WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF WORK?

 Recently a certain youth told me that the reason why she was working was to earn a salary. This got me into deep reflection. Is work only meant to earn a salary? I totally agree that money is a very important motivator for working. The question is what else should motivate us to work?  The purpose of work should be very clear. This is because we spend most of our time at work and if we have a wrong definition of work we are likely to be miserable and watch the clock. What if we redefined work as a medium of serving humanity? Most of the people who enjoy their work look beyond the pay cheque. Most of the entrepreneurs who have made an impact on the world see their work a medium to make a difference in the lives of others.

Imagine a profession such as medicine which is meant to save lives, what if the dominant priority of medical doctors is to make money, where would society be headed? A number of university students make career choices basing on what the present market provides but then things are changing. The professions which used to provide a lot of money have changed drastically. Today we have medical doctors and lawyers who are unemployed. We have PHD and Masters graduates that are doing jobs lower than  their potential.

I strongly believe that the purpose of our work must be given all the attention it deserves. This because work plays a very critical role in shaping our identity. A wrong definition of career can literally ruin our lives. We need to have grander purpose for working than a pay cheque. With the so many challenges in the world all of us have an opportunity to make the world a better place. Mother Tereza was not a billionaire but she used her gift of kindness to take care of the poor in Calcutta India. Professor Mohammad Yunus used his personal savings to start a community project in Bangladesh to care for the underserved poor who were being exploited by loan sharks. Today Grameen Bank is a pace setter in the Microfinance industry.

Iam privileged to work in the banking industry. What I have noticed is that many clients have financial wounds and many times they just need a word of encouragement and advice to kickstart their lives. We all need a clear purpose for working. A big why is what will enable us to wake up every morning so as to address global challenges facing humanity.

For Individual and corporate financial literacy training contact :

Coach Phillip Kiryowa

Personal Finance Coach (CMA)

Master Trainer, Bank of Uganda 

Founder, Advanced Empowerment Link

0752615916

For Financial Freedom and Sustainable Enterprises.

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