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Earning a Good Living While Also Making a Difference
Earning a Good Living While Also Making a Difference
Imagine going to work every day with the absolute knowledge that you are making a positive contribution to the world, and also getting paid well to do it. In the coming decades, more and more people will be able to live this ideal. They won't have to wonder if they're spending their time on a job that is meaningless, or even harmful, just so they can provide for their families. Conversely, they won't have to dedicate themselves to a worthy cause while sacrificing their own prosperity. New environmentally focused "green" careers that are part of creating a cleaner, healthier future offer just a few examples from the young-but-growing trend toward doing well by doing good.
This shift is starting to happen because an increasing number of people are realizing that they are not fulfilled by having to separate the way they earn their living from the way they give back to society or contribute to a better environment. The new attitude is "people, planet, and profits". It's about a higher sense of purpose. Career-seekers are beginning to demand opportunities that are friendly to the goals of a more sustainable and socially humane world.
Many corporations are taking notice. If companies want to continue attracting and retaining the smartest and most gifted employees, they will have to provide more than the traditional benefits. They'll have to make sure the very purpose and actions of their organizations are aligned with the goal of producing positive value in all areas—social, environmental and financial. As time moves forward, it will become easier for job seekers to find such companies.
And for those who simply can't imagine working for anyone else, the last decade has given rise to a new trend in entrepreneurship. It's called social entrepreneurship—using the techniques of business to solve or dramatically improve social and environmental problems. Social entrepreneurs use their ability to adapt, innovate, and bring together limited resources. They are daring in their visions and bold in their actions. For those with great ideas, know-how, and determination, there are even investment firms dedicated to funding new social entrepreneurial ventures.
So how can you prepare yourself to take advantage of these new opportunities? It really comes down to paying attention to what's happening and figuring out how you can develop the traits that fit with the new reality. According to Daniel H. Pink, author of A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future, the key to success in the 21st century will be in the ability to design innovations, tell compelling stories, and demonstrate genuine empathy. It's about doing more than crunching numbers and thinking narrowly. The problems of today and the future require the use of creativity and big-picture thinking in addition to the typical "left-brain" methods. In this respect, those educated in the arts and humanities or any number of creative fields may one day hold an edge.
Ultimately, the trend toward integrating social and environmental purposes with business or financial return is still young. There is a lot to be learned and dreamed up and tested. But the early momentum of this shift to higher purposes should offer hope to anyone wanting to have a more fulfilling work life. If you'd like to go deeper into this subject, the article "Why the 21st century brings more opportunities for doing well by doing good" offers great expert insight.
If you're ready to start exploring careers with higher purpose, this guide to environmental schools and programs is a good place to start. Alternatively, if you're looking for a business education that can lead you to a career where you can make a difference, check out this guide to business schools.
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