There is a reason books like the Purpose Driven Life and 7 Habits of Highly Effective People sell in huge numbers.  People want to understand why they are here.  They want to know what their purpose is.  They want to make a difference.

No one grows up thinking, “if only I could be a failure.  Then my life would be complete.”

Meaning is a life-long journey that we all strive for.  Some of us find it.  Some of us look for it our entire lives.  And some of us have given up a long, long time ago.

So what does this mean for organizations?  Simple.  How competitive can you be when most of your employees don’t care at all about their jobs?  How can you innovate when all you’re getting is “good enough”?

The truth is, jobs can’t provide meaning.  At best they can serve as a way for people to acheive goals that support their meaning.  But you can’t make someone feel meaning if they don’t start with it.

For instance, a person who is consumed with making money will never appreciate the opportunities present by working with a non-profit.  Just as someone who wants to solve world hunger will never be satisfied in a position that is all about increasing the bottom line.

No matter how great the job is, it can’t create something in a person that isn’t present.  That’s not the role of the job.