Does Your Work Matter? - How a Sense of Mattering Can Transform Your Career and Well-Being

 

There’s no shortage of books on positive psychology and the need for purpose in our lives. Over and over, research shows that with a strong sense of purpose, we can overcome even the most difficult challenges.

But if I’m being honest, I’ve often found the concept of "purpose" to be a little too abstract and lofty for everyday life. I would sometimes reframe it for myself with phrases like, “I just want to make a difference.” Even then, "making a difference" can sometimes feel vague and hard to act on.

While reading Tomorrowmind by Gabriella Rosen Kellerman and Martin E.P. Seligman, I came across a new way of thinking about this: maybe what we really need isn’t purpose or making some grand impact. Maybe it's something much simpler — mattering.

The idea is straightforward: does the work I do matter?
If the answer is no, then it might be time to make a change.

When we feel like our work matters, we gain motivation, resilience, and a stronger sense of self-worth. In contrast, when we feel like our work doesn’t matter, motivation dries up, and over time, it can chip away at our well-being. In fact, a lack of mattering can contribute to depression, a state tied closely to a loss of self-worth.

From this perspective, leaders and managers have an important new mission: help their teams see that they matter. It’s not enough for employees to be busy; they need to feel that their work matters — to themselves, to their leaders, to their coworkers, and to the organization.

Mattering isn’t just about grand achievements or saving the world. It can show up in everyday experiences and efforts, through:

• Personal growth: Feeling like you're developing as a person.
• Professional growth: Expanding your skills and competencies.
• Shared purpose: Working toward goals that matter to the whole team.
• Service: Helping others or serving a larger cause.
• Balance: Having a healthy relationship between work and life outside of work.
• Inspiration: Being inspired by your work or your leaders.
• Honesty: Trusting your leadership enough to have open, truthful communication.

Companies actually have a vested interest in fostering mattering. Employees who feel they matter are more engaged, more resilient, and ultimately more productive.

Interestingly, Tomorrowmind suggests that "mattering" might be easier to act on than "meaning." It's closer to what employers can influence and easier for individuals to see and feel on a day-to-day basis. And with the rise of AI and rapid change in the workplace, ensuring employees feel that they and their contributions still matter is going to become even more critical.

So today, ask yourself: Does what I do matter?

If the answer isn’t a confident yes, start thinking about what changes you could make — either in your own mindset, your team environment, or your career path — to move closer to work that matters.

Because when you matter, you grow. You build resilience. And you thrive.

Acknowledgment

This blog post is based on my personal notes and reflections from the book Tomorrowmind, by Gabriella Rosen Kellerman and Martin E.P. Seligman. The insights and ideas shared here stem from my engagement with the content, and while the text was refined and structured with the help of ChatGPT, the thoughts and interpretations are entirely my own.