Quotes about work with meaning (200 quotes)

Why did this question arise?

If you are wondering about the unity of work and the meaning of life, then congratulations! You have risen to a new, one of the highest levels of personal development. Believe me, not everyone is concerned about this issue; we still need to grow into it. You have grown up, for which I congratulate you. Well, now let's get down to business.

People begin to look for meaning in work either when they realize that the chosen path is wrong, or in a situation where they have lost their previous meaning. The latter happens more often.
As a result of high employment, workload and lack of time, eternal worries about how much more needs to be done or how to do it, a person burns out. He gets lost in the routine of work and is deprived of professional and life meaning; he does not receive pleasure from his activities.

It is believed that there are pleasures in any field, in any position. They just get boring and lost over time. In this way, work is similar to family relationships. Let me make you happy: you can maintain your relationship with work. But first things first.

Get creative

30-year-old Anna has been working in the administration for several years. Although her role is often underestimated and the work is considered “menial,” she approaches it with enthusiasm and positivity.

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In completing assigned tasks, she shows greater efficiency than other colleagues who receive higher salaries. Ultimately, she confirms that staying busy helps her feel more involved and interested.

“It requires creativity because every day you are faced with the problem of time,” she says.

This desire to be busy may have its roots in a deep aversion to inactivity.

According to another study, although people fear being idle, they also need motivation to keep themselves busy. It is interesting that even a trivial reason can stimulate heroism. And even those who are “forced” to be busy are happier than people who don’t.

What is the meaning of life

A person needs to give his life meaning. This is a natural spiritual need of any age. From adolescence onwards, this problem becomes more and more urgent.

After receiving professional education, as a rule, this is the period of adulthood (early, middle and late), work becomes the leading activity. Labor activity is the backbone of an adult’s life. And whether we like it or not, other spheres revolve around it. So it is obvious that for a healthy life you need to see meaning in what you do most of your time.

The meaning of life is the self-determination of the individual. Moreover, we can distinguish between professional and personal self-determination. It’s great if they complement each other or at least do not contradict.

As for professional self-determination, it has been scientifically proven that the choice of profession is influenced by personal characteristics, but personal changes also occur in the process of mastering a profession.
Professional self-determination can be confirmed (attestation, diploma, certificate, etc.), while personal self-determination does not have such formalities.
Not only does age affect the amount of work in our lives, but also the course of history itself. Modern society requires us to work more, which makes it safe to say that professional self-determination becomes the leading one and determines personal development.

Thus, for an adult, the meaning of life lies in work. But the question is what is the meaning: objective, based on the time it takes, or subjective, satisfying human needs and bringing a sense of self-realization? I suggest you look into it.

Work as the meaning of life

I think that work may well be the meaning of a person’s whole life. But I’m not talking about hopelessly toiling away at a job you hate. I'm talking about human calling.

For me, for example, my vocation is the profession of an educator, teacher, doctor, rescuer. For these people, there is no concept of “worked a day, and it all burns like a blue flame,” at least, it shouldn’t be like that. Otherwise, I feel sorry for this person, because he made a mistake in his activities.
A teacher, doctor and other social profession is a person’s lifestyle. Outside the school walls, he remains an example and mentor. It works without holidays and weekends, every second. Contributing to the development of society, saving lives, developing personalities is the meaning of life for such people.
But if these people can still find a place to start a family, then scientists and astronauts look like a separate category to me. These are people who have truly dedicated their entire lives to one idea, one goal. Their meaning in life is to create the history of the country, society, and the world. Contribute to science and lead followers.
Another example of combining work and the meaning of life is professional sports. As a rule, athletes are strong, active, strong-willed people in life. Their goal is the same for any field - to be the best, to be a winner, to constantly surpass themselves and their competitors.

It is good and correct if work is the meaning of life in such a context, that is, when it is a calling that a person was able to discern and find. And that is why the person himself is happy, although most often this path cannot be called easy.

But if a person is simply forced to rearrange papers in the office from morning to night, cursing it, or engage in any activity that brings him complete disappointment, but takes up his whole life, then this, perhaps, is not the meaning of life. At least, it definitely shouldn’t take a lifetime.

How can you make your work have personal meaning?

The answer is simple - do not make a mistake when choosing a professional path. In psychology, it is generally accepted that professional activity is the main mechanism for self-realization.

Awareness of the wrong choice (the meaninglessness of work), and therefore life, is dangerous with an existential crisis. At first, boredom, passivity and indifference are noted at work, and gradually spread into everyday life. Job dissatisfaction has a negative impact on the internal state of the individual and puts pressure on the psyche.

