The Emptiness of Work

I wanted to be a veterinarian.

I saw the work as deeply meaningful because of the care it provided to animals and the impact it could have on the farmers. Veterinarians can save lives. They provide care for animals and become trusted advisors and consultants.

Veterinarians are integral to American farms.

Then I didn’t.

Bio 101 and Professor Adler killed that dream.  He was grating to say the least, and his tests.  Oh, those exams…

Multiple choice tests that were filled with partially correct answers.  Not my jam!

About halfway through the semester, after I was fully cooked trying to pick the most correct answer and failing miserably, I threw in the proverbial towel on the class and ultimately becoming a veterinarian.

The grade I received fit the motto of the school - “C is for Cornell”!

A bad experience deterred me from chasing a deemed meaningful profession.

Finding Meaning

I am one of many in a generation who, for a multitude of reasons, entered college or graduated high school with an aspirational career, only to never embrace that work.

For some, it was trade work; for others, it was work deemed not worthy of a career or their families' approval.

When told to “find a good job with benefits,” the idea of finding the balance of community, contribution, and challenge was beset by the ability to pay bills.

It's no wonder a generation of workers is now the least engaged and disconnected of record.

And those disconnected and disengaged are the leaders!

Finding meaning in work was never a consideration.  Meaning was what people looked for after they hit their mid-life crisis.  Meaning was trying to understand why you got laid off, downsized, or let go.  Meaning was a result, not a purpose.

A Shift of Pandemic Proportions

People ebbed and flowed through education, career adoption, and chasing until the world stopped turning.

Just a quick poll..  Are you entirely or in part in a new career since the day the world stopped spinning (Mar 13, 2020)?  If so, could you do this for me? Please hit reply to this email and let me know the answer.

In late 2019, I had a stirring to serve people in a new way.  I wanted to bring transformation to people in the way I had been transformed.  I was transformed by sitting at the feet learning from John Maxwell.

By his words and actions, he expressed and clarified values. He spoke belief into me, and I yearned to understand myself more and help others do the same.

I had an in-person workshop set for March 26, 2020.  I had the books to pass out and the venue booked.

I “pivoted,” and once my feet hit the ground and I figured out life would carry on, I did a webinar.  It wasn't the same (which was proven 4 years later at IDL Summit 2024), but it was something.

I was creating a way to find meaning.

My search for meaning started with a crisis in 2008, and it took me 12 years to find a way to live it.

Thankfully, I was shown a path and guided.

And now today, we have more people than ever who are searching, yearning, and desperate to have meaning in their lives,

Meaningful Work

Our workplaces took on the makeup of assembly-line factories, with people being a cog in the machine. Efficiency was maximized for a generation. Now, people are figuring out that people aren't machines. People have feelings and desires, and want meaningful work.

Wes Adams and Tamara Myles are researchers helping people understand and create meaningful workplaces.

They empower leaders to establish communities where people want to work, contribute to something bigger than themselves, and embrace all the challenges that come along with it.

Work itself is meaningless without the 3 Cs.  Communities - Contribution - Challenge

These core features make any work meaningful to the people who value the specific community, see the contribution, and can overcome the challenges that any work provides.

I can’t describe what that looks like for you, but I can say this for me.

The community I yearn to serve is made up of people who want more for themselves and others, people who know there is more for them by creating more for others.  Yet they struggle to understand why they can't make it happen.  Each time they gain momentum, something strikes them down.  Their fears and insecurities rule them, their relationships, and their hope.

I know I can help those people because I am that person. I’ve always wanted more for others. I want to help others accomplish more than they ever thought possible. I want my gifts to be maximized by maximizing the gifts of others.

The challenge is that I have to do the work. I have to grow on my own so I can grow for others. Once I do this, I'm able to grow with others. Growing is the challenge that overcomes every future challenge.

This work is meaningful to me, and I hope it allows you to do the work that is meaningful to you.

Invite

Maybe you missed the opportunity in February, or maybe the timing wasn't right for you then. I know this. If you can relate to what I just shared, then the time is now.

In a couple of weeks, I will be starting a new Roundtable Cohort. It's a 12-week commitment, but you get to try the first week for free. Call it a baker's dozen!

If you want to learn more about the Roundtable, schedule a time with me to discuss the details and make sure it's right for you.

Did you catch this podcast? If not, listen to it here.