Purpose-driven work

Updated: Tuesday October 8, 2013 MYT 7:53:56 AM

Purpose-driven work

BY JEANISHA WAN

A friend who has held a regional marketing role in a multinational company for the past eight years had a long chat with me recently. Although enjoying a very good salary, the opportunity to travel and the flexibility to work from home, she was unsure of her career and was thinking of leaving the company. You must wonder why. After all, is that not the kind of dream job that most people would want? But, I can empathise with her as I have felt the same before. When we first enter the corporate world, many have the following checklist for a dream career: high salary, multinational company, travel opportunities, flexibility to work from home, and perks for family members. Then, as we progress in our career, we start to look less at the material benefits and more into the meaning of what we do.So my friend was beginning to feel that her work in the company lacked meaning. Day in and day out, she repeated the same routine, so much so her work became second nature to her, something she could do without much thinking.

And then, one day it dawned on her she did not really know why she was doing what she was doing — the meaning and purpose behind her work.

She asked herself how her work helped to make the world a better place. Would colleagues or work acquaintances remember her work when she was no longer there? Would her boss just one day decide to replace her with a younger and lower-paid replacement?

Granted not everyone has the same journey as my friend and some do find meaning in their work, however, many do not.

It has become a competitive game of either having to imitate others or having what the other person has. Conversations will always be about who has the higher salary, better position or company, nicer phone and more expensive car or house.

In business, it can be like this as well. Sometimes we can get so caught up in wanting to make more money or beating the competition that we can lose sight of why we started the business in the first place. What is the use of meaning if there is no money, you say? Well, if only money could truly buy everything. I guess at the end of the day, it is also about the legacy rather than the money we leave behind.

Many of the big brands such as KFC, Ikea and Apple, that have lasted decades, started as a small set-up. The founders started with a strong purpose for the business and this purpose carried them through thick and thin. It was a purpose they subscribed to with strong conviction and belief. It was also the purpose that helped them not to give up regardless of circumstances and even failure.

How does one find meaning in their work or business? Possibly some have it even before they start working or run their business. Even at a young age, they already know specifically what they want to do and achieve in life. But many do not.

Perhaps finding meaning in our work and business is also about understanding our destiny and our purpose in society. It may be something we are already doing now (although we are not aware of it) or something totally different. I have always believed everyone has something they are born to do that is unique to them. Yet not many have the courage to “go down the rabbit hole” to find out what that is.

I was at the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park recently and remarked to my colleague on how fortunate the birds there are. With the food and care they are getting, they can fly freely in the aviary as though it is their own little paradise.

My colleague replied, “But they will forever be confined to this place and cannot fly higher or beyond this.” Perhaps that was the same reason why my friend wanted to leave her comfortable regional job.

There are only two words that Jeanisha wants on her epitaph: World Changer. She believes that everyone can change this world into a better place because that is our purpose at work and in life. Talk to her at talk2jeanisha@gmail.com