Do you find meaning in your work? Better yet, how do you describe meaningful work?
When I heard the term “meaningful work” my mind had always jumped to work that immediately impacts world issues - i.e. hunger, poverty, climate change, etc. I now hear the term and think of work that leaves me fulfilled, satisfied, and I did something worth sharing.
The last guitar project I had worked on began meaningful and ended very much meaningless. That feeling of dissatisfaction and total unfulfillment is when I realized what meaningful work actually is, and, despite the negativity surrounding that project, I am grateful for it because it has reshaped how I feel about my work moving forward.
My current build is near completion and every time I am at the bench, or just walk by, I can’t help but admire it. I can’t help but feel accomplished, satisfied, fulfilled - whichever adjective suits best. The project feels meaningful. It feels like I did something that matters, because I am proud of it and I know that the end user is going to be tickled.
It’s certainly not perfect. There are a few things I would’ve done a little differently here or better there. However, each of those “imperfections” are the feedback I need and crave in order to improve my work. Constant improvement is the goal, not perfection. It’s not perfect, but it’s good enough - and that’s good enough for me.