Finding Your Why and Bringing Purpose to Your Work

Drs. Kerri Ritchie & Caroline Gerin-Lajoie

We thought we would try writing about a topic with the support of the new AI assistant tool in this platform. We tweaked as we went along, but it did help us to think outside our box.

1. Reflect on Your Values: Consider what is truly important to you in life and work. When we think about what truly matters to us, on a personal level, we can try to find ways in which our values can "show up at work".

2. Identify Your Strengths: Recognize what you are good at and what brings you joy. By recognizing what you excel at, you can leverage these strengths to achieve your goals and you can gain a better understanding of yourself.

3. Set Meaningful Goals: There will be tasks at work that we struggle with more than others. Often, we can create goals or view some of the goals we have been given as tasks that fit within our values and capitalize on our strengths. When this happens we are are more likely to stay motivated and focused.

4. Seek Inspiration: Surround yourself with people and resources that motivate and inspire you. Surround yourself with inspirational resources such as books, podcasts, or workshops which can increase your creativity and satisfaction. Being inspired by new learning gives us a dopamine and adrenaline boost.

5. Make a Difference: Find ways to contribute positively to your work and those around you. It could be something as simple as offering a helping hand to a colleague in need. Or, doing something kind for somebody in the workplace. Kindness can be contagious.

6. Embrace Challenges: View obstacles as opportunities for growth and learning. When faced with obstacles, it helps to frame them as opportunities for growth and learning. Challenges push us out of our comfort zones. They invite us to stretch ourselves by adapting innovating and developing new skills.

7. Celebrate Successes: Acknowledge and appreciate your achievements along the way. Whether it's a personal achievement or a professional milestone, where it is big or small, take a moment to acknowledge your success. This can help you to feel better about yourself, stay motivated, and stay engaged in your life.