Can Work Ever Be Full? Act on Purpose

Turning mindfulness into momentum...

I completed grad school with a 3.99 GPA (just a smidge shy of a 4.0, thanks to a pesky A- that still haunts me to this day!) and a degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology.

Got my graduate degree and all I got was this stinkin’ keychain (JK, I loved it!)

Soon after, I landed a job in the Learning & Development space. It was tough, yet rewarding. I got to be creative, implement solutions, and put into practice the workplace development theories I had studied so diligently.

I was ecstatic, and so, it seemed, were my coworkers.

“We’re so glad to have you in our team,” a peer once told me.

“That’s too bad about your salary, though,” they added.

My salary? I was confused. I was making more than I ever had before. Was something wrong?

After some digging, I learned that I was earning significantly less than my (white & male) co-worker, even though we had the same functional title, and as my appraisals would consistently outline, I was a stronger performer.

“Look on the bright side, at least you’re one of the highest-paid Latinas in the company!” I was told as if I should have been satisfied.

I wasn’t.

At that point, I had a choice: I could let it go, or I could make moves.

I chose to make moves.

I immediately went to my boss and, after not getting the most favorable response (“Come back to me in six months”), I designed a plan of action: I worked my butt off, took on extra projects, strengthened stakeholder relationships, and ensured excellent reviews from clients.

At the half-year mark, with a comprehensive letter outlining the case for a raise in tow, I finally got one. Yet, still, it wasn’t equal pay. So I kept going back, until three merit increases later, I was finally earning the same as my colleague.

By then, however, I had already checked out. So I took action again: I reached out to my network, started sending out applications, and, with conviction, put in my two weeks’ notice.

Care for a template? Message me for the resignation letter sample I used.

Reflection and Mindfulness, as we have discussed, are the cornerstones of meaningful work.

However, work that is full and purposeful, just like anything else worth having, also requires action.

Here are some ways to make work more full through intentional action:

1. Prioritize what lights you up (and de-prioritize what doesn’t):

   Pitch new ideas, volunteer for projects that feel more “real” and aligned. Delegate or step back from the tasks that drain you.

   🔗👉 Try this: https://sparketype.com/

   What kind of work makes you come alive? Take this quick quiz to find out.

2. Set micro-goals:
   Instead of vague aspirations (“I want to create a more equitable workplace”), define one small impact you want to make each month (“I will share my salary story to start a conversation on pay transparency”).

   Start small, you know what they say: “Success is a series of small wins”.

3. Note down moments of alignment:

   This week, I thought about the MIT study regarding meaningful work being episodic (See the post HERE).

   As a professor, I don’t always see my impact immediately. But last week, two students independently thanked me for sparking their interest in Psychology, one even asked for extra readings. Their words reminded me of what makes my work so fulfilling.

   I responded in two ways:

   1. Paused to fully feel the gratitude, both for my students and for myself (Mindfulness in action).

   2. Wrote it down, along with other moments, interactions, and projects that have felt purposeful, so that I can start noticing patterns (So far, it seems that what fuels me most is helping others).

4. Lean into community:

   Surround yourself with those who inspire and challenge you (friends, colleagues, mentors).

   Purpose thrives in community.

5. Use what comes out of reflection to guide decisions:

   Let what you learn through reflection inform everything: from what roles you take, to the projects you say yes to, to how you show up. And if you’re reflection is urging you to go elsewhere, then well, there’s that too.

   🔗 Consider your values: See this guide by the University of Pennsylvania, Values-Based Career Decision Making: Aligning Your Work with What Matters Most

⭐️ Prompt: Consider…

What’s one small action you can take this week to do more of the work that feels “real” to you?

If this resonates:

• Share it with a friend or colleague.

• Subscribe to this Substack.

• Work with me 1:1 or in team settings: this is exactly the kind of work I help clients with. Aligning their work with their life’s deeper meaning. Learn more at:
  https://www.goodenerguia.com/