The Meaning You Give

Back when I was a senior banking executive, my calendar was packed, my days structured, and my role well-defined. I worked long hours, led large teams, and drove results. Yet, in many ways, the work felt heavier than it does today.

Now, having moved out of a typical corporate job to build a business from the ground up, I’m working harder than ever. The hours are longer, the responsibilities broader, and the stakes higher. But the workload feels lighter.

Why? Because the meaning you assign to work defines how you feel about it.

Take two salespeople making the same number of calls in a day. One is selling a product they genuinely believe in, something they know solves real problems. Every conversation is an opportunity, every rejection is just part of the game. The other is pushing something they don’t care about, just trying to hit their quota. For one, the work is exciting. For the other, it’s exhausting. The workload is identical-the energy levels are not.

I don’t see what I do now as a job; I see it as something I’m building. The problems aren’t burdens; they’re interesting problems I’m solving. The effort doesn’t feel like a cost-it feels like an investment.

Work feels heavy when it’s just a list of tasks. It feels lighter when it’s tied to purpose. If you’re feeling drained, maybe the real question isn’t how much you’re working but why you’re working in the first place.