Know why your work matters

Make work more meaningful by naming the deeper motivations

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning,
This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's
tip is to know why your work matters. Not only
is it motivating and rewarding, to know what makes your

(00:25):
work important. Knowing this can help you figure out what
is the best use of your time. Today's tip, like
another this week, comes from Will Guidara's book Unreasonable Hospitality,
The Remarkable Power of giving People more than they expect.

(00:46):
Guidara was a co owner and the general manager of
the restaurant eleven Madison Park, and he draws on his
experiences in hospitality to offer suggestions about how people in
any contact next can make their customers, clients, or guests
feel valued and take their work from good to legendary.

(01:10):
Guidara asserts, without exception, no matter what you do, you
can make a difference in someone's life. You must be
able to name for yourself why your work matters. He
distinguishes between real estate agents who sell houses and those
who with a higher purpose sell homes. He writes, you

(01:34):
can be in the financial services business or in the
business of providing people with a plan so they can
provide for their families. You can be in the insurance
business or in the business of offering people the comfort
of knowing they and their loved ones are covered, safe
and secure no matter what happens. I think he's right.

(01:58):
Whatever field we are in, it pays to know why
we do what we do. I am helping people spend
more time on what matters and less time on what doesn't.
You might be teaching kids to read, or equipping formerly
incarcerated people with skills to find a new job and
build a new life. Maybe you are creating beauty and

(02:21):
peace for city dwellers by caring for plants in a
public garden. Maybe you are providing nourishment to families by
designing smart packaging materials for food to be transported across
the country. Take a moment to consider the why behind
your work. What makes your work matter. It is motivating

(02:44):
to find meaning in your work, and it feels good
when people ask what you do to be able to
respond not just with a job title, but with a purpose,
but beyond that. When you stay connected to why your
work matters, it is easier to differentiate between demands on
your time that are essential and those that are less important.

(03:07):
For instance, If you are a real estate agent who
sees herself as connecting people with their homes instead of
just selling houses, you'll realize that time spent seeing photos
and hearing stories about a client's new grand baby isn't wasted.
It's a window into how the family lives. You can

(03:29):
help your client picture how the new grand baby would
find a place in the family's new home. On the
other hand, time spent pursuing extra credentials may not help
you connect people with homes. When you know your why,
you can wisely decide how to invest your time and skills.

(03:51):
What makes your work matter. How does knowing the meaning
of your work guide you as you do it. You
can let me know at Laura at Laura Vanderkam dot com.
In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and
here's to making the most of our time. Hey, everybody,

(04:19):
I'd love to hear from you. You can send me
your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just connect with
me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at Before Breakfast pod
that's b E the number four then Breakfast p o D.
You can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast
Podcasts at iHeartMedia dot com. That before Breakfast is spelled

(04:42):
out with all the letters. Thanks so much, should I
look forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a
production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the
iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you listen to your
favorite shows. H