Perspective is the key to happiness

In a fascinating study, scientists found that people that people with the exact same positions had significantly different levels of job satisfaction.

The example they gave was hospital cleaners. Some people viewed their jobs as the lowest rung of work. They were just cleaners, doing hard labor and washing the building. Unsurprisingly, these people were not happy with their jobs.

The other group of cleaners viewed their work as an essential part of the healing process. They believed their work had a meaning that was bigger than just making sure the halls were clean. Without their work, the hospital could not operate and patients could not be helped.

What’s so interesting is that these people have the same exact job description. The only difference is in the way they think about their work.

You don’t need to work for a non-profit in order to do something meaningful. There is a meaning all around us. The only thing missing is our ability to see and appreciate that meaning.