Should your job bring you purpose?

Does your job provide you with purpose and meaning? Should it?

It depends.

We've all heard the quote "Do what you love, and you'll never work a day in your life" (often attributed to Steve Jobs). That is a worthy ideal and one of the core reasons we built Vocation- to help people find more fulfillment at work.

But it's important to recognize what work does or doesn't mean to you, and especially, what it means to you right now in your present circumstances.

There will be times in your career when you crave purpose and meaning. Where you feel like what you're doing isn't impacting yourself, your company, or the world. When you feel that way, unpack what it is that's missing and find it.

There will also be times in your career when purpose takes a back seat to financial security, flexibility, or other benefits that you need given your circumstances. In those instances, purpose can come from other areas of life outside of work.

Not everyone needs to be optimized for professional purpose at all times. But if you're optimized for 'progress' at all times, meaning, every job you pursue is providing you with solutions to needs in your life (whatever they may be), you can start to build a healthier relationship with work and your vocational identity.

Keep making progress!