4 myths that hold workers back from having fulfilling careers—and how to make your work more meaningful

How do you want to feel at work?

I have asked thousands of people around the world this question. Some of the most common answers I get are: fulfilled, connected, motivated, respected, appreciated, and in control. We all want to feel that what we do all day is more than “just work.” We want our work to be meaningful.

A May 2023 survey found that doing meaningful work is the number-one factor impacting job satisfaction. And research shows that liking what we do every day is the biggest predictor of our overall happiness. So why aren’t more of us experiencing meaning at work? I believe several common myths about what makes work meaningful are holding us back from finding more fulfillment at work.

Myth #1: Not all work can be meaningful

“I’m a healer. . . . My role here is to do everything I can to promote the healing of the patients.”

If you had to guess this person’s role based on that description, what would you say? Like me, you probably guessed this person is a doctor or a nurse. Would it surprise you to learn that they are a hospital janitor?

A lot of people think meaningful work is reserved for those in helping professions, nonprofits, or social impact work. While it’s true that some jobs have built-in elements that make the work meaningful, I believe every job can and should be meaningful. After all, we spend a third of our lives at work.

In my research at the University of Pennsylvania’s Positive Psychology Center, my team and I found that work typically becomes meaningful when it provides a sense of community, contributes to something that matters, and challenges us to grow and develop.

Like the janitor quoted above, we can make our work more meaningful by thinking of the bigger impact our jobs have on the lives of others. What contribution are you making to your team, to your organization’s purpose, or to your customers?

Myth #2: Meaningful work and purpose are the same

Although often used interchangeably, meaningful work is not the same as purpose-driven work. For at least two decades, many organizations have focused on defining their purpose. This often involves clarifying why they exist and what goals they are striving for. And purpose is extremely important. But my research partners and I have found a key distinction: While purpose contributes to meaningful work, it is not enough to make work meaningful.

I often work with nonprofit organizations. All of them are mission-driven and have a clearly stated purpose that everyone believes in. But often they struggle to build belonging and provide a challenging career path for people to grow. This is because the work is purposeful but not meaningful.

Understanding your contribution to the organization’s purpose is important, but it is not enough.

Myth #3 : Meaningful work isn’t necessary

Decades of empirical research reveal this is simply not true. Meaningful work is connected to a broad range of positive outcomes—both for us as individuals and for our organizations.

People who find their work meaningful are 4.5 times more engaged and 69% less likely to leave. Additionally, when we experience the impact of our work, we become 142% more productive, and organizational revenue increases by a staggering 172%.

These numbers are impressive, but we don’t need them to know how much we crave meaning at work. We all want more than a paycheck from the third of our lives we spend working. In fact, research shows that a whopping 9 out of 10 of us are willing to earn less money to do more meaningful work.

The good news is that we don’t need to sacrifice money for meaning. My research shows that all jobs can be meaningful when we know how our work matters, feel like we belong to a community of shared values, and have opportunities to use our strengths and grow.

Meaningful work is not ornamental to our happiness. It is fundamental.

Myth #4: Pleasure equals meaning

Lavishing generous perks on people is a trend that a lot of workplaces falsely equate with meaningful work. To be clear: Perks are great. Pleasurable experiences—like free lunches or on-site massages—create positive emotions and can be a means of connection.

But research shows that these extrinsic motivators—the proverbial carrots—aren’t the only tools for increasing and sustaining engagement. Sometimes they can even backfire and turn meaningful work into work that feels transactional.

Earlier this year, news outlets were ablaze with reports of a “perk-cession,” capturing attention with clever headlines such as “The Ping-Pong Tables Have Turned.” It is time to shift our focus from meaningless perks to meaningful work and open new avenues to turbocharge our motivation, performance, and well-being.

How to boost your sense of meaning at work

Now that we have dispelled the myths that hold us back from fulfilling careers, let’s look at how you can make work more meaningful.

Meaningful work lives at the powerful intersection of what I like to call “The 3 Cs”: contribution, community, and challenge. To increase your sense of meaning at work, consider whether the following factors are present in your day-to-day experience.

Contribution: Does your work impact the lives of others? How do you add value? Knowing how what we do matters can give us a renewed sense of meaning.

Community: Social connections are as critical to our health as food and shelter. Research shows that it only takes one colleague who we feel connected to and can share work experiences with to increase our sense of belonging. How can you strengthen your relationship with a work friend?

Challenge: We are drawn to growth like sunflowers to the sun. Work becomes meaningful when we actively learn and expand our skills. Are there any specific tasks, projects, or assignments that have provided you with a sense of challenge and growth? Are there opportunities for training, mentorship, or professional development programs that you can access?

By dispelling myths about what it means to have a fulfilling career, and making sure our work covers “The 3 Cs,” we can all find more meaning in what we do.