Three things to make your work meaningful
I’ve really been enjoying Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers. There is a particularily interesting section from the chapter The Three Lessons of Joe Flom that I’d like to share:
Those three things – autonomy, complexity, and a connection between effort and reward – are, most people agree, the three qualities that work has to have if it is to be satisfying. It is not how much money we make that ultimately make us happy between nine and five. It’s whether our work fulfills us. If I offered you a choice of being an architect for $75,000 a year and working in a tollbooth every day for the rest of your life for $100,000 a year, which would you take? I’m guessing the former, because there is complexity, autonomy, and a relationship between effort and reward in doing creative work, and that’s worth more to most of us than money.
Work that fulfills those three criteria is meaningful.
I really enjoy running Carsonified because it meets those three criteria. One of the main reasons I quit my last job as Lead Web Developer at Fingal Design, was because there was no connection between effort and reward. I remember we worked 48 hours straight to launch barF1.com (now defunct) and my boss handed me a beer at the end and a pat on the back. That’s when I knew I was going to leave. I didn’t want money, I just wanted to be appreciated.
Is your work meaningful? Why or why not?
43 Comments, Comment or Ping
Jim Oberschmidt
My work is meaningful because there is autonomy, and pattern both while we provide, literally safe air transport of thousands of packages across the pond and back. Also, while there is no direct connection between effort and reward, we fondly say, " no good deed goes unpunished". I have been doing this kind of work for over 30 years, and still learning, and still consider it a priveledge.
Jan 17th, 2009
Alex Holt
Agreed. For me, the thing is, when you manage a project, you feel a sense of personal satisfaction and ownership for the project, something you don't get when you're doing someone else's work for them.
Jan 17th, 2009
ryancarson
What kind of work do you do? I'm intrigued :)
Jan 17th, 2009
Benno Wasserstein
Gladwell (and you) get it spot on. My work is certainly meaningful because of those three things, but not always pleasurable! Here I am on a Saturday morning working autonomously on a complex presentation for Monday, when I'd rather be relaxing with the Saturday papers. But as frustrated as I am, I know that the long-term reward and satisfaction will be worth the effort.
Jan 17th, 2009
Matthew Randles
I find my work meaningfull, I work from home four days a week and pretty much get the work to do and manage my time best I can. Some bits are easy, but I love a good programming challenge and the reward, well its a smallish team so when I go to meet them we have a great time. For the rest of the time my reward is more fullfilment (and at time smugness for getting something done!)
Jan 17th, 2009
Ryan Carson
Hey Matthew – do you have any tricks for working at home? How do you stay focused?
Jan 17th, 2009
Bealers
I'm not convinced that one is ever particularly autonomous. Being self employed these past 7 years I've simply switched things so my boss is my clients. Though I guess I do get the option to turn particularly bad ones away!
Meaningful? Well I do something I enjoy and I can support my family, that'll do me fine. Worthwhile? I find that one harder to answer.
Jan 17th, 2009
Jason
Ryan,
Interested to know what your boss could have done to show that he appreciated you? You say you didnt' want money. I guess he offered what *he* thought was appreciation but clearly that's not you wanted.
So, what could he have done?
Jason
Jan 17th, 2009
Ryan Carson
A good way to gauge whether it is 'worthwhile' to you is imagine you had died and your gravestone read 'Darren did xxxxxx' – how would you feel about that?
Jan 17th, 2009
soyrex
Ryan, You really going to gauge your life on your professional achievements? that's a bit extreme..
I hope my gravestone *doesn't* read "Made some websites" :)
Jan 17th, 2009
Dave
I've been through similar long hours, and had the similar pats on the back, and the occasional beer. Whilst I'm sure my boses appreiciated it, it sets a precedent that you're willing to do those hours. It can in my experience lead to be taken for granted, or promotion and better projects.
Having said that I feel my work is meaningful as every project I try to push my capabilities further, achieve a little more. In terms of the actually work, I often feel some of the work is mediocre or uninteresting. I think that as long as you are taking something from the effort you put in, your work will always be meaningful to you, if not to others.
