How to Find Purpose After Work

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Source: Photo by Vlad Sargu on Unsplash

I spend a lot of time talking with college students and young professionals about the transition into work. The transition out of work to whatever comes after is no less important, and perhaps one of the least explored changes in career development. For a long time that was the moment when you stopped working, when you “retired” to golf or look after grandchildren, or a myriad of other activities that are important but have not fit into the realm of traditional career development models.

However, with upwards of ten thousand people turning 65 every day, extended life spans, as well as the advent of second and third careers, it’s past time to bring the conversation into the forefront. Life, after all, doesn’t stop at 65, or whatever age you decide to retire from the work that has sustained you up to this point. There is no reason that each of us can’t have something that gives us purpose after stepping away from work. The trick is to figure out what that thing is and how to find it. And how you do that is not that different from when you were first starting out.

The Purpose of Purpose

Much has been said and written about the need for purpose in our work over the past few years. Gartner research notes that, post-pandemic, employees are looking for deeper meaning from their jobs, including “whether one feels valued in their work or whether they are merely creating outcomes and value to benefit others.” And while “82% of employees say it’s important for their organization to see them as a person, not just an employee, only 45% of employees believe their organization actually sees them this way” (Turner, 2023).

Similarly, a McKinsey study found that people “who live their purpose at work” are more productive, healthier, more resilient, and more likely to stay at the company. “Moreover, when employees feel that their purpose is aligned with the organization’s purpose, the benefits expand to include stronger employee engagement, heightened loyalty, and a greater willingness to recommend the company to others.” While 70% of those surveyed say their sense of purpose is defined by their work, only 15% of frontline employees agreed they are living their purpose everyday at work (Dhingra, et al., 2021). These studies highlight the disconnect between what individuals say they want from work, and what, perhaps, work is willing and able to give them.

The McKinsey research identifies three areas where people find purpose: from an organization, from one's daily work activities, and from activities and relationships that occur outside of work. Obviously, it's to an organization’s benefit to focus on the first two areas. But many, if not most individuals would identify that third category, the life category, as where real purpose formation occurs. Work, after all, no matter how purposeful it may be, is transactional and transient. Who you are, what matters to you, what your values are, your daily reason for being on this earth, transcends any organization, role, or career. And as you move into this next phase those are the things that should guide you.

Discovering Post-Work Purpose

As you begin to prepare for what comes next, some of the most important work you can do is to reflect on your why and start to identify those activities that might feed that. Here are some guiding questions to get you started:

As you reflect on your life, when were you the most energized or happy? We all have moments and activities that give or take from our energy and happiness. It’s easy enough to say, “I was happiest when I was on vacation,” and maybe that's worth paying attention to. But also think about your daily life. What were the specific periods of life or activities that got you fired up and ready to start your day?

What are those things you've been putting off for when you have the time? Do you have a bucket list or a “I’ll get to it when” list? What's on it? Is it travel, or reconnecting with friends and family, or pursuing a particular hobby? Think bigger than cleaning out that closet you’ve needed to get to. Instead, think about those things you would do if time and money were no object.

How do you like to spend your “free” or “down” time, currently? Many people find that there is a difference between the things they have to do (work) and the things they want to do (hobbies). Or, there may be a set of things that you’re just naturally good at and find interesting. During our careers it’s easy to get caught up in ideas of what we should do, when it’s much more productive to think about those things we like to do and find interesting.

Is legacy important to you? If so, how would you define it? Not everyone feels driven by a sense of wanting to be remembered for something. But if you were, what would it be? Are you currently fulfilling those things? Are there activities you could do to start to fill in those gaps? Think about the story you want people to tell about you when you’re gone.

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Is there a role you’ve always been interested in pursuing? Just because you’re retiring from one career doesn’t mean you can’t start a second. Or a third. Many people today have side gigs for just such a reason, while also bringing in additional income. Maybe the idea of spending your time on the golf range or pickleball court doesn’t sound appealing. Maybe you could use some additional spending money. While you’re stepping away from one career path, remember it’s OK to start down another one.

The practice of reflection is really the practice of noticing. Use these questions to start to identify a list of possible next steps. The beautiful part of this stage of life is all the opportunities it presents to live life better, to make different choices, and to use all the wisdom and knowledge you’ve gathered over the past decades to make smarter choices going forward. Your life isn’t over just because you’re now “retired.” If you want, it’s possible for life to begin, again.