How much does your current employment pay? If you got a better fulfilling job with just a lesser income, will you jump ship? The world is rapidly morphing into a precinct of technologically coordinated microcosms. Hence, many Millennials, for example, are learning IT skills. However, many entrants into the technology industry find it challenging to make it beyond the internship stage. Why? The motivation to stick it out seems to be in short supply.
Work, throughout human history, plays several varying roles. During the stone age, men worked merely to survive. Thus, men’s jobs from that era entailed providing the basic wants and needs of life. Since then, humanity has seen an industrial and information revolution. But in recent times, workers are beginning to desire more purpose, fulfillment, and self-actualization as the core of their careers.
Before handing in that resignation, pause! A maximized life may be just the needed ingredient to catapult you to the heights of a fulfilling life and career. This article provides just the right tips to help you maximize every life opportunity that comes your way. This information is sourced from Transcend: The New Science of Self-Actualization by Scott Barry Kaufman_._
However, the ubiquitous manifestation of work stress makes reading a whole book seem elusive. Don’t worry too much; the Headway library avails readers with 15-minute summaries of numerous self-actualization titles.
Do you look forward to unveiling the super-productive you? Keep going till the last word!
Tips for attaining purpose and fulfillment in the 21st century
Scott Barry Kaufman provides several self-actualization tips in his book – Transcend: The New Science of Self-Actualization. In the book, he posits that “The common strands that seemed to transcend all creative fields was an openness to one’s inner life, a preference for complexity and ambiguity, an unusually high tolerance for disorder and disarray, the ability to extract order from chaos, independence, unconventionality, and a willingness to take risks.”
Enough of crying woes about job dissatisfaction; we shall be delving straight into actionable steps towards enjoying a fulfilling life and career. The psychology of self-actualization crystallizes into three orbs. One is healthy human connections, two is our emotional and physical safety, and three — drive for purpose and activities centered around self-growth.
If you’re a business owner, the following will provide the right atmosphere for maximal fulfillment and self-actualization among staff members. They are highlights necessary for job seekers to consider when offered multiple choices of employment.
Emotionally intelligent leadership
“The person who behaves badly behaves so because of hurt, actual and expected, and lashes out in self-defense, as a cornered animal might.”
Scott Barry Kaufman
Humans, being the emotional animals that we are, tend to reciprocate the actions thrown their way. Consequently, it becomes crucial for organizations to draft leaders’ services to initiate a spiral of productive communication. Emotionally intelligent leaders are always on the lookout for ways to bring out the best in their team members. By compassionately urging workers to optimal productivity, emotionally visionary leaders boost their subordinates’ self-esteem.
Fulfilling trends of human connectivity and relationship
“Humans not only have a need for belonging and connection but also have a need to feel as though they are having a positive impact in the lives of other people.”
Scott Barry Kaufman
Workplace interactions and relationships go a long way in improving healthy social cultures. Thus, irrespective of individual workers’ quality, the team’s overall productivity is a function of synergy. To achieve such organizational synergy, establishing and strictly following corporate values becomes expedient.
A sense of responsibility should also be encouraged, and a reward system that acknowledges individual efforts towards achieving the organizational goals. The reward does not necessarily have to be material; a verbal expression of gratitude mostly suffices.
As a relief from the constant bustle of work, organizing occasional meets or gatherings that foster social integration will help the team let off some steam.
Overlapping the organization’s vision with that of the workers
“The truth is, most of us discover where we are when we arrive.”
Scott Barry Kaufman
Try visualizing a live feed of a mass rover robot designed by NASA. You served on the team that prints the electronic circuit board for these systems. The mere fact that the technology functions effectively naturally causes a deep feeling of satisfaction. Hence, to foster optimum performance, workers need to key into the organization’s vision and mission statement.
Engage in work responsibilities that tally with your capabilities
“Creative people are hubs of diverse interests, influences, behaviors, qualities, and ideas – and through their work, they find a way to bring these many disparate elements together.”
Scott Barry Kaufman
For a worker’s creativity to manifest in its fullness, there is a necessity for a series of enabling conditions. First, there has to be a notable correlation between the task’s goals and the worker’s passions. Some workers function best as part of a team, while some are most efficient when given solo responsibilities. Understanding and following through on what works best for you may better impact your career than a pay raise.
For example, stay-at-home mums are likely to experience more fulfillment due to the realities manifesting as the aftermath of the COVID-19 lockdown. More companies are encouraging their workers to work from home, while some have thrown the total weight of their operations on freelancing services.
Maintaining a healthy work environment
Imagine having to go through the emotional stress of watching colleagues suffer from the consequences of exposure to hazardous working conditions. When the work environment is healthy, the atmosphere becomes less tense, and workers’ productivity naturally climbs. The benefit then is not just for the individual but for the organization as a whole.
Dynamism and business adaptability
“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”
George Bernard Shaw
Sticking to an operational mold cast can be discouraging and demotivating for the workforce in the face of innovation. Forthwith, organizations that embrace innovation have their employees giving their all to achieve success. Tesla, for example, had reports of strenuous work shifts for their workforce due to the high demand for their electric roadsters. However, since the products are an innovative solution to a significant global issue – climate change. Contributing to such solutions becomes a natural motivator.
There’s no doubt that your life can reach its very peak IF you follow the appropriate steps. To assess a more robust guideline for leading a fulfilling life, we’ve got a lot to learn from Scott Barry Kaufman. The 15 minutes summary of his book Transcend, on the Headway App, allows you to practicalize effective time management. In essence, you can break the chain of procrastination that comes with waiting to read the complete book. It doesn’t end there; similar titles for enriching your mind and living your fullest life are equally available on the Headway library. Read smart, and evolve to the self-actualized individual you were designed to be.
