Oh, what happiness! Finding joy and purpose through work

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this paper is reaffirming the real purpose of studying, working, and acquiring a decent lifestyle, which is happiness.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper includes reflections on workshops with professionals, coaching insights, and literature review.

Findings

Attaining happiness is not necessarily dependent on our employer but on our perception of our work. If our mind is at ease, and our outlook is positive, our work can be joy, and we can tread our personal path of happiness.

Practical implications

May serve as a source of self-reflection to readers and potential reconsideration of the reasons behind their professional performance: while earning money is important to pay the bills and care for our families, we owe it to ourselves to be happy while doing it. Finding contentment in our work is the critical step to enjoying it and, thus, being happy doing it.

Social implications

Individuals who focus on acquiring and maintaining their own happiness will be more likely to also exude positive energy to others, thus elevating the chances of these others to pursue happiness as well.

Originality/value

This is a call for refocusing on the true purpose of all our actions. While it is actually rather simple, we seem to keep losing focus and digress into converting means into ends, while disregarding the real end of all our actions, which is happiness.

Citation

Marques, J.F. (2017), "Oh, what happiness! Finding joy and purpose through work", Development and Learning in Organizations, Vol. 31 No. 3, pp. 1-3. https://doi.org/10.1108/DLO-11-2016-0108