Beyond Perfect Performance: Lessons from Sonya Looney

In this episode of Meaningful Work Matters, host Andrew Soren explores the intricate relationship between perfectionism and meaningful work with Sonya Looney, a unique voice at the intersection of elite performance and well-being. As a World Champion mountain biker with two decades of endurance racing experience, NBC-HWC-certified mental performance coach, and researcher, Looney brings both scientific rigor and lived experience to the conversation. Her unique combination of athletic achievement, coaching expertise, and interdisciplinary education allows her to offer distinctive insights into resilience, healthy striving, and the complex dynamics of perfectionism in high-performance settings.

Understanding Perfectionism in High Achievement

Looney introduces perfectionism through the multi-dimensional model developed by Flett and Hewitt, which identifies three key dimensions:

"We're perfectionistic in three ways: We have very high standards for ourselves, we have very high standards for other people, or we expect to meet other people's standards, society's standards, someone else's standards."

This framework helps explain why many high achievers struggle to find satisfaction in their accomplishments, often experiencing what Looney describes as "excessive striving, self-validation through goals, and difficulty in realizing a sense of accomplishment."

The Paradox of Performance and Purpose

One of the most striking insights from the episode is how perfectionism can actually undermine the meaningful aspects of work.

Through her personal journey as an elite athlete, Looney discovered that her most fulfilling moments weren't tied to race victories or performance metrics, but rather to the impact she had on others.

"If I win a race, I don't really care anymore. It's more how can I use this experience? How can I use my bike racing as a laboratory to help other people unlock their potential and find fulfillment in the process?"

From Personal Achievement to Social Impact

Looney's research reveals a shift in how we might approach goal-setting and achievement.

She introduces the concept of "meaningful other-ish goals," building on Adam Grant and Reb Rebele's work on "other-ish" behavior, where personal achievement becomes a vehicle for broader social impact.

Understanding Other-ish Goals

• Combine personal achievement with social contribution
• Focus on collective impact rather than individual success
• Allow for both personal growth and community benefit
• Emphasize immeasurable impacts over quantifiable metrics

The Challenge of Immeasurable Impact

A paradox emerges in Looney's work: the most meaningful accomplishments are often the ones we can't measure. As she notes:

"Maybe the immeasurability of it is actually helping perfectionists because they can't compare it to something. It's just a feeling and it's immeasurable."

This insight challenges traditional approaches to performance evaluation and success metrics, suggesting that our most significant contributions might exist beyond conventional measurement frameworks.

Practical Applications for Perfectionists

Looney offers several strategies for high achievers struggling with perfectionist tendencies:

1. Balance your ‘goal portfolio’ between personal achievement and social impact

1. Practice intentional savoring of accomplishments, especially focusing on impact on others

2. Recognize that negative emotions can coexist with meaningful achievement

3. Consider reducing measurement frequency of performance metrics

Resources for Further Exploration

• "Give and Take" by Adam Grant

• "Transcend" by Scott Barry Kaufman

• Research by Gordon Flett on perfectionism and mattering

• Work by Jennifer Crocker on contingent self-worth

• Sonya Looney's website: sonyalooney.com

• The Sonya Looney Show (soon to be rebranded as "Grow the Good")

Redefining Purpose as Everyday Direction: Lessons from Patrick Hill

In this episode of Meaningful Work Matters, host Andrew Soren sits down with Patrick Hill, a professor of psychological and brain sciences at Washington University in St. Louis. Hill's research focuses on purpose and identity development, and he offers a fresh perspectives on what it means to live a purposeful life.

Hill received his PhD from the University of Notre Dame and his BA from Indiana University. His research program examines how to cultivate a life direction and how purpose promotes adaptive lifespan development.

Hill's work challenges traditional notions of purpose; presenting it not as a lofty, unattainable goal, but as something adaptable, accessible, and actionable in our everyday lives. His insights shed light on the role of purpose in well-being, personal growth, and even physical health, often in unexpected ways.

Redefining Purpose

To start, Hill introduces a nuanced understanding of purpose, breaking it down into three key elements:

1. Self-defining: Purpose should be personally attached and definitive.

2. Engaging and energizing: It should lead to greater life engagement and personal agency.

3. Future-oriented: Purpose provides direction and intentionality.

Hill emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between "big P" Purpose - often seen as world-changing and potentially anxiety-inducing - and "small p" purpose, which focuses on everyday actions that provide direction and lead to positive outcomes. This shift in perspective makes purpose more accessible and actionable for individuals in their daily lives.

"Purpose is this self-defining, self-informative life aim that gives you a direction towards engagement in life from one day to the next, one year to the next throughout the lifespan."

The Three A's of Purpose

Hill introduces the concept of purpose being adaptable, accessible, and actionable:

• Adaptable: Purpose should evolve with an individual's life circumstances.

• Accessible: It should be attainable for everyone, not just a privileged few.

• Actionable: Purpose should guide daily decisions and behaviors.

This framework helps demystify purpose and makes it more approachable for individuals who might feel overwhelmed by traditional, lofty notions of purpose.

