Yale psychologist Amy Wrzesniewski has spent years studying how our mindsets about work influence performance. Through hundreds of interviews across professions, she identified three common 'work orientations': viewing your role as a job, a career, or a calling.
Those with a 'job' mindset see work as a necessary chore, motivated mainly by the paycheck and eager for time off.
In contrast, a 'career' mindset drives people to advance and succeed, fostering investment in their performance.
A 'calling' mindset treats work as inherently meaningful—not for external rewards, but because it aligns with personal strengths, contributes to the greater good, and provides purpose. These individuals often work harder, longer, and advance further.
Related: Answer 6 Questions to Reveal Your Life Purpose
For those with a calling, this is empowering news. Importantly, Wrzesniewski found that your work orientation isn't tied to the job itself. Doctors may see their role as just a job, while janitors embrace it as a calling. In a study of 24 administrative assistants with identical job descriptions, salaries, and education, the three orientations were evenly split.
This reveals that mindset matters as much as—or more than—the work. Disgruntled employees can enhance satisfaction through 'job crafting'—reframing their perspective without changing roles. As Wrzesniewski notes, 'new possibilities open up for the meaning of work' based on how individuals construct it.
Consider two janitors at an elementary school: one fixates on the nightly mess, the other on creating a healthier space for kids. Same tasks, vastly different satisfaction and effort.
Related: 6 Mindset Shifts That Will Improve Your Life
In my business consulting, I guide teams to rewrite their 'job descriptions' into 'calling descriptions'—phrasing duties to highlight inherent value, as if recruiting others. We then connect tasks to personal life goals. Research shows even mundane work gains meaning when linked to values, turning jobs into callings.
Try this exercise: Fold a paper horizontally. List a frustrating task on the left. Ask: What purpose does it serve? What does it accomplish? Arrow right and write the answer. If trivial, repeat: What does that lead to? Continue until it resonates—tying paperwork, say, to equipping future lawyers for success.
Hotel innovator Chip Conley motivates staff similarly: 'Forget your title. What impact do clients feel?' This elevates routine tasks, boosting dedication and results.
Related: 5 things you can do to improve your mindset in 20 minutes
