necessities are consistently provided then your thoughts turn elsewhere

If you are doing a job that makes you ask the question from that old Peggy Lee song, “Is this all there is?” then you are at the beginning of a search for meaningful work

Since most people work eight hours or more a day, wouldn’t it be wonderful if the work was nourishing rather than boring or depressing Meaningful works keeps you happy and engaged

So what is meaningful work for you? Like the word “success” you will have to define it for yourself I think however there are three characteristics you can look for that might help you to define it for yourself

The first characteristic is that it doesn’t feel like work With meaningful work you get so involved in it that time passes without your being aware of it The result of your work at this point is less important than doing the work The work is compelling

An example of this is that one chorister in the choir I am in said to me that she loved practicing in the rehearsals so much that she didn’t need the performance to feel satisfied With meaningful work you are not just focused on the result but everything that leads to it too

Another characteristic of meaningful work is that you recognize its importance and others will too Your vision of the work is the key here It must inspire you If you don’t believe in the work you are doing, no one will

If that belief is strong enough, then it won’t matter what other’s think With that inspiring vision though you will attract others who share it and they will give you positive feedback which will energize you even more

Finally for work to be meaningful you must look at it in a broader context to see that you are making a contribution to society as a whole The work isn’t just about you but about making life better for others

In his letter to his daughters entitled “What I Want for You And Every Child in America” published in “Parade Magazine” on January 18, 2009 then President-elect Barack Obama said, “it is only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you will realize your true potential ”

Isn’t that what we truly want for ourselves and everyone who inhabits this planet? What a world this would be if everyone was working toward the greater good, finding purpose and pleasure in what he/she contributed and realizing their own true potential!

It is my hope that you will recommit to finding meaning in the work that you do now or find a new career that is meaningful so that you too can realize your own potential You are needed!

Alvah Parker is a Practice Advisor for Attorneys and a Career Coach as well as publisher of Parker’s Points, an email tip list and Road to Success, an ezine with career and business information. Subscribe now to these free monthly publications at her website free monthly publications and receive a free values assessment along with your subscription.

Syndication Source: ThoughtSearch.com

Filed under: Self Improvement

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