Thanks to Simon Drury of Art of Reinvention for this inciteful piece. Simon has developed an excellent mentoring programme on Personal Significance in Retirement. For more information on this and Simon’s business go to: http://www.artofreinvention.co.uk
Work is an integral part of our lives. It consumes a huge part of our waking (and sometimes sleeping!) lives. If we were to unpack the concept of work, we would discover that it is a great deal more important and plays a much more fundamental part in our lives than perhaps we are aware. And it’s not necessarily only about earning money in order to create and support a lifestyle.
For many it’s about achieving personal goals and satisfying the need to make an important contribution. It’s also about validating who we are.
Apart from the requirement to ‘do the job’, whether we are employed or self-employed, we seem to have a need for more than just doing it. Work enables us to establish our credibility in society, demonstrate our skills and capabilities, achieve our goals and aspirations. It affords us the opportunity to express our individuality and our commitment. These are some of the more obvious benefits of working.
However, there are more unseen benefits that have been identified. As individuals, we have basic human needs that require satisfying. These needs play a key part in our life’s experience and, when we are considering a major change in our work situation, such as retirement, they can impact on our decisions and emotions in a profound way.
At a psychological level, individuals possess a number of deep motivational ‘drivers’ that require satisfying on a constant basis. One such motivator is referred to as ‘Significance’ and is based upon the need for importance, individuality and ego.