If you’re thinking about finding a new job or switching careers, you’re not alone. Pew Research finds that roughly 12% of U.S. workers aren’t satisfied at all with their job, while 38% are only somewhat satisfied. In some cases, people pursue new roles for purely financial reasons — to earn more money.
But sometimes, there’s a deeper reason for wanting to quit: Your job might not align with your personal values or professional goals, preventing you from doing something that feels more meaningful to you.
We’ll go over why your job might no longer feel like a good fit for you, how to discover meaningful work, and how to move toward purpose in a smart, strategic way.
*Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer legal, financial, or career advice, nor does it guarantee specific outcomes. Please consult appropriate professionals before making major life or career changes.
Why your job might feel misaligned
What is it about work that’s making you feel like you want to leave? Let’s explore some good reasons why your job may feel out of alignment with your life or career goals and values.
You’ve outgrown the role
Your current role may have been fulfilling for you at some point. But gaining new awareness or experiencing personal growth might make it seem limiting now. This is a sign that you might have outgrown your current job.
Even if you’re good at it, you may find it harder and harder to feel satisfied if it doesn’t match who you’re becoming. It doesn’t mean the job is bad or that you’ve failed. It just means you may need a change of pace with a new career or path in life that better aligns with your newfound awareness.
You don’t feel connected to a greater purpose
You go to work and do the same tasks day after day, leaving you feeling drained or unsatisfied. Over time, this dissatisfaction can grow until you feel a strong urge to quit. This can happen if your work doesn’t feel impactful or isn’t aligned with your values.
You don’t have to go out and find work that changes the world or has major impacts on society. But your daily work should ideally support your values and feel meaningful to you, no matter what you do for a living.
You feel stuck in a cycle of stress and autopilot
Going through the motions at work might get you through the day, but this can lead to an ongoing struggle with stress that makes you emotionally disengaged and results in burnout.
Being stuck on autopilot this way can result in stress and dissatisfaction that affect your mental health. It may cause you to feel resentful toward your job or emotionally numb, creating an unfulfilling situation that you long to escape from.
You crave freedom or creativity that your job doesn’t allow
Working a job with a rigid set of tasks or rules to follow can feel stifling or frustrating. Instead of being able to fully express your potential or ideas, you feel boxed in. Depending on the kind of job you have, there may not be much room or opportunity to act with more freedom or be more creative.
If you can’t express yourself or exercise your creative skills at your current job, you may need to pursue a new path in life or change careers to satisfy your need for creativity and freedom.
You feel guilty for wanting more
If you’re thinking of quitting your job, you might feel ungrateful for desiring change, especially if you know that others would envy your role. Whether your current company is a prestigious one to work for or you have a job that’s in high demand among job seekers, this internal conflict is normal.
It’s okay to feel guilty for wanting to leave, but remember that the urge to quit is a sign to explore what would truly make work more meaningful for you. Don’t let feelings of ungratefulness or guilt keep you from discovering purpose.
How to explore what meaningful work looks like for you
Once you’ve accepted that it may be time to leave your job and pursue something else, how do you figure out what to do? Let’s explore a few ways you can discover what kind of work gives you a greater sense of meaning.
Define what “meaningful” means to you
“Meaningful” doesn’t mean the same thing for everyone. Depending on your goals and values, it might mean finding ways to serve others, building something bigger than yourself, or creating things. It could even mean earning a degree or certification in a career that centers around helping others, like social work or life coaching.
Reflect on what energizes vs. drains you
Consider the types of roles you naturally take on in your personal life and in work settings. Do you tend to jump in and help others with tasks or projects? Do you prefer guiding or leading others rather than doing things side by side with them?
Certain activities can inspire and excite you, boosting your energy level. Other activities can have the opposite effect, making you feel exhausted and drained. Think about what kinds of activities you find fulfilling and what kinds you find fatiguing.
Reconnect with what you valued as a child or teen
Searching for a deeper purpose might involve exploring your past. Think about the interests and passions you had when you were younger. These might have fallen by the wayside as you became busy with adult responsibilities, but they can be a valuable source of insight into what inspires or fascinates you.
What kinds of dreams did you have as a child or teen? Consider what you imagined yourself doing as an adult working at a “dream job.” What kinds of traits did you have when you were younger that might provide clues to what your deepest passions and purpose are?
Look at your life outside of work
When you’re exploring what brings meaning to your life, don’t limit yourself to work-related things. Consider other areas of your life where a sense of purpose might show up, such as volunteer roles or hobbies. These activities can help you discover what you enjoy doing or how you like helping others.
Do other people naturally come to you for help, such as friends or family members, knowing they can trust you and that you’re a great listener? This can be a factor that helps you determine what kind of work would be meaningful for you. If you feel fulfilled being able to help others in some way, consider what kinds of careers might offer these opportunities.
Talk to people who do work that inspires you
If you already have an idea of what kind of work you find inspiring, you might not know for sure if it resonates with you. Speaking to people who have these purpose-led careers can help you better understand what to expect and determine if this type of work may be right for you.
Have real conversations about what the work involves, how fulfilling it is, and what kinds of challenges or drawbacks it has. For example, you may want to work for a non-profit organization that does work you find inspiring. But it’s important to find out what that work entails on a regular basis and whether you’ll need to consider disadvantages, like earning lower pay than what you’re used to.
Consider what you’re already drawn to learn more about
Think about what kinds of things interest or pique your curiosity. What do you want to learn more about? Your interests can help you discover what you’re meant to explore or what you might want to teach others. Take time to dive into these in order to learn more about your purpose.
How to strategically move toward more purposeful work
When you figure out your purpose, you may be eager to get started on pursuing it. Being excited about this discovery is understandable, but to avoid creating more stress, keep the following tips in mind:
Take one step before you make a leap
Instead of giving your two weeks' notice right now, take smaller, safer steps first. This helps you leave your job on good terms and avoid dealing with practical issues, like missing out on pay, while allowing you to get a better feel for what your new career path may look like.
Consider taking a course to learn more about your chosen path and building new skills while you’re still employed at your current job. Think about joining a community of like-minded people online or in-person to make connections and look for new opportunities.
You might even want to give your desired work a try on the side to see if it resonates with you and your values. For example, you might do a bit of part-time or short-term life coaching instead of handing in your resignation letter and trying it full-time right away.
Redefine success in your own terms
Success is often measured in terms of titles, income, or financial security in our society. But those metrics aren’t the best to use when you’re planning to do meaningful work at your next job. They don’t capture what it means to be successful in terms of purpose or fulfillment.
Rather than using those, come up with your own definition of success and how you want to measure it. You might evaluate success in your new work based on factors like joy, alignment, or impact.
Prepare for fear
A big transition, like switching to a whole new career path and leaving your current job and financial safety net behind, might come with significant fear or doubt — and that’s okay. Look at it as a healthy byproduct of making a life change rather than as a sign that you should stop.
When you’re feeling fearful, remind yourself that you’re taking a step toward creating the life you really want rather than continuing to settle for something that’s unfulfilling.
Explore your next chapter with intention and support
The desire to pursue something more meaningful is brave and possible. You don’t have to aim for perfection on the path forward to your new position — just be present. Focus on what brings you a sense of fulfillment and purpose, so you can build a deeply satisfying life.
If life coaching is your chosen path, the Jay Shetty Certification School can help you make this transition with structure, mentorship, and purpose-led training. You can gain the skills and mindset needed to start your own business serving others through coaching.
Begin your journey toward meaningful work as a life coach: Join the program today!
