Exploring Success and Meaning in Work Life

1. Meaning and success

2. Goals of this session To clarify and discuss the terms “success” and “meaning” What is “success” and what is its value? How to cope with failure and what is its relation to success? What is “meaning”? How does meaning relate to happiness and fulfilment? Europartners

3. Quote You don’t waste your life by where you work, but by how and why (John Piper) Europartners

4. Two concepts Success = Finishing your job well and delivering the expected results or more Output oriented, success has to do with the ‘What and How' question Meaning = The right feeling with the ‘Why' you are doing something Motivation oriented Europartners

5. Success and failure You can choose your dream, but disappointment and failure will arrive suddenly Throughout adversity, crisis and failures we learn: Character building New insights, new ways and possibilities(change of direction) The challenge is how to fail well, not to avoid it Success has its origin in failure Europartners

6. Small Group Discussion Can you give examples of failures that turned outto be a blessing? What was your latest crisis and how did you face it? What did you learn? How did this contribute to your current success? Europartners

7. Happiness at work Needs meaning and a good working environment It is also an attitude It is also a gift It is a result, not a goal Europartners

8. Good working environment A good job that matches your values and your talents Motivational environment Proper rewards, recognition Where you are loved and can love others Europartners

9. Meaning at work You can find it a burden or holy discontent It is bigger than yourself You find meaning when you are able to connect your daily work to something bigger than yourself It is your ‘healthy’ driver that keeps you going times of adversity Life is a journey in time Europartners

10. The value of work itself Economically (prosperity, welfare, well-being) Financially (caring for family and society) Personally (fulfilment, meaning) Socially (relationships, encounters, help) Europartners

11. Why do I work? For success and fruit bearing or just for success? Success is pursuing and doing for yourself Bearing fruit is leaving a legacy in your company, business,family and future generations Success Bearing fruit - Means - Goal - Is driven by self-interest - Has results in the life of others - Lasts for a very short period - Is everlasting - You are your latest success - You become a role model Europartners

12. Happiness? In the Greek culture and in former days, happiness was about living well. The question was: ‘How can life flourish?’ The Greeks had four virtues: Temperance, Prudence, Courage, Justice Christians have three virtues Love, Faith and Hope You work for God and to honour Him Achieving this gives happiness and satisfaction Europartners

13. Happiness? Today Hedonism, me, myself and I ‘When I am doing well, the world is doing well’ Holy discontent is: ‘I am not doing well, I feel unhappy, I am sick, I need help’ Europartners

14. The big question is not:“What kind of work do you do?” but “Who are you serving with your work?” and “Do you feel content with this?” Europartners

15. Small Group Discussion What is it you value in life? What is the meaning of life to you? Is your daily work contributing to this? Europartners

16. Central Feedback Europartners

17. THANK YOUFOR YOUR ATTENTION!Next time: A New World EUROPARTNERS www.europartners.org