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iQuestions Faculty, Barbara Glanz 
 
 
Question: 
 
How can I find some meaning in my work? 
 
Answer: 
 
I think everybody today is looking for a sense of purpose or meaning. 
Why am I here? Why is my work important? What am I doing to make 
a difference in this world? 
 
When I work with an organization I walk around and I ask people: 
“What is your work?” And what most every person tells me is a job 
description or a job title.  
 
What I want to say to all of you is that every single one of us is so 
much more than a job description or a job title. That’s just the 
business aspect.  
 
The most important thing you can think about, when you think about 
what is your work, is this: how is what you do every single day making 
somebody’s life better? That is your very important work, and it 
doesn’t matter what your job is.  
 
I work with Publix Super Markets, and they have a mantra that the 
founder, Mr. George, has used ever since the organization has been in 
existence. And it says: “Publix will be a little better place, or not quite 
as good, because of you.”  
 
If you put your organization’s name in that slot: your organization will 
be a little bit better, or not quite as good, because of you. It doesn’t 
 
 
matter what your job is. That gives you purpose and mission and 
meaning in your work. 
 
I have a garbage collector friend who loves his job. He said he doesn’t 
think about how bad it smells, how messy it is, and how hot he gets on 
those real awful summer days. What he thinks about is: how is he 
making somebody’s life better? What is he doing to make a difference 
in this world?  
 
That’s what you can focus on. It doesn’t matter what your job is. And 
that gives you that sense of purpose and mission that you can get up 
on Monday morning and say, “Wow, I’m going to work today. I can 
make a difference.” And you can. 
Glanz -2- 
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