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Since most of us spend more time at work than in any other setting, if we don’t find meaning in our work, chances are we will feel the pinch. When we don’t find meaning at work, our employers will feel the pinch as well. Work that makes sense, it turns out, also makes cents, for both employers and employees. Read More
hmmm
well, to paraphrase somebody (i think...) - one person's heaven is another person's hell. personally - after WAY too many years of it - i'm sick and tired of staring at a computer screen the whole d*mn day....doesn't answer any of your questions though, sorry.
i think a lot of tech management is online these days though, so the whole manager paradigm has changed.
i was a mid-level manager at one point in my career, and i didn't like it so much - i always felt like i would rather do real work - ha! but, seeking the almighty dollar is not what work is about where i am, so maybe i don't count.
So I'm curious - what does
So I'm curious - what does give your work, or your life, a sense of meaning? Sounds like for you "not seeking the almight dollar" helps?
work
oh, i'm a contract analyst for a goverment agency. i do science support work, so i have a background in math & science. i guess my motivation is internal, i feel that i try to contribute a lot to society's knowledge base.
oh, don't get me wrong, my salary is fine, as is my husband's, who does similar work. but we are not rich, nor do we aspire to be. since our 401K's tanked so much lately, we will not be retiring any time soon, either! THAT is what i regret as far as making money goes - i would have liked to retire in a few years - don't know now if we will be able to.
sorry - typo -
sorry, i didn't mean to log the above entry as Anonymous.
i forgot to change the 'Your Name' field.
Creative people, meaning and depression
Creativity coach Eric Maisel, PhD thinks "Culturally, some purposes are viewed as more meaningful than others… but ultimately, what we find as meaningful is very personal. It is influenced by our personality, temperament, belief system, and values. That’s part of why we have to take responsibility, ourselves." He also notes in his book The Van Gogh Blues that creative people are very susceptible to depression if their life - including work - is not providing enough meaning. See more in my post What’s a meaningful life? Eric Maisel and tips for making meaning.
http://talentdevelop.com/2745/
yes...sort of
Doug, this is me to some extent lately, i guess. it comes through some in my post above i think - i tend towards depression occasionally now, i feel that i should have finished my Phd and done the research i wanted to do a long time ago, instead of settling for a good job.
NOW i feel creatively stifled, and would have liked to retire soon to pursue other interests. not gonna happen for a few years yet, though. i don't think i am unique in these feelings, i'm sure a lot of working people would like to retire young to do other things - things more fun than staring at a computer screen all day - or any other repetitive tasks!
Meaning
Hi Wendy! Great post!
I am a professional speaker ... meaning for me lies in my ability to be a model of optimism for my audiences ... I live the motto 'Yes, we can!' and each time I have the incredible opportunity to inspire an individual, team, or organization to move 'into a new groove', I am in awe at the resilience of the human spirit. In those moments, I have no doubt that I am doing the work I am supposed to do.
(Interestingly enough, I believe my personal meaning and purpose are directly related to tragedy in my life...and I might not have discovered this meaning so early or so profoundly had the tragedy not occurred. What do you think?)
Regards, Deri
You are so right about the
You are so right about the impact of tragedy on clarifying for us what life is all about. While tragedy calls our current meanings into question and can really throw us, it also can help us get clearer about what is missing, what matters most, and the importance of living our lives to the fullest. Congratulations on using a tough experience to grow.
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