Mark Crowley wrote an article for Psychology Today titled Are You Doing the Work You Were Meant to Do? (11 September 2026).
« None of us leaves our personality, values, talents and accumulated experiences at the door when we go to work. When what we bring is well matched to what our work asks of us—and what we care deeply about—the work can become deeply meaningful. »
« This suggests that meaningful work isn’t necessarily something we simply discover. It can also be something we create—or recognize—by becoming more aware of ourselves and making choices that bring us closer to the contribution that feels right for us. »
« A more informative question might be: What kind of work brings out the best in me? »
« I’ve found it helpful to look backward—to think about the work you’ve done and identify which experiences brought out something that felt natural and personally aligned. What were you doing when you felt most energized and in flow? What tasks made your heart sing? »« »
« It’s easy to focus on what we didn’t like, and that’s informative. But what we need to take from our career experience is clarity around what we’re naturally good at, what interests us, what we value, and where we can make the biggest difference. »
« I’ve come to understand that none of us gets to choose all the experiences that shape us. But what we can do is choose what we do with them. »
« This is why it’s worth looking at our careers not simply as a series of jobs and accomplishments, but as a collection of clues. »
« When have you felt most like yourself at work? What kinds of challenges have consistently drawn you in rather than worn you down? What do people seem to turn to you for, even when you’re not trying to be good at it? And where do our abilities, interests, values, and experiences converge? »
Mark Crowley is the author of Lead from the Heart (2011) and The Power of Employee Well-Being: Move Beyond Engagement to Build Flourishing Teams (2025).
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