07/15/2015
07/15/2015
“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do” ~ Steve Jobs
“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do” ~ Steve Jobs
In a perfect world, everyone would do what they love. If you’re lucky enough to truly enjoy your work, stop reading! For those who may need a little extra push to make it through the 9 to 5, it’s time to spark the fire that gets you going again! According to a recent study by Gallup, most of us may need that push. Their research indicates only 13% of employees across 142 countries are engaged at work. [http://www.gallup.com/poll/165269/worldwide-employees-engaged-work.aspx] Yikes!
What drives engagement and why is it so important? For most of us, passion drives engagement and motivation. We all know what passion is. It excites us...it pushes us. We are often told to “pursue our passion,” and for good reason! But don’t forget about the other important piece of the puzzle: purpose.
The concepts of passion and purpose may seem interchangeable, but with a deeper look, the differences between the two become clear. Passion tends to be inwardly focused. It’s what drives us, makes us feel good; it’s about the individual. Purpose, on the other hand, is typically outwardly focused; it usually involves the greater impact we make on others and the effect we have on our surroundings.
The core of your purpose tends to remain the same throughout your life but will likely evolve as you discover new experiences and grow as a person. We don’t have the magic formula to discovering your purpose but some things to consider when thinking about what truly gets you going are:
• Your values
• Your unique talents
• What you want to give back to the world
• What inspires you
Now that you’re starting to let that simmer, think about the purpose of the work you currently do. At Zappos, our work is centered around purpose. In Holacracy, a team (or in Holacracy language, a circle) cannot be created without a purpose. Think about that. In order for work to be done, there has to be a reason why and the people doing the work need to strongly align with that purpose. Try asking yourself what the reason why behind your work is. You may need to ask yourself a few times to really get down to the core of what that purpose is.
A study by Deloitte reports that 73 percent of employees who say they work at a "purpose-driven" company are engaged, compared to just 23 percent of those who don’t.
(http://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/global/Documents/About-Deloitte/gx-culture-of-purpose.pdf). Aligning yourself with the purpose of the work you do should help you better connect to the day to day tasks that help bring that purpose to life, hopefully bringing a whole new meaning to your work day leaving you more fulfilled, productive, and engaged. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?
In a perfect world, everyone would do what they love. If you’re lucky enough to truly enjoy your work, stop reading! For those who may need a little extra push to make it through the 9 to 5, it’s time to spark the fire that gets you going again! According to a recent study by Gallup, most of us may need that push. Their research indicates only 13% of employees across 142 countries are engaged at work. [http://www.gallup.com/poll/165269/worldwide-employees-engaged-work.aspx] Yikes!
What drives engagement and why is it so important? For most of us, passion drives engagement and motivation. We all know what passion is. It excites us...it pushes us. We are often told to “pursue our passion,” and for good reason! But don’t forget about the other important piece of the puzzle: purpose.
The concepts of passion and purpose may seem interchangeable, but with a deeper look, the differences between the two become clear. Passion tends to be inwardly focused. It’s what drives us, makes us feel good; it’s about the individual. Purpose, on the other hand, is typically outwardly focused; it usually involves the greater impact we make on others and the effect we have on our surroundings.
The core of your purpose tends to remain the same throughout your life but will likely evolve as you discover new experiences and grow as a person. We don’t have the magic formula to discovering your purpose but some things to consider when thinking about what truly gets you going are:
• Your values
• Your unique talents
• What you want to give back to the world
• What inspires you
Now that you’re starting to let that simmer, think about the purpose of the work you currently do. At Zappos, our work is centered around purpose. In Holacracy, a team (or in Holacracy language, a circle) cannot be created without a purpose. Think about that. In order for work to be done, there has to be a reason why and the people doing the work need to strongly align with that purpose. Try asking yourself what the reason why behind your work is. You may need to ask yourself a few times to really get down to the core of what that purpose is.
A study by Deloitte reports that 73 percent of employees who say they work at a "purpose-driven" company are engaged, compared to just 23 percent of those who don’t.
(http://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/global/Documents/About-Deloitte/gx-culture-of-purpose.pdf). Aligning yourself with the purpose of the work you do should help you better connect to the day to day tasks that help bring that purpose to life, hopefully bringing a whole new meaning to your work day leaving you more fulfilled, productive, and engaged. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?