So says Daniel Pink in his book A Whole New Mind (yes, I know I’m behind, it’s not his most recent).
This resonates with me. Are we substituting the belief that money will make us happy with the belief that meaning, and purpose and mission will do the same?
If you’re a career changer or dissatisfied with your life as it stands, a lot of coaches will take you through a process to ‘discover’ your passion (another of those proxies for purpose). For some, this is a useful and valuable process. For others, and I count myself among them, it can help to clarify values and what we don’t want. Yet the mission part remains elusive.
It’s a very seductive idea but I prefer to let go of the search for the bigger purpose and to accept there may not be one. I like the manageable, the concrete and the practical. What’s my next action? Am I moving in a direction that feels good? It keeps me more solidly grounded in the present.