As a result, the meaning of life is chosen not by the individual’s own beliefs and goals, but by those imposed from the outside. And with this, looking at active people with a pronounced individuality and a broad outlook, comes dissatisfaction with oneself as a person. What to do? Search for what will be your meaning.

The professional sphere and meaning formation are based on:

self-esteem
self-control
emotional stability,
practicality,
subordination (dominance),
anxiety,
tension,
isolation (sociability),
behavior strategies.

That is, it is based on personal characteristics and then only the basic ones. Let me explain. You should not make achieving a high position the meaning of life if you by nature prefer to obey, are uncommunicative and do not have leadership inclinations. Would you say that all this can be developed? It is forbidden. If there are no inclinations by nature, then there is nothing to develop.

If you are overly anxious and cannot cope with difficult situations, then you should not choose a career as a surgeon. But don't be upset. Maybe you're a great actor or artist, but you're just not in the right place yet.

A person “imbued” with his work does not depend on circumstances. He is not afraid of losing his job or changing countries, because he carries the content and all the main tools within himself. Once I happened to watch an episode of the TV show “The World Inside Out,” which talked about Ethiopia. My surprise knew no bounds when I learned that people of Russian and Ukrainian nationality were building schools and lyceums there, and creating entire educational systems. This is how a domestic teacher once gave up everything, but gained even more. The teacher created her course based on Russian and Ethiopian textbooks and reproduced the educational environment taking into account the cultures of both nations. Together with her husband, they are building this business, and they are actively teaching and developing a lesson plan. A similar story in the medical field was also shown there. I think this is one of the best examples of work as the meaning of life.

In psychology, there is an opinion that subjective, that is, personal meaning can be assigned to any situation and action in the present time. Thus, if something does not suit you, then you need to give significance to the current situation.

If the soul asks for creativity

Do you think that your meaning in life could be a creative profession? What do you mean by this? Artist, actor, musician? Would you be surprised if I told you that there is a place for creativity in every profession? First things first.

People in the creative sphere undoubtedly live by their activities: designers, artists, writers. It is good if, with the help of parents, it was possible to identify these abilities and inclinations early and develop them. But what should those who, already as an adult, realize that they have abilities and interest, and that this seems to be the main meaning (goal) of life, but there is no opportunity, and they shouldn’t give up “a stable office in two.”

To get started, you can take courses that interest you. You need to check if you are wrong. If everything goes well, then you can turn it into a hobby, and then transfer it to your main field. But this, of course, is not an easy task.
Another option is to bring creativity into your regular work life. Take a different look at your usual activities; perhaps you have been creative at work for a long time. Think: any decision made in a non-standard situation is creative.

I think that in the modern world there is no longer any template work left. The whole essence of our society is permeated with the ideas of flexibility and mobility. Creativity is the ability to express your thoughts and highlight the most significant from the general flow of information. Start small, try to stick to this principle in your work. Become critical. Don't be passive. Offer your ideas, support initiatives.

In the end, the relationships themselves (business, love, friendship) are a variant of creativity. This is where there are definitely no uniform templates. And if there are, then who is stopping you from breaking them. Unfortunately, very often people drive themselves into the framework of meaninglessness. And meaning is always associated with search, activity, activity. The meaning of life does not come to anyone on its own, just like work in which one can see meaning.

4. Embrace (temporary) meaninglessness.

Often work loses its meaning. After a few years, an employee gets tired of doing the same thing.

“This is the right moment to develop the ability to look at a situation from a different angle, since you have done everything you could within the old frame of reference,” explains Thierry Nadisik.

Like any personal crisis, such a transition period is painful, but it must be survived. And the main thing to start with is to stop blaming yourself.

Accept that you are at a stage where you are not contributing to the greater good because your new goals have not yet been formed. This stage is needed to move further, from point A to point B.

Now you need to find inner peace, not rush headlong into a new position or discuss it with everyone.

During this period, it may be useful to seek help from a person who is authoritative for you, provided that he will not tell you what to do, but will lead you to the right decisions by asking questions.

How to love your job

I offer some recommendations on how to fall in love with your current job. This is somewhat different than the vision of meaning. But if you cannot change the situation, then you need to change your attitude towards it.

