What gives us the drive to work every day, for many hours a week? Money is a factor to consider in this, but not the only one. Studies on motivation show that environmental factors (workplace structure) and the relationship with immediate leadership are among the most important factors to maintain it. But another element comes into play and takes up a lot of space: a sense of purpose.
When I talk about a sense of purpose, I’m referring to the meaning behind the work. Why do we do what we do? It seems that most of us thrive by making constant progress and feeling a sense of purpose. Behavioral economist Dan Ariely presents two enlightening experiments that reveal our attitudes and how they relate to the meaning behind work.
Dan Ariely is a former American-Israeli professor of psychology and behavioral economics. He was born in New York and teaches at Duke University, where he is the founder of The Center for Advanced Hindsight.
Do you find it difficult to define the purpose behind your work? Seek help from your leadership and colleagues.
- Ask questions like: What are our goals? What are the benefits we produce with our work?
- Ask trusted colleagues to write down what they believe the purpose behind the work is.
- Based on what was answered and written, create a purpose that resonates with you.
Share the result with your colleagues and gather their insights on the outcome.
