How can you help your mentee find purpose and meaning in their work?

Wherever you lose a sense of time is passion. People who are passionate don't waste their time in anything else. Their passion is omnipresent and almost to the extent of being crazy. Connect to a much larger purpose in Life, something big, something universal, something eternal. When I started my career, we were a 14 member startup team and our mentor/ boss told us that if we did well, we would create 1,400 jobs in 4 years. We worked 100 Hour weeks without burnout. 4 years later our company was 1,400+. Purpose drives.

It's about finding out what makes you tick as a person. What brings you joy in life - Where do you find yourself in flow - aspects in your life that come easily and naturally that don't seem a hassle or a must do ,or have to do . What aspects do you talk passionately about ,that you care deeply for. Why do you love doing these certain tasks ? Exploring your passion is about understanding yourself, developing a great relationship with yourself. And believing in yourself. So many people don't do what they want to do ,because they are afraid, they have fear of what society, friends, family will say . You can breakthrough the shackles of fear . It begins with you .

Guiding mentees towards discovering purpose and meaning in their work goes beyond professional development; it's a deeply personal and transformative journey. While frameworks like Ikigai offer valuable starting points, the real magic happens when individuals tap into their intrinsic motivations: 1. Becoming Self Actualised: supporting mentees w/ their authentic core of being. 2. Aligning Values, Actions and Integrity: align their values with their daily actions. When their work is a reflection of their core beliefs, it becomes intrinsically meaningful. 3. Find purpose from within: rather than relying solely on external factors, become the architects of their own purpose- it becomes a fulfilling expression of who they are.

Help your mentees understand their values, shape them if needed, and help them see how they can express them through their work. In addition, find means of helping them connect their work to a higher purpose beyond just earning a living and having a great career.

Como Coach, profundizo mis preguntas en la etapa exploratoria de la sesión. Así el Coachee tendrá una perspectiva más amplia de si mismo y desde ahí podrá tomar consciencia de sus intereses, pasiones y su propio potencial, el que lo hará descubrir de forma clara su propósito, o inicialmente tendrá una idea clara acerca de el.

One of the most effective ways to maintain motivation is to align your goals with your values. In doing so, you increase the likelihood of pushing through obstacles and seeing goals to fruition because we are more likely to stick with what matters to us most

Clarify Values: Encourage reflection on personal values and how they align with their work. Discuss how their role contributes to larger organizational goals.

The first thing I do, when I hire a team member is to identify their goals. Company goals should align with their personal goals. Money should never be their reason to join the company. When they see a personal growth involved in their work, they will always find a purpose and willingness to work.

I always emphasize aligning one's work with their values. I remember a turning point when I chose to focus on products and services that mirrored my commitment to quality and ethical sourcing, resonating deeply with my core values. By helping mentees articulate and align their work with their values, they too can experience the profound satisfaction that comes from not just doing a job, but advancing a cause they believe in.

Clarify Values: Guide mentees to identify and prioritize their core values. Define Goals: Work with mentees to establish clear and achievable short-term and long-term goals. Helping mentees understand their values and goals is foundational to finding purpose and direction in their work.

Encouraging your mentee to explore their own values and align them with their work can greatly enhance their sense of purpose. Guide them to reflect on what aspects of their work resonate most with their personal beliefs and passions. This introspection can often reveal a deeper meaning and motivation in their daily tasks and long-term goals. Additionally, fostering an environment where they can experiment and take on new challenges within their role can help them discover and refine their professional identity and purpose.

Work with your mentee to set clear and achievable goals. Encourage them to align these goals with their personal values and interests. This will help them see the bigger picture and find purpose in their work. Encourage your mentee to explore various career paths and opportunities. By exposing them to different options, they can discover what resonates with them and find meaning in their chosen field. Help your mentee identify their strengths and how they can utilize them in their work. When they can leverage their unique abilities, they are more likely to find fulfillment and purpose in what they do.

I've witnessed the transformative power of feedback in my own career. An insightful comment from a mentor once led me to pivot my business strategy, significantly impacting my company's direction. I share this story to illustrate to my mentees the value of diverse perspectives and the importance of building a support system that encourages growth and learning.

Seek Guidance: Encourage mentees to seek feedback and support, mirroring the concept of seeking guidance from Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita. In the context of the Bhagavad Gita, seeking guidance is crucial, and in a modern context, seeking feedback and support is akin to drawing upon external wisdom to navigate one's path.

When we get feedback or hear areas where our mentees need support in their work, we can take a deeper dive and ask more specifically whom else in the company could be able to support them in this area. Once we identify the people or teams that could help them, we can work with them to discuss ways in which they may go about seeking that support.

As an advocate of Kaizen (lifelong learning and continuous improvement), I guide people to view challenges as opportunities for growth. Discuss the hurdles they encounter and their coping strategies, highlighting the learning outcomes. Encourage them to embrace new challenges as chances to acquire skills, overcome barriers, and reach objectives. Prompt them to seize new opportunities that broaden their experience and enhance their career prospects. Remind them that failure only happens if nothing is learned and there is always something to learn and that's another thing to teach them.

Guiding your mentee to view challenges as stepping stones rather than stumbling blocks can be transformative. Encourage them to approach difficulties with a growth mindset, seeing these situations as chances to evolve both professionally and personally. This perspective shift can imbue their work with a greater sense of purpose, as each challenge becomes an opportunity to grow and contribute more meaningfully. Additionally, nudging them towards opportunities that may initially seem daunting can help them discover untapped potential and redefine their understanding of what they can achieve.

