purpose in work
Here is my attempt of an answer, a wholehearted response, to someone who kindly asked me this very insightful assemblage of questions…
Can you share your thoughts on balancing doing what you love but also being able to support yourself and live a nice life? Would you rather be doing something you love but unable to support yourself financially, or would you rather do something that is alright but not your love and be secure in life? Can you find a balance of both…how much balance can there be?
My take on this one…to be totally clear - is in the spirit of still figuring this all out. As I get older, as the years pass and life unfolds I am continuously asking myself questions like these to be able to understand in which ways I can live a better, and a more full life.
First thing that comes to my mind is my mom. She’s the one model I’ve had for my entire existence and the example she has set for me has shown me a very consistent theme: when you spend your “working” hours doing what you enjoy doing, then “work” immediately loses those negative undertones and becomes a positive experience altogether. My mom has said over and over throughout the years that she loves her job. She has been a PE teacher for over 30 years. She’s been doing what brings her joy within a space that allows her to feel purpose. She looks forward to going to work and she loves what she gets to do with her time every day. She’s happy. This has been my example my whole life. So what you can imagine is that this has weighed in a heavily positive way on how I’ve approached the subject of work.
Because of my mom’s example, when I think about work the things that automatically go with that are what brings me joy and where do I feel a purpose. With great gratitude I can say that my place of work has been on the volleyball court for the last 10 years…a place that challenges the heck out of me, makes me grow, expands my capabilities, offers me a means of stability and allows me the opportunity to inspire. For the most part I have loved my job. Enough to have me endure months and months away from home and my loved ones, and it’s allowed me opportunity after opportunity. Living in foreign countries, learning new languages, meeting incredible people from different places, new ways of life, of eating. Of living really.
So as I think back to these questions being asked - my simple answer, if there can be one, is to encourage others to not settle in a profession for the financial stability alone. Finding joy and purpose in your workplace has so many revolving positive benefits that I believe there’s more to consider than just that one fine piece of security. We must honor that place within us that longs for more or for something different or which holds more meaning.
That being said, if you’re choosing between two jobs. One which is financially stable, and one which brings you true purpose and joy - I say you follow the second. Joy and happiness and goodness in the now will probably have a greater payoff in the end anyways. It only makes sense, right?
To those that believe they have no choice but to stay where they are because of the fear of losing what stability they have - I feel for you.
This lifestyle I’ve been living is not the most stabile of sorts. Sure I feel supported right now. This has come from making good choices, and saving where I can, and planning for the future… but am I set for life and not concerned with what I will do after volleyball? Heck no.
I think about that often. I wonder what I will do with the next 20-40 years of my life if I have them. What I hope for in my future workplace is a place that challenges me, and makes me grow, and expands my capabilities. And one that brings me joy. And purpose. Because as my mom has shown me…it is possible to have a job and a career that does all of those things. It sure seems worth it to me to find it…because we spend A LOT of time as human beings “working”. We work to have the means to trade for what we need in life. We do it because we have to support ourselves and those we love. We work so we can live our lives.
Do I think that it is easy to find this—not necessarily. I think it takes hard work, and dedication, and practice, and an open mind. I would much rather be doing something that brings me joy every day than to be doing something every day that I don’t like so that I can eventually hopefully be able to live a life I will enjoy. Life is now. The moments are already upon us. Finding purpose and joy in our every day is one of the precious points to our existence.
I’ve loved this sport and I embrace it as my work in my present life… but I know I cannot play volleyball forever. I know that my physical body won’t allow it and my mental body also will not withstand it. So as I think of where I want to put my energy in the future, I imagine what will bring me joy and what kind of purpose I can serve for the greater good. There lies our answers…therein lies our “work”.
To the soul that asked me to write on this subject matter…thank you. I wish you the best of luck and the clarity you may need to navigate this path. To the rest of you… I’m interested in hearing how you’ve handled this very delicate subject matter on your life’s journey. It’s one that can be cloudy, it’s one that can be unclear, it’s one that will challenge us and has the potential to overwhelm us at times. But finding that place of purpose, finding that feeling of doing what you love to do and doing it well with intent and attention… there may be no greater way of living out our life of “work”. May we all work our purpose.
I wish you well. All of you.
Love, Carli