Merit and Meaning

Sklover’s Perspective Posted: 04 Mar 2010 10:00 PM PST “The Migration to Merit and Meaning” For the past few years, I have increasingly noticed what I call a “migration” of sorts. It seems to me that many of the best, brightest and brashest of my clients, and others, too, have expressed a desire to “migrate” away from the largest corporations, the largest organizations and the largest finance, law, accounting and advertising firms. Instead, these motivated, successful people – male and female, young and old, of every type there is – have shared with me an inner yearning for two things in their daily work lives: (1) reward for merit, and not politics; and (2) an enhanced sense of meaning in their daily lives. Merit and Meaning. In a relative “rowboat,” if you are not doing your share of the rowing, it can’t be hidden. Either you’re a valuable member of the team, who does his or her job, or you are not. It’s hard to miss. Not so on a relative “ocean liner,” where how eagerly you salute the captain may make all the difference in your career. Waking up each morning with a sense of true purpose in your day is an experience like no other. It seems to me that more people are saying, in their own way, “There’s got to be more to life than making a ‘mega’ corporation just that much more ‘mega.’” Perhaps “making a difference” in a world with significant problems is starting to “make a difference” to more people. Perhaps those of us with all we really need in life have discovered there’s joy in helping others not so fortunate. There’s really no greater personal passion than the power of purpose in your life. The Migration to Merit and Meaning.