Amy Wrzesniewski, Ph.D., a Yale School of Management professor and leading organizational behavior researcher, has identified three distinct ways people approach their work.
Those who view their role as just a job treat it as a necessary chore, motivated primarily by the paycheck.
Individuals with a career mindset focus on advancement, milestones, and professional success.
For people who see their work as a calling, it's deeply fulfilling—leveraging their strengths, contributing to the greater good, and providing intrinsic satisfaction.
Not surprisingly, those with a calling orientation find their work more rewarding, put in extra effort, and advance faster. The good news? You don't need an enviable role to cultivate this mindset.
Related: You don't have to like what you do...
Wrzesniewski's key insight: Your job title doesn't dictate your perspective. She's studied doctors who see their work merely as a job and janitors who experience it as a calling. In one study of 24 administrative assistants with nearly identical roles, pay, and qualifications, each mindset was equally represented.
In my business consulting practice, I've helped professionals reframe their job descriptions to emphasize calling-like impact—not by changing duties, but by highlighting the meaningful contributions within them. This sparks motivation.
Next, connect your tasks to bigger personal goals. Research shows even routine work gains purpose when linked to your values and aspirations, transforming it into a calling.
Try this simple exercise for an instant meaning boost:
1. Write down a dreaded, 'meaningless' task.
2. Ask: What's the purpose? Draw an arrow and note the outcome.
3. If that still feels empty, ask: What does this enable? Continue chaining until you uncover a meaningful endpoint.
Related: What to do if you hate your job
This article originally appeared in the Fall 2018 issue of LadiesBelle I/O magazine.
