Where do, and where can, you make a contribution? 

This is the fifth in a series of seven exercises designed to help you reflect on and gain perspective on the career choices you are making.

One of the most energising questions you can ponder as you think about your career are questions connected to the unique contribution you make.

When you think about your contribution you shift your career thinking from intrinsic benefits (i.e. what's in it for me) to viewing it for the prosocial benefits it has.  This is likely to boost motivation.  Being able to see the way our work impacts others increases our job satisfaction, resilience, and performance.

Contribution is not always an immediate thing.  It can take time to see the contribution you are having - sometimes years.  Additionally, our biggest contribution is not always our technical skills.  Often it comes from the unique blend of skill, experience, attitude, values, and relationships we bring.

How to Reflect on Your Contribution

Set aside ten quiet minutes with a notebook or voice memo app and just ponder the where, how, and why of the contribution you currently make, and the contribution you would like to make in the future.  The following questions might get you started:

• When have you felt most proud of the difference you made at work?*

• Who benefits most from the work you do?  How is it they benefit?

• If you could only work on one type of problem for the rest of your career, what would it be?

• Beyond your job description, what unexpected ripple effects does your work have on others?

• When have you been surprised to hear that something you did made a difference to someone?

• What small change would you make to your career to maximise the sense of contribution you have?

It is also valuable to open conversations with co-workers, friends, or family on what 'contribution' means to them.

Keep an eye out for the next exercise, and as always, wishing you a flourishing career.

Katherine

• Note:  Because we forget them, a core exercise I highly encourage you to do is to regularly make note of the things you have achieved.  Pop a reminder in your calendar to do this monthly. It is a priceless list when you have a job interview or as an inspirational reminder when things feel overwhelming.