How to Find Your Purpose at Work
There comes a moment in midlife when you look at the career you’ve worked hard to build and feel an unsettling hollowness.
The meetings, the deadlines, the responsibilities, the grind - none of it is falling apart, but something feels missing - a quiet signal that it’s time to find your purpose at work.
It can show up as a feeling of dullness, a sense of going through the motions, or the nagging question, Is this it?
It’s often not about lacking capability or success. It’s the unsettling feeling of starting to question what all the effort is for.
And that feeling can be isolating, especially when it seems like everyone else is just getting on with things - and they all look more driven and fulfilled.
Take a moment to think. When was the last time you felt truly alive at work - energised, connected, and clear about why what you do matters?
Establishing a career and proving you can perform is usually the main focus in your 20s and 30s.
But as you get older, having a new purpose is increasingly important.
Once you hit 40 doubts start to creep in around meaning, and whether you are doing what you were put on this planet for. In one survey of people aged 50 and over, only 30 percent reported feeling purposeful.
Ignore these feelings and doubts about your purpose at your peril.
They will only grow, get worse, and lead to regrets later in life.
The challenge? Thinking about your purpose as a stand-alone question is very hard.
You can sit and think about your purpose for hours and hours, and nothing comes up.
It is like you are just staring at a blank page.
To help you, this article contains four proven approaches to discover your purpose at work.
But first, let’s take a look at why having a purpose is important, and why it can be hard to build …
Why it Matters to Find Your Purpose at Work
Find Your Purpose at Work: Why Humans Need Meaning
Humans are hard-wired to seek meaning and purpose in what we do. It just seems to be part of the human condition.
In a survey cited by McKinsey & Company: 89% of employees said they agree purpose is important in their lives; and 70% said that sense of purpose is defined by their work.
From ancient philosophers to modern psychologists, there’s a recurring theme: human beings don’t only want to do things - want those things to matter.
At the same time, meaning and purpose is not something that intrinsically exists - it needs to be created by us, whether as individuals or as a society. To some extent, purpose even can be seen as an artificial construct.
Research by Dr. Paul Wong on the “Two-Factor Model of Search for Meaning” suggests that the disposition to live purposefully is built into our biology and cognition, yet the actual meaning must be pursued and constructed.
Purpose is something we craft - by the choices we make, the values we live by, the work we pick, the relationships we nurture.
The good news is that there is agency - you have choice. The challenge is that because purpose isn’t intrinsic, you will feel lost until you build it.
Yet despite how essential purpose is to our wellbeing and sense of fulfilment, identifying it can feel frustratingly difficult.
Why Discovering Your Purpose Can Be So Difficult
It’s not just you! There are many, many reasons why identifying your purpose is challenging.
Here are the main ones:
Midlife commonly brings heavy responsibilities (career peaks, parenting, eldercare, mortgages). These obligations consume time and attention, leaving little space for reflection or experimentation.
Years invested in a career, marriage, or identity can make people feel compelled to keep going even if it no longer fits. Changing feels like “wasting” past effort - so questions about defining your purpose get put off
Fears of lost identity, status, or financial security. Purpose often feels tied to who we are. Shifting your purpose threatens your income and self-concept. Fear narrows options and increases indecision.
Complex, layered identities. By midlife people often carry multiple meaningful roles (parent, leader, partner). Your purpose may be plural rather than single, making it harder to capture in one sentence.
Society frames midlife as “settled” or as a crisis point, which can make change feel taboo or shameful. Ageism and expectations limit imagination.
Curiosity declines if not actively cultivated. That reduces the likelihood of noticing new callings.
Burnout and emotional exhaustion. Long-term stress depletes energy for purpose-seeking. When you’re exhausted, you aim for survival, not meaning-making.
Fear of regret and decision paralysis. With greater awareness of time passing, the stakes feel higher. That can freeze people into indecision.
The Main Mistake People Make Trying to Find their Purpose
The biggest mistake people make when trying to find their purpose at work is to try to answer too big a question in one go.
Asking yourself “what is my purpose?” typically does not result in any kind of instructive answer.
A much better approach is to come at the question from a few different angles instead.
Look at your values; your future vision; the strengths that bring you energy; and what your intuition is telling you about how much change you need.
Let’s break each of those four areas down ……
4 Proven Ways to Find Your Purpose at Work
Find Your Purpose at Work by Reflecting on Your Values
The best place to start when thinking about purpose at work is to reflect on your values.
Values are what we attach importance to at this moment in our lives.
There are many different ways to go about this.
You can look at a long list of potential values, pick out your top 20, and then group them into themes and give each one a name.
Or you can reflect on where you choose to spend your time and what hobbies or activities you prioritise currently, and where you choose to spend your money. This often tells us what we really value rather than what we think we value.
The really important next step is to then ask yourself:
Where can I express these values currently (at work and at home)?
Where are my values in conflict currently?
What do my values (and the mismatches) tell me about what would provide purpose for me at work? - Which of my values will be my “guiding stars”?
Form a Vision of your Purposeful Future Self
Another great way to get inspiration about your purpose is to think about what you would like your life to look like in 1-2 years’ time:
Who do you want to be?
What do you want to have?
What do you want to be doing?
These three simple questions will help you clarify where the most important adjustments are needed. And it will help clarify what will be meaningful for you, and where the changes in your life are needed.
(Further reading: more about me and my story to re-discover purpose)
Identify Strengths That Give You Energy and Meaning
To a large degree, purpose is about doing the things that bring you energy.
So spend a few minutes identifying what you are good at and what activities you spend time on.
Then ask which of those strengths and activities would bring you energy over the next five years.
Simple :)
Working towards a role where the “centre of gravity” is on tasks you enjoy doing is a key foundation for having purpose at work.
Connect with Your Body to Understand What Change You Need
The final approach is to map out a few options to discover how big a change you need to have purpose.
You might only need a tweak or a minor adjustment. You might need a full career reset, or you might need something in between.
Maybe having a few side hustles will provide sufficient purpose for you, or working towards early retirement or activities outside of work.
Here’s how you can do this ….
Draw three circles.
In the first, describe what a minor change could look like. In the second, a medium change. In the third, what a large pivot might be.
Then ask: Which circle is calling you towards it the most?
Tip: Try to tap into your body and your gut feeling, and not what your head is saying.
Which circle appeals the most will indicate a lot about what will provide purpose for you at work.
(Further reading: 3 Important Actions for a Successful Mid-Career Change)
Get Support to Find Your Purpose at Work Through Coaching
Your work forms a big part of your life. Why not give it the investment it deserves?
Working with a coach is often much better than trying to figure out everything on your own.
Consider booking a free Discovery Call to explore how coaching can help you find your purpose at work and create a fulfilling future
(Further reading: Career Transition Coach: Are they Worth It?)
About the Author: Tim Storrie
I’m an ICF-accredited career coach with an Oxbridge education, an MBA, and a corporate background. Drawing from my own mid-life experience of burnout and transition to a more fulfilling career, I help men over 40 who feel lost or frustrated to find a career that excites them through clarity and confidence.
My coaching approach is both nurturing and challenging, combining structured, exercise-based reflection with deep personal insight.
Would you like to understand how career coaching can help you get clarity on a more fulfilling future?
Book a free Discovery Call.