Do not keep silent about your complaints and dissatisfaction. In a tactful manner, express what is tormenting you (accumulating negativity in yourself is dangerous to your health). Not necessarily the boss. Say out loud to yourself what is stopping you from enjoying your work. Sometimes speaking out loud allows you to perceive the situation differently. But, of course, it is better to talk with colleagues. As a last resort - with your family. A negative, tense atmosphere in a team is a harbinger of emotional burnout. Isn't this what happened to you? It is important to overcome your fear and express what “extinguishes” you. To make it easier, first write down the problem and your feelings on paper, and indicate there what you want to receive in response. This will allow you to more accurately understand your own vision of the situation and adhere to a clear line in the conversation.
Be persistent, stick to your own beliefs and advocate for your interests. Also during a conversation, do not allow yourself to be “broken” or humiliated. You can and have the right to say “no” if it contradicts your worldview, if it infringes on you as a person. It is common for people to want to be liked by everyone, but this is unrealistic. You must understand that you cannot be perfect for everyone without losing yourself. It's important to be specific. You must be persistent and clearly say what you like and what you don’t, what is acceptable in your opinion and what is not.
Work activity is unthinkable without conflicts and contradictions, but they can be resolved constructively, reaching a consensus in which everyone will be satisfied. There is no need to constantly be afraid and infringe on your interests.
To learn how to correctly express your dissatisfaction, use the rule of fact, situation and feelings. That is, you first express what exactly you don’t like about a person’s behavior (don’t judge the person himself), then when and, finally, what you feel about it. Next, in a friendly manner, add an alternative suggestion for what you want.
Increase stress resistance, learn self-regulation techniques, work on inner confidence and self-esteem. Take each situation as an experience, extract meaning from what happened, but don’t let yourself get unsettled. Stress resistance is based on optimism and personal confidence. These qualities are not innate, which is good news. It is easy to increase these levels, you just need to regularly perform special exercises. For example, write down problematic situations in detail and honestly, describe when and how it happened, how you felt. Then reread and evaluate what you wrote. Was it as you perceived it to be? Could you have avoided this? Did you have an alternative then? What can you learn from this situation? It often turns out that the situation was not worth the way it was perceived; the reason for the failure is revealed. This allows you to create experience for future victories.
What is most valuable to you about your work? Find and cultivate it. If you can’t say, then answer another question: what is the most valuable thing in life for you? Find a place for this at work. For example, you like to help people, but you are an accountant, that is, help has nothing to do with your immediate activities, but you can help colleagues. Let others know that you are willing to do non-essential work for your own pleasure.
Let's return to conflicts. According to statistics, they arise due to unfulfilled promises, shirking, refusal to help, gossip, unfairness of the boss, hazing, imitation of being busy, indifference of management (presented in descending order by frequency of occurrence). Whatever happens, be kind and polite to others and yourself. Help others, appreciate other people’s work (at work there shouldn’t be such a thing at all, since everyone is moving towards a common goal). Bringing coffee, holding the door - little things, but everyone is pleased. Be sure that you will be answered in kind. I understand that we are all human and sometimes the state is such that there can be no talk of any friendliness. You need to force yourself. But do not hide emotions, do not suppress, but consciously replace negative ones with positive ones. Remember what gives you pleasure: an event, an image, a phrase. To release negativity, find an alternative way: sports, anti-stress attractions.
Master the “here and now” principle. I myself was surprised how much easier and more pleasant it was to live with him. Don't think about some mythical layoff or pay cut if the job meets your needs at the moment. Are you sure that your expectations will happen? No. Are you sure that if they happen, you will have the same needs? No. So why complicate your life now? Someone tells you that “this is not a job, find a normal vacancy,” but “not a job” satisfies you financially, morally, psychologically, and so on? This means you need to stay “not working”. And solve problems as they arise.
Give compliments (including to yourself), express gratitude, praise your colleagues. This, as well as accepting people with their strengths and weaknesses as characteristics, are another element of friendliness. You can start with the “Day of Good Deeds”. Choose a day when you do good deeds for no reason. Then write everything down in detail, evaluate your behavior, people’s reactions and the result. Think about it, is it worth doing this regularly? For what? Is it with all people?
Any job can have its pros and cons. You obviously see more cons. Try to change your attitude. Write down the benefits that your job has. Write down any everyday little things, write at least 5 thanks for your work. To change your views, often ask yourself the questions “What did I take away from this experience?”, “What did this teach me?”, “What prospects and opportunities opened up for me?”, “What did I get rid of?”.
Find moments of pleasure and understand that the world does not collapse because of it. Have lunch calmly without work issues, tell your colleague how you and your family went to the zoo over the weekend. Looking forward to some leisure time at the end of the day will give you the energy to get through the day with energy. Work can be the meaning of life, but it should not take up your whole life (I talked about exceptions in another section of this article). Place a clear example of amenities nearby. Write down the most meaningful, satisfying moments at work on a piece of paper and keep the list in sight.
Share good news and be happy for others. At the same time, you may encounter envy, but remember that people with low self-esteem are envious. Respond with compliments and praise to defuse envy.
Create celebrations and set an example for others. For example, you bought a new chair. Bring candy to work, hand it out with the words: “It’s a holiday in my back. I bought a new chair." Corny, simple, but cute and fun.
Don't fall into workaholism. At the core of every workaholic is an unsatisfied need for power and a desire to escape reality. This is a destructive behavior pattern. It brings wealth and status, but takes away other values (health, family). Workaholism does not equal the meaning of life.

