A university study was performed on college kids. They took a group of them to a field and offered them minimum wage to dig a ditch. They did the job to its fulfillment. After lunch they were asked to fill the ditch back in. When the students asked, “Why?” they were told, it doesn’t matter, it’s part of your job and you’ll continue getting paid minimum wage. They left. Before they left they were offered double pay for the next day of work. Only 40% of them returned. They were paid this day double what they were paid the day before to once again dig a ditch. They did the job to its fulfillment. After lunch, once again, they were asked to fill the ditch back in. “Give me a break, you’ve got to be kidding, WHY!!??,” the students exclaimed. They were told, “It doesn’t matter, you are getting paid to do a job, do it or leave.” They left. Upon leaving they were told, if they come back tomorrow to work, their pay will once again be doubled. Only 40% returned.

The purpose of this experiment was to see if people did a job simply for a paycheck or if they did a job because along with getting paid, they were doing something that had a purpose or value. They discovered people will dig a ditch if it means laying an electrical cable, or funneling water to another source. They won’t however perform a task that has no purpose.

Finding purpose in what you do is paramount in creating for yourself a fulfilling career. Do you ever see people with a lot of energy at the end of the day and wonder, “What is it they have that I don’t?” The answer is those are the people that connect their values, their personality traits and strengths to what they love to do. Their energy, joy and enthusiasm are natural by-products.

Find something you enjoy and check out this excellent source. It’s a book by Dan Miller called “48 days to the work you love.” Here’s the link: http://www.48days.com/. As Dan says, “The best way to predict your future is to create it!”