As for purpose, scholars and self-help gurus have advised that we organize our lives around contributing to the well-being of society. Yet that’s an overly narrow view of purpose. It can also mean creating value for an organization, as defined in chapter three. Just because you’re not saving kids in Africa or helping homeless people on the streets of Chicago doesn’t mean your job lacks purpose. Our study led us to define purpose more broadly: You have a sense of purpose when you make valuable contributions to others (individuals or organizations) or to society that you find personally
...more