Jan 17th, 2009
Nick Cernis
To enjoy truly meaningful work, I think you need to do more than just work in an autonomous, complex, and rewarding field; you need to give back more than you take too.
Tim O'Reilly has some great thoughts on this presented in a series of posts and videos called "Work on Stuff that Matters".
I particularly like "create more value than you capture", an idea which Guy Kawasaki echoes in his awesome mantra "eat like a bird, poop like an elephant". (Someone has to make the t-shirt!)
These days, it's a real challenge to give back more than you consume, especially as a web developer — there's such a wealth of knowledge and great products and services that's only going to continue to grow; to truly offer something more in return I think you have to set your sights very high, if not by hoping to change the world, then certainly by making a positive difference to thousands.
After all, what could be more meaningful than that?
Jan 17th, 2009
Matthew Randles
close as many distractions as possible, but also make time for distractions, its easier to stay focused if i take breaks for checking things like twitter. That way i'm not left wondering whats going on in the world. Also helps to give myself non computer rewards such as playing some guitar at dinner time.
Other tricks are basically trying to keep the work area as clean and cool as possible, since I invested in air conditioning and a good sound system ive been a lot more focused as it blocks out confort related distractions.
Jan 17th, 2009
Nathan
i teach little children how to read, write, socialize, respect themselves etc…
i am a primary (ages 4 to 8) school teacher. i work bloody hard and do something meaningful…period. i have great days and the occasional day where things are frustrating.
my sense of meaningful derives from some different criteria to those listed above…
1. i do something which directly benefits other people today and for their whole lives
2. i have some really creative opportunities
3. the people who i work with i really like
4. the holiday length allows me to spend huge chunk of time with my own (3) kids
5. i have no faceless shareholders to worry about… just simple stuff like can you do today something that you couldn’t yesterday…yes… job well done then
6. i work in my own community with people who i really know and whose kids i care about
there you go.
Jan 17th, 2009
Melissa Leon
I find my work very worthwhile. By day I am an ESL middle school teacher. By night on work with my husband AJ on our own company projects. But for this comment I will talk about being an ESL teacher.
My work is meaningful for a few reasons. My students are all immigrants that have just come to the USA within the past 2 years (one of them just 3 days ago). My job is to teach them English. So that in itself is worthwhile, but what makes my job meaningful is the way that I teach my students.
I teach them English using Web 2.0 tools. So each of them have their own personal blogs, twitter, flickr, goodreads, friendfeed and many more things that we utilize. Web 2.0 is something that I enjoy and I have realized the ways I can utilize these tools to help my students learn English. Check out their blogs, you will see what I mean. After reading you can see why I think my work in meaningful.
http://esl-diegoa.blogspot.com/ – Diego has been in the US for a year and a half.
http://esl-daniela010.blogspot.com/- Daniela has been in the US for 2 years.
http://kgonzalez010.blogspot.com/- Karen has been in the US for 3 years.
Jan 17th, 2009
Ryan Carson
I expected real appreciation – a simple, but heartfelt thank you would've been fine :)
Jan 17th, 2009
Ryan Carson
That's a great point Nick. Thanks for chipping in.
Jan 17th, 2009
Ryan Carson
Good stuff – thanks!
Jan 17th, 2009
Grant
I caught a different version of that quote via his interview with Charlie Rose. Particularly, what it got me thinking about was the people in my life who've expressed to me that they know their work isn't meaningful, but they don't know where to go from there.
It's unfortunately not as easy as checking off the three things when evaluating a potential job. People have to discover something they're passionate about – but passion can be scary for someone who isn't used to exploring it. Then, they have to also realize that meaningful work is still work. It'll still be hard at times. It'll still be exhausting at times.
That said, while the nature of my work will probably change over the years, I hope I'm always seeking meaningful work, by default.
Jan 17th, 2009
mleon010
I think the point Ryan was trying to make here is legitimate.
