Last week I did a presentation for one of the Education systems in QLD. They asked me to speak about the topic “Finding Fulfilment at Work”, however I changed it to “Finding Fulfilment With Work”. Why? Because, I believe there is a different between the words “at” and “with”. For me “at” points to something outside of yourself, whereas “with” is more about us and points more to the relationship with something, in this case work.
Subsequently – in this post, I am going to share 3 ways to start finding fulfilment with work.
What is Fulfilment?
If you have a look at the definitions, you will find:
- “the achievement of something desired, promised, or predicted” ~ Google
- “Satisfaction or happiness as a result of fully developing one’s potential” ~ Oxford Dictionary
- “a feeling of pleasure because you are getting what you want from life” ~ Cambridge Dictionary
What is Fulfilment With Work?
So, what does fulfilment with work mean for you? Does it have some similarities to the above definitions of fulfilment, however will a link to work? For example –
- the achievement of something desired, promised, or predicted with work,
- Satisfaction or happiness as a result of fully developing one’s potential with work, or
- a feeling of pleasure because you are getting what you want from work (which also makes the assumption that you know what you want).
Only you will know this answer, so it is important to identify what finding fulfilment with work is for you.
3 Ways to Start Finding Fulfilment With Work
Following are 3 ways you might like to try to start finding fulfilment with work.
1. Know Your Why!
Why do you do what you do? If you are clear on your why, skip to the next point, if not, you may like to invest some time identifying your why! In his book Start With Why, Simon Sinek wrote about how good leaders know their why and by knowing their why, they inspire others to take actions. Here is his TED Talk so you can hear it from him.
2. Know Your Core Values!
Yes, you have them and it is important to know them and live YOUR values (not someone else’s). Over the years I have had other people try to put their values on me and it didn’t feel quite right or in alignment with who I was. Subsequently, I made conscious changes in my life. I love this quote from His Holiness Dalai Lama –
“Developing inner values is much like physical exercise. The more we train our abilities, the stronger they become. The difference is that, unlike the body, when it comes to training the mind, there is no limit to how far we can go”.
3. Know Your Personal Boundaries
There are many reasons to have personal boundaries, however they really depend on the individual as every person is different and has had contrasting experiences in their lives. For me one of the reasons personal boundaries are important is identified in the following quote by Brené Brown –
“When we fail to set boundaries and hold people accountable, we feel used and mistreated.”
Personal boundaries can also help you –
- define who you are,
- practice self-care and self-respect,
- communicate your needs in a relationship,
- set healthy limits in a relationship, and
- make time and space for healthy interactions.
Over to You…
I hope the above has given you some insight in to ways to find fulfilment with work. What other ways would you add that have helped you find fulfilment with work? Feel free to share them below!
If you are ready to reclaim your courage and take the next step towards freedom and opening your heart, why not join our Toolkit?
Reference –
Sinek, S, (2009). Start With Why – How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action. USA: Penguin Group.
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