We all want to do important work: work that matters to ourselves and to the people whom we work for.
What kind of work should you look for if you want to do important and meaningful work?
If you’re looking for work just to make money, stop reading. This post is not for you.
However, if you’re looking for work that matters to you and also matters to the people you do that work for, start here:
Find work that is generous.
Find work that uses your skills to generously help an individual, team, or organization.
Generosity here means intentionally working to improve someone else’s life or work.
That someone might be a single person, a small group of individuals, or an organization—it doesn’t matter. If your work can bring a positive change for the entity, it doesn’t really matter how small or big it is.
Two important things happen when you find and do this type of work.
One, your attitude towards work changes.
You no longer feel like you’re trading time and skills in exchange for money. Rather, you’re working to improve, help, and positively impact people’s lives.
What you get paid does matter, but not so much. More importantly, you feel happy and joyous about helping and doing work that creates positive changes.
Two, people’s attitude towards your work changes.
People around you come to regard you as a generous and helpful person. They see your work as meaningful and full of purpose.
Your work brings a sense of mission to the workplace and inspires others to become part of creating a more cohesive work culture. Some might even be inspired to be like you.
Generosity is what makes your work matter more for yourself and to the people you work for.