Questions of Purpose

There's a Pew Research Center poll which shows that the older and more conservative you are, the more likely that you believe hard work leads to success. And the younger and more progressive you are, the more likely that you believe it's luck... or the people you know... or the privilege with which you're born.

Beware as it's a cognitive trap.  Because by framing the question this way, any person who appreciates complexity-- young or old, right or right--  immediately thinks that the obvious answer is some unknowable mix of each side’s view… and several dozen other factors. 

The real trap is that the poll anchors you on the shallowest definition of success-- this idea of “getting ahead”-- a metaphor that frames success as peer relative.

What if success is really about whether you find deep purpose in your work?  

What if success is about taking active ownership over your career or your relationship to your career?

What if success is about connecting with others-- those same others that you’re primed to get ahead of-- in order to learn and develop?

What if success is about seeing opportunities in the intractable problems of the day?

[Ok.  Enough with the obvious questions.  I’m starting to put myself to sleep.]

My definition... as of this morning… and, if I’m doing it right, one that might change by tomorrow:

Leverage what power you have in service of others and do your part, however small, to bend the path of history toward justice.

--

Note: this was from my journal; aimed at me.  Self-mentorship… if that’s a thing.

My sharing isn't meant to get you to use my definition.  At best, it’s meant to encourage you to find yours. Just searching is success in my book.  It’s both hard work and a privilege.  

The pandemic’s got a lot of folks itching for a change.  I don’t know who... but I figure someone needs to hear that switching jobs without some healthy introspection is just trading in old definitions.  Without a process that has real depth-- without tackling questions like purpose and meaning-- if you’re not happy in your current gig, odds are that you won’t be happy in your next one either.  

Consider yourself “mentored.”  Collateral-mentorship… if that’s a thing.