The fine line between the meaning of life and workaholism

Workaholism is addiction to work. As a rule, a person does not so much choose this path himself as it turns out to be dictated by work. Companies with an abundance of planning meetings, petty control, checks, formalities, that is, distrust and disrespect for their employees as individuals suppress independence and self-worth.

Gradually, the work takes up all the space, but this volume does not equal meaning. Exactly what I was talking about at the beginning. If work deprives you of social contacts, interpersonal interactions, interests, and leisure, then it cannot be the meaning of life.
Losing his job, a workaholic quickly turns to another addiction, often alcohol. The same is noted on sick leave. A person no longer knows how to relax, to be in the world of real relationships and global problems, and he urgently needs to go to another reality.

If your job provides you with social interaction, meets your needs, and stems from a hobby, then it can be the meaning of your life. Workaholism is self-destruction due to working “to the point of exhaustion.”

Find challenges and "battlefields"

For 33-year-old Ivan, who works as a sales manager, such division is often associated with a lack of understanding of tasks and areas of responsibility.

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“Without clear guidance from senior management, it can feel like there is no room for movement, improvement and career growth,” he admits. “On the other hand, people my age and younger feel the opportunity to refuse to work if there is a feeling that there are no opportunities for growth.”

In his opinion, company leaders must create an environment that encourages employees to overcome difficulties. After all, this gives an understanding that if they work hard and show their professionalism, the next opportunity for development will appear.

According to Anna, if you don’t encounter problems at work, training is a great way to keep yourself busy. It is worth trying to begin a more in-depth study of the area in which your job responsibilities are associated. There is always the opportunity to learn more about the industry, the secrets of professionals, your company and subsequently choose a job that will fully satisfy your needs.

Results

In any case, work can be either part of the meaning of life or the whole meaning. If we are talking about great professions, akin to a vocation, then in this it is quite possible to see the meaning of all life.

If work does not bring you a sense of satisfaction, a sense of self-worth and self-realization, then it is recommended to change your field of activity or find yourself in other areas that are secondary to work (charity, volunteering, raising children). Another option is to give your existing work meaning.

The meaning of life is a subjective category. Therefore, it is impossible to give a single answer to the question of whether work can be the meaning of life. Everyone has their own vision, and it is noted that meaning-forming values depend on a number of factors, including age. In my opinion today, you can see the meaning of life in work if:

this is a calling;
it gives pleasure to the employee;
it satisfies his current needs;
the activity and its result are significant for the individual and those around him;
it does not contradict the worldview of the individual;
it allows you to feel significant, promotes self-realization and the discovery of an individual’s abilities.

Currently, for example, I can say with confidence that I see the meaning of life in my work, but this is only one component. In addition to work, my meaning in life includes family and constant self-development, self-improvement (reading non-work literature, playing sports, leisure). The meaning of my work and life is to improve myself, develop and help other people with this. As I write this article, I feel like it satisfies my needs and, importantly, yours.

Is it possible to see the meaning of life in work? Yes, it is possible and even necessary!

2. Find your alter ego

Look for companies that share your values and ideas.

“It’s like with love: there is no one that was created just for you. There are many suitable companies, and relationships can be developed with many,” assures Thierry Nadisic, professor at the Lyon Business School and PhD in organizational sociology.

An interview will help verify this suitability. Its goal is not to sell yourself to the employer at any cost, but to indicate what is important to you.

Don’t say, “Yes, I’ll do whatever you want,” if that’s not the case,” warns Emmanuel Duez. - Be the first to say, “I'm looking for a place that cares about the environment,” for example.

If the company's values match yours, you can do any job there."

Literature on the topic

I recommend the book for those who want to find meaning in their current work: V. Schaufeli, P. Dijkstra, T. Ivanova “Passion at work: how to learn to love your work and enjoy it.” It presents a lot of theory, practical recommendations and exercises on conducting conversations (including with your boss), changing your thinking, increasing stress resistance, developing the ability to forgive and much more.

For those seeking and returning meaning, I recommend reading the article “How to find the meaning of life if you don’t want anything - advice from a psychologist.”

Meet the stories of real people about how they found their calling and the meaning of life through work.

Case Study

The discrepancy between expectations and motivation and reality often leads to disappointment. 29-year-old Maria decided to advance her career in medicine: she liked the idea of saving people, helping patients fight diseases, and the opportunity to communicate with people. Despite the fact that her work was well paid, the young specialist became disillusioned with the policies of the company where she worked. Among the negative aspects, she noted that management ignored her recommendations and the feeling that she was letting her patients down.

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