For every two parts happiness add one part meaning
If you want to find more fulfillment in your work follow this equation
Passion projects aside, the search for fulfilling work does not need to center around your personal happiness. It is important to feel good while in your work environment and for your work to be in alignment with your values, but happiness as a goal for work may be leaving you a bit shortchanged. Here’s why, happiness is found in the present whereas meaning transcends time to include past/present/future.
Meaningfulness is something we invest energy in without expecting a return.
Typically, when we think about happiness, the first thing that comes to mind
is a set of activities and experiences that generate momentary pleasure
and satisfaction…think ice cream, puppies and vacations. This type of happiness
is called Hedonic. Hedonic happiness is self-indulgent and makes you feel the
wonderful happy feeling for a short period of time.
In contrast, meaning making transcends a specific time and is often
accomplished in a group or community. It creates Eudaimonic happiness or
“bigger than self” happiness. Eudaimonic happiness is present when you
experience meaning in life, but the fleeting hedonic happiness may or may not
be present.
So why should you add meaning to your work equation? Here are some benefits to
Eudaimonic approach, which focuses on meaning and self-realization:
- Longevity – research supports living a life of meaning and purpose can help you live longer.
- Deeper connection to self and greater self-acceptance
- Personal growth and self-care – the need to explore your inner potential and use it to pursue your real purpose in life.
- Agency – as sense of purpose can give you the confidence needed to pursue your own path.
- Belonging – an essential building block of self-actualization
