Professional success and entrepreneurship can be rewarding, but they have their limitations. Joy and ultimate meaning are too often viewed as byproducts of landing that dream job or reaching a certain income. But instead of expecting our work life to dictate our outlook, we need to flip the script. By choosing to begin each workday with a sense of joy, we are setting ourselves up to do more than merely survive the 90,000 hours we’ll spend at work over our lifetime. We’re positioning ourselves to thrive.
Joy Is a Proactive Mindset
We all want to experience fulfillment in our work. Even if our job doesn’t include finding a cure for cancer or making food out of carbon dioxide, with the right outlook, our work can be fulfilling. Japanese entrepreneur Marie Kondo quickly became an American household name with the premiere of her Netflix series “Tidying Up.” Her business is built on the seemingly mundane chore of decluttering your house. By helping others find joy through such a basic task, Kondo exemplifies what it means to bring purpose and meaning to work.The beauty of free enterprise is that you’re able to joyfully pursue things you care about, whether it’s raising chickens on your homestead or exploring new economic frontiers with blockchain technology. Maybe you haven’t saved a life, but perhaps your work has made someone else’s life a little better. We can all take a lesson from Marie Kondo, choosing to bring joy to our homes, workplaces, and communities.
