Do you work to make a difference or make ends meet?

This week, I am asking you to consider another question on how we live and spend our days. Do you spend your days in service of others or service to yourself? Granted, we cannot work in service for others at the peril of our lives. 

We have to put on our masks before we help others put on their masks. Indeed, we need to think about self-preservation first. But it certainly does not end there. There is more to our waking life than living for the self.

Given the economic pressures in our society, the increasing cost of living, changes in the workplace, the advent of artificial intelligence, and the opportunity to impact and improve life expectancy, which means that many will be working for over half a century, we cannot ignore the question above. You have to put a stake in the ground. 

Those who answer wrongly based on hollow philosophies and deceptive teachings will lead suboptimal lives with unpleasant consequences over their lifetime.

What’s your philosophy on work? 

Answering the question right matters for our well-being and building resilient careers in a fast-changing workplace. Life is about pursuing meaning, and work offers the opportunity to find that meaning.

For someone working to make ends meet, the philosophy is to work hard enough to make enough money to invest so one can stop working and live on the returns.

Those who hold this philosophy have a narrow view of work, seeing it only as a means to earn a living rather than recognizing the potential for their work to make a meaningful contribution.

Taking care of our families and making ends meet is crucial to living a meaningful life. I believe in earning enough leverage to avoid compromising on making a difference for financial reasons.

We know many go to work in places they do not wish to go back to but cannot because they need the work to make ends meet. This scenario can only exist for a short while.

Be mindful of negative influences

Though we know within us that we live to serve each other, circumstances have conspired to make us focus on ourselves. A remarkable story in our football history illustrates how events can conspire to make us focus on financial rewards rather than making a difference.

At the 2014 FIFA World Cup, no member of our Black Stars team needed the 100,000 to make ends meet. Yet they demanded they demanded that they see this.

They took this action at the expense of making a difference. We can see the reason behind their actions anyway. We must be careful we are not influenced to make decisions that negatively impact our careers.  

In some situations, team members do the minimum they need to do to continue earning their paycheck. Some people show up to work to collect their paycheck, even in jobs that involve caring for others directly.

It is dangerous to allow the cynicism in society and the rewards offered by your paymasters to abandon the desire to make a difference and focus on making ends meet, the only goal of your work.

The real benefits of making a difference through our work

Martin Luther King told us that "All labour that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and must be undertaken with painstaking excellence." Our quest for excellence brings us joy and growth in our endeavour.

Seeking to make a difference leads to a worthy career that brings meaning and financial rewards. Fortunately, it's not the work itself but the mindset we bring to our work that makes a difference.

Almost every job can offer meaning and growth to those who do it so long as it's done as an act of service to other human beings.

We make our careers more resilient when we work to make a difference. Also, we become the linchpins and indispensable ones in our societies. Others recognize the value of our contributions and seek to include us in their teams.

Proverbs says, "The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed". Doing our work with generosity rather than earning a salary offers everyone the opportunity to refresh and be refreshed by others.

How do we focus on making a difference?

You know you are making a difference when your commitment to serving others is less influenced by the rewards you can receive from them.

You put your passions and skills to use in a manner that serves the interests of others, irrespective of the pay on offer. Sometimes, we say we are doing what we were born to do. We become lost in our work as we put our sweat and labour into an endeavour that elevates the lives of others.

Take the example of a teacher in a classroom with a group of 6-year-olds who cannot give any meaningful feedback on the service they receive from their teacher. It would have been ideal if, for a noble work as a teacher, the pay made ends meet, but irrespective of the compensation, the teacher pours her heart into raising the future leaders of their community.

This teacher understands that she has an incredible opportunity to elevate the future generation by supporting and giving them the skills and confidence that make them thrive.  

Work offers the opportunity to explore our passions, extend ourselves and develop into becoming the best versions of ourselves every day. In doing this, we find the joy of being human. The work grows us.  

If, for whatever reason, you feel all you can do in your current work is to work to make ends meet, then you have a decision to make. You have the power to create an impact by making the right choices. Serving others through our work is the only way to guarantee that you can make ends meet tomorrow. Assume responsibility for creating a positive impact with your work, and you can secure your livelihood for the long term.

Be of good cheer.

The writer is a Leadership Development Facilitator, Executive Coach and Strategy Consultant, Founder of the CEO Accelerator Program, (https://ceoacceleratorprogram.org) and Chief Learning Strategist at TEMPLE Advisory (www.thelearningtemple.com).

The mission of The Leadership Project is to harvest highly effective leadership practices and share them in a manner that other leaders can easily incorporate into their leadership practice. If you have an idea or leadership practice to share, kindly write to programs@thelearningtemple.com. Until you read from us again, keep leading…..from leader to leader, one practice at a time.