Would you rather sit back and say I created a really nice web app that made my boss 1.2 million dollars. Or would it be more fulfilling to say hey I made a web app that helped farmers in Botswana learn how to maximize their profits by getting real time weather forecasts during rainy season.
I'm not sure about you but I would prefer saying the latter at the end of my life.
Not that your professional achievements are how you "gauge your life" but you spend so much time on your professional life it might as well be on something worth while and meaningful.
Jan 18th, 2009
Jason
and that would have done it for you? just think, if that had happened then carsonified wouldn't exist and you wouldn't be posting this in the first place! ;)
Jan 18th, 2009
mleon010
As an addendum to my last comment. I realize that my example is something charitable in nature and of course you would be fulfilled by doing something like this. But I think Ryan's point is still valid. The point is at the end of the your life will you be happy with the things you did professionally or will you have regrets? Will you be happy working in an office everyday making someone money or will you be more happy working for yourself doing something you love?
We are obviously talking in the realm of professional life. So I highly doubt that Ryan was saying that literally on his gravestone he is going to have his professional achievements. It is simply a metaphor to make your professional life as worthwhile and meaningful as possible.
Jan 18th, 2009
Grant
Here's the version of the quote I heard:
http://blog.gb-studio.tv/2009/1/quotes/meaningful...
Jan 18th, 2009
Ryan Carson
Good point – it's not a straight-forward process. As you mentioned, it's the persuit that's important. If you're not at least trying to find meaningful work, you'll never get there.
Jan 18th, 2009
Ryan Carson
No, my professional achievements aren't the primary way I measure my success in life. However, it is what I spend a huge percentage of my waking hours on, so it's important it's meaningful.
Your gravestone sholdn't read 'Made some websites'. It should read 'Changed businesses and lives by building websites.'
Jan 18th, 2009
Ryan Carson
Thanks Melissa! :)
Jan 18th, 2009
kat neville
Good post Ryan. I think lots of developers put in extra hours and would like to see something come out of it, but when you work for someone else, I find this rarely happens.
My boss recently had us move into a new office that's pretty cool… but when we were looking for it, told me and my lead developer that he wanted "to find a place where we'd want to work late and weekends". My lead developer was furious and said to me later, "I'm not giving up my personal time for a project that does not require it and does not inspire us." (this is great for the rest of us, as there's no expectation because our lead doesn't work extra).
Maybe you could make a diagram to express your concept? I remember seeing on snook.ca something about the value of a job, but for the life of me can't find the link (it was some sort of triangle, I believe).
Jan 18th, 2009
Jonathan_Moore
When I got the the definition of meaningful work in Outliers it just reaffirmed me that I needed to finally take the leap and start my own studio. Now I can create the opportunity for meaningful work for myself as well as create a culture that promotes other individuals to thrive. There is so much more to enjoy when you don't have to focus on how many clients can we get through, get employees to work 60+ hour weeks, and mediocre work.
After a lot of preparation I resigned from my "good" job and fully went independent this week to pursue meaningful work. 2009 is going to be an incredible year.
Jan 18th, 2009
Ryan Carson
I can't believe your boss said that – that's ridiculous!
Jan 18th, 2009
Ryan Carson
Good stuff Jonathan. What's your site?
Jan 18th, 2009
soyrex
I agree with you both, it is important that your work be meaningful.
I suppose my comment came off a little more glib than intended.. I was just poking fun at the metaphor.
But you raise a good point Ryan, we do spend MORE time doing our work than just about anything else in our lives, so a level of satisfaction is definitely necessary.
Over the last year or so I've had the opportunity to build a couple of free websites for people less well off than myself, as well as working on a few personal projects and both these things have made me feel better about myself, and also my work.
At the end of the day though, you have to keep telling yourself: "work to live, don't live to work".
@Melissa: regarding regrets in professional life… if my career were to end today, then yes there would be things i would still be wishing i could have done.. (like work in an office with beanbags ;P). Seriously though, I think it's important to have a plan and a set of goals to meet, otherwise it's very easy to coast through a career saying to yourself "ah well, I'm paying the rent.. it's not that bad" – i did it for a couple of years myself.