One thing, I found helpful was that transforming the challenges to opportunities to grow and open up for a new potential of quantum leap is a great skill to exercise and practice.

One of the main reasons we tend to shy away from those challenges that may seem too steep for us to surmount is the fear of failure. From Adam Grant's book, "Think Again," he lays out quite well how we need to be celebrating failure. Every time we fail at something, we've learned a piece of knowledge and experience that will advance us in the future.

Challenges are fertile ground for growth. When the pandemic hit, my business faced unprecedented challenges, but it also opened doors to new opportunities. By adapting to digital platforms more aggressively, we not only survived but thrived. I use these experiences to show mentees that challenges often conceal opportunities that can lead to greater fulfillment in their work.

Encouraging your mentee to regularly reflect on their journey is vital. This process not only helps them recognize and value their progress but also clarifies how their work aligns with their larger life goals. Celebrating achievements, no matter how small, can reinforce a sense of accomplishment and purpose. This kind of positive reinforcement helps build self-esteem and keeps them motivated. It's crucial for them to see the value in every step of their journey, understanding how each experience shapes their professional narrative and personal growth.

Reflecting and celebrating is important to see the progress made so far and to motivating the mentee to strive for more. Every progress, no matter how small must be taken note of, take the necessary lessons for improvements and celebrate the wins. This will give the mentee the necessary fuel/strength to ride-on and achieve more.

I've learned the importance of reflection and celebration through my own experiences. When my team successfully integrated new members who shared our vision, we took the time to celebrate this growth. These moments of reflection have been crucial in understanding the 'why' behind our work, boosting morale, and reinforcing our mission.

Reflect and Celebrate: Encourage mentees to reflect on their accomplishments, learnings, and contributions in alignment with the Bhagavad Gita. Guide them to acknowledge personal and professional growth, celebrating successes, milestones, and feedback. This practice enhances confidence, motivation, and job satisfaction.

A crucial part of finding meaning in work is reflection and celebration. Engage your mentee in discussing their achievements, learnings, and contributions, emphasizing how these have shaped their personal and professional development. Encourage them to recognize and appreciate their successes and strengths. Celebrating milestones and positive feedback can significantly boost their confidence, motivation, and job satisfaction. Especially for hyper-achievers I've adopted using a WINs tracker to help them track their WINs, align them to goals and express their feelings of gratefulness.

Remind your mentee that personal growth is a lifelong journey. Encourage them to embrace challenges and see them as opportunities for learning and development. This growth mindset can help them find purpose in continuously improving themselves and their work. Recognize and celebrate your mentee's accomplishments along the way. By acknowledging their progress, you can boost their confidence and motivation, reinforcing their sense of purpose.

Help your mentee understand the importance of adaptability in their career. Discuss changes in their work environment or expectations, and how they've responded. Emphasize change as a natural and beneficial aspect of professional life. Assist them in adapting to new scenarios by being flexible, resilient, and open to learning. Guide them to align their goals and strategies with evolving personal and professional landscapes. I tend to preach being an Architect of Change in that we need to shape our future, not merely adapt to it.

Adaptability has been a cornerstone of my success. After giving birth to my children, I had to adjust my work-life balance. These personal adjustments were tough but necessary. Sharing this, I encourage mentees to remain agile and open to change, ensuring they continue to find meaning in their work, even as their personal and professional landscapes evolve.

Explore alternative possibilities: Empower your mentee to explore various career options that align with their interests, values, and skills. Encourage them to think outside the box and consider non-traditional paths. Sometimes, finding purpose and meaning may require stepping outside of their comfort zone.

I would encourage the mentee to consider what satisfies them, whether it's creativity, leadership, analytics, etc., and how can they include more of that in their day-to-day activities to get better results for their company and themselves? In many jobs, there's a level of leeway to craft how you perform your responsibilities. I would also coach them to consider what dissatisfies them and can they minimize or eliminate some of those activities without impacting their performance?

I think it’s also important to hold up a mirror and ask, is this really the career or job for you? Do you feel no purpose or meaning because you’re not utilising your unique skills and talents? Is there a problem in the world you feel drawn to help solve? Do you want to help people on a deeper level? Do you yearn to feel the direct outcome of your work improving other’s lives? If so, trying to reframe their current job as being purpose-led might fall flat. Get to the root of the issue and help them move from there.

Beyond these strategies, I stress the power of storytelling in finding purpose. Sharing our own stories, like how I supported childhood camps or navigated my divorce while maintaining a successful career, can inspire mentees to draw parallels to their own lives, helping them carve out a path that is as rewarding personally as it is professionally.

KNOW YOUR VALUE! Clarifying your values is important. Added to this ideal is understanding the value of your value! The human experiences is one of the key components to mutual engagement, the discovery of shared values, diversity, and informative dialogue. The new kid in the block is often blocked by their perception and perspectives of what is expected SHOUT📣 OPPORTUNITY ! Empower the entire team with knowledge of 3key human rights: 1. The freedom of expression 2. thought 3. And realization Organizations hire human beings who have cultural distinctions making up a wonderfully fragrant bouquet of experiences. When added to shared values, goals and objectives, common ground, and authentic partnerships will take place. Anita 😋

Cultivate a supportive network: Encourage your mentee to surround themselves with like-minded individuals who inspire and uplift them. Connecting with professionals in their desired field can provide valuable insights, networking opportunities, and motivation to pursue meaningful work. 🔍 Example: Encourage your mentee to join professional groups, attend industry events, or participate in online communities related to their field of interest.