Challenges and Considerations

One significant challenge Hill addresses is "purpose anxiety" - the stress and pressure individuals feel when asked to define their life's purpose. This anxiety can be particularly prevalent in workplace settings where employees are asked to align with organizational purpose statements.

Hill suggests that instead of focusing on grand, overarching purposes, individuals and organizations should concentrate on identifying smaller, more immediate sources of meaning and direction. This approach can help alleviate anxiety and make purpose more accessible to everyone.

Hill's Model: Sense of Purpose

Dr. Hill's research emphasizes the importance of fostering a "sense of purpose" rather than identifying a single, grand purpose. This model focuses on:

1. Feeling a sense of direction

2. Having goals that provide personal definition

3. Engaging in activities that energize and feel meaningful

This approach has been linked to various positive outcomes, including reduced risk of cognitive impairment, lower mortality rates, and improved well-being.

Practical Applications and Implications

For individuals:

1. Reflect on daily activities that provide a sense of direction and energy

2. Engage in dialogue about purpose with peers and colleagues

3. Focus on building a sense of purpose rather than defining a single, grand purpose

For organizations:

1. Foster environments where employees can discuss and explore purpose

2. Break down organizational purpose into specific, actionable activities

3. Allow for individual interpretation and alignment with organizational purpose

Hill emphasizes the importance of dialogue in exploring purpose:

"The most important thing for the purpose anxiety is having the scaffolding and the social connections along the way to help you explore."

Conclusion

Patrick Hill's research offers a refreshing and practical approach to understanding purpose in our lives and work. By reframing purpose as something adaptable, accessible, and actionable, Hill provides a pathway for individuals and organizations to cultivate meaningful engagement without the anxiety often associated with grand purpose statements.

As we navigate the complexities of modern work life, this nuanced understanding of purpose can help foster environments where individuals can thrive, find direction, and contribute meaningfully - not just to their organizations but to their own sense of fulfillment and well-being.

Resources for Further Exploration

• PATH Lab website at Washington University: [https://www.pathlabwustl.com/]

• Dr. Hill's research publications: [https://psych.wustl.edu/people/patrick-hill]

The Meaning of Meaningful Work: Lessons from Michael Steger

In this episode of Meaningful Work Matters, we chat with Michael Steger, a luminary in the realm of meaningful work and life.

Steger, a Professor of Psychology and Founding Director of the Center for Meaning and Purpose at Colorado State University delves into the intricacies of finding coherence, purpose, and significance in our personal and professional lives.

Personalization of Meaning:

The podcast begins by emphasizing the highly individualized nature of finding meaning in life and work.

Steger points out that each person's journey to discovering purpose is shaped by their unique experiences, values, and aspirations. This personalization of meaning challenges the one-size-fits-all approach and encourages leaders to recognize and honor the diverse paths employees may take in their search for significance.

Dimensions of Meaning:

Steger introduces listeners to the four critical dimensions of meaning: coherence, purpose, significance, and mattering.

He explains that coherence involves understanding one's life and place in the world, while purpose is about having a sense of direction and motivation. Significance, on the other hand, relates to the feeling that one’s life has inherent value. A fourth dimension of mattering - related to how one adds value, has also emerged more recently in the literature.

This framework helps in demystifying the often abstract concept of meaning, also helping individuals and practitioners understand that there are multiple paths to meaning for all of us.

Steger argues that meaningful work should contribute positively to the broader venture of one's life, aligning with personal values and goals. This perspective shifts the focus from mere job satisfaction to a more holistic view of how work integrates into and enriches an individual's life.

Leadership and Meaningful Work:

The role of leadership in creating environments conducive to meaningful work is another focal point of the discussion.

Steger introduces the 'CARMA' model – a framework comprising clarity, authenticity, respect, mattering, and autonomy – as an evidence-based guide for leaders. This model emphasizes the importance of clarity of communication, authentic interactions, mutual respect, recognizing how each employee’s contribution matters, and allowing autonomy.

These leadership behaviors have been shown to cultivate workplaces where employees feel valued, understood, and connected to their work on a deeper level.

They have also been shown to increase an employee’s willingness to recommend their workplace as a great place to work to others.

Systemic Perspective on Meaningful Work:

It is important to take a systemic perspective to meaningful work. Steger stresses the need to consider the broader societal and organizational contexts that shape individual experiences of meaning at work. This underscores the complexity of the issue and the necessity for leaders and organizational practitioners to be aware of the various external factors that can impact the sense of meaning and purpose employees find in their work.

This episode of "Meaningful Work Matters" is filled with insights for anyone committed to creating a more meaningful work environment. The conversation not only sheds light on the nuanced nature of meaning in work but also offers practical strategies for fostering an enriching workplace. For organizational leaders and practitioners in positive psychology, Steger’s perspectives serve as a valuable guide in the quest to enhance the sense of purpose and fulfillment within their organizations.

Resources:

Michael Steger: Laboratory for the Study of Meaning and Quality of Life

Meaningful Work is about Much More than Purpose

Meaningful Work, Well-Being, and Health: Enacting a Eudaimonic Vision