Jan 18th, 2009
Jason
“Changed businesses and lives by building web sites”
Wow if that was on my tombstone I’d consider my life to be a complete waste of time and effort.
Jan 18th, 2009
Grant
Jason, could you possibly have something more meaningful to do with your time than taking pot shots at someone on their personal blog? Just curious.
Jan 18th, 2009
Jason
Wasn’t meant to be a pot shot at anyone, just my opinion. Comments were requested and I gave. I won’t contribute again.
Jan 18th, 2009
James Penman
Cool post. The trigger for me was the question: 'imagine you are eighty and looking back and thinking what was important?' (ie a bit like your gravestone analogy). As a consequence of that question: my family, writing novels (indirectly) about my family, running a business that meant I could be with my family. I've had the privilege to see my two diddy daughters grow up and, frankly, it's made me happy beyond my dreams. Work kind of became life. Very glad I never took the path that lay in front of me. So, a bit of love makes it worthwhile.
Jan 18th, 2009
Scott
I am in a very similar situation to Jonathan, I'm currently in a job which doesn't provide much meaning at all while i prepare to take my part time business creation full time.
It took a while to realise, but it slowly dawned on me when my boss slowly pulled me away from the things i enjoyed and was good at and into what made his company more profitable. I work in a smallish consulting company yet treated like a number. I would do long stints interstate, away from my family but never once got a simple thanks and just like you Ryan, sometimes thats all it takes.
Each time i get home to work on my websites, I find that meaning I seek and know I'm taking the right path.
Jan 18th, 2009
Jonathan_Moore
My personal portfolio is http://www.newezra.com
I will say that throughout my career I have been very fortunate to always have work that I enjoy and love, but there's a difference between something that's enjoyable and something that's meaningful.
Jan 19th, 2009
ajleon
I am currently reading Outliers, and found that part interested as well. I agree with Gladwell about the three things – autonomy, complexity, and a connection between effort and reward – necessary to derive satisfaction from work. I guess from a very rudimentary perspective, your work, whatever it is that you spend most of your time on a day to day basis, has to be in congruence with Who You Are or there will always be chaffing, something gnawing at you that simply doesn't feel right.
Some people are really good at anaesthetizing themselves from this feeling, hell, I tried it for a while. Out of college, I landed a job as a consultant for ProcewaterhouseCoopers. At the end of my first day, I knew that the corporate world was not for me…three years later I finally left. After a brief sabbatical, I moved to New York City, I thought, maybe it was just the company, so I landed a job as a Financial Controller at a major REIT in Midtown. All along knowing inside that I was entrepreneurial by my nature and that I could not possibly feel satisfied outside of dreaming up ideas and constructing them from scratch. At that job I had a corner office on 5th Ave over looking the Empire State Building, I had all the corporate perks, and was bulling a six figure salary, and killer perks…in addition to that I wanted to throw myself out of my 35 Story Window wall everyday. Finally, after a long series of events I left and did what I had always wanted to do, start my own company, dreaming up ideas and building them from scratch.
You (and Gladwell) are absolutely right, I think when people are most transparent, they know exactly what it is that will allow them to be satisfied with their work, the trouble is articulating that and being honest with yourself about it THEN (and this is the tough part) being able to walk away from all the security/pragmatism that kept you from following that intuition in the first place.
Great post, Ryan
Jan 19th, 2009
ajleon
Nathan, you locked it down, bro :)
Jan 19th, 2009
Ryan Carson
Thanks for sharing – that's awesome :)
Jan 19th, 2009
Ryan Carson
Thanks AJ – I have huge respect for you jumping into the unknown waters of entrepreneurship. I think you're going to kick ass.
Jan 19th, 2009
Ruk
drug dealer clearly
Jan 22nd, 2009
Ingrid
lol…I love this!! This is tantamount to the burning the boats concept. I love it!
Jan 31st, 2010
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