Purpose You actually dont need it in your career

Purpose You actually dont need it in your careerPurpose You actually dont need it in your careerA lot has been written lately about how everyone is looking for more purposein their careers. They want greater meaning from their work. If thats you, let me save you some grief.Stop the insanity.Youre chasing airLet me explainMost people reading this live in the 1%. If you make more than $12,000 a year, that puts you in the 1% of the worlds wealthiest population. As a result, your needs from a job have shifted from food, water, shelterto also now include a sense of satisfaction. You want your work to make you feel good. I get it. I do, too. Theres nothing wrong with that. Its part of our evolution up Maslows hierarchy of needs. However, this is where things went wrong.You made the unknowing mistake of following what they told you to do.As people evolve in their thinking about what a good job is, they often blindly follow the lead of all those before them and assume they should start to se ek more for themselves. You chase bigger, better jobs that pay more and have more responsibility. You strive to be able to answer the question, What do you do? in a way that impresses other people.You make career moves in an effort to gain respect. It makes you feel good for awhile, but eventually, you realize something is still missing. The satisfaction you seek continues to elude you. Thats when you decide its your jobs fault. You want to have more purpose and meaning from your work. You want to make a bigger impact.In fact, it shouldnt surprise us that millennials, the youngest generation in the workforce, are the ones demanding purposeful work the most. Theyve been raised on the mantra, you can be anything you want to be- dont settle, and all the pressure to find fulfillment that comes with it.Heres the hard truthWanting purpose is just an excuse for not knowing (and appreciating) how you create value.If you want to feel more satisfied in your career, you need to step back and a sk yourself these questionsWhat problems do I love to solve?What pain do I like to alleviate for others?How do I create value?If you cant answer them, then I would make it a point to find the answers. I promise, the satisfaction will follow. And, if you think you dont have any value to offer, youre wrong.Everyone has a way to create valueToday, in your current job, youre surrounded by customers, coworkers, managers, and the world at large. Think about how much value you could create today by solving the problems of your customers and making work better for your coworkers and managers. When you deeply understand and appreciate the value you provide on a daily basis, you can answer the question, What do you do? with passion and enthusiasm. Its infectious. It also opens doors. But most important, it provides you with the satisfaction you are seeking.This piece originally appeared on LinkedIn. J.T. ODonnell is the founder and CEO of WorkItDaily.com.