Mind your Business: Finding Purpose

How to Regroup After Job Loss

by Shannon Bond
Many people are experiencing uncertain professional futures right now. It’s not just the federal workforce—layoffs are sweeping across industries. More than 42,000 employees have already been cut from the tech sector this year, with big retail, finance, and freight following suit. Automation, shifting markets, and economic uncertainty are reshaping how—and if—we work.

If you’ve recently lost a job or are considering leaving one, you’re not alone. The moment can feel disorienting. For some, it’s an opportunity; for others, a crisis. For all, it’s a change, but how we embrace it matters. The Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius once said: “If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself but to your estimate of it—and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.”

If you’re early in your career, you may be optimistic and ready to climb back up; if you’re mid-career, you may be feeling a little more dejected but still optimistic in your future despite the worsening job market; but if you’re late in your career, you may be watching your plans disintegrate along with your 401k.

So, what’s next?

In this moment, it may be helpful to recall what Epictetus, a freed slave and Stoic teacher, said: “Don’t demand that things happen as you wish, but wish that they happen as they do happen, and you will go on well.” This is another reminder that we can’t control events outside of ourselves, and at the end of the day, it is not the event that causes our stress; it is our estimate of it. It may seem counterintuitive, but now may be the perfect time for stillness. As our mind quiets and we set aside the planning, plotting, and scheming for an imagined future, we may find that the most important thing in all of this is a chance to find our purpose. When interviewing retirees, I seldom hear, “I wish I had worked more.” No, they discuss purpose, what they are thankful for, and any regrets they may have. Most of the time, they regret not slowing down and moving with purpose. If you have recently been laid off, this may be the perfect time to reflect on what you are best suited for.

Learning From Others

Sitting with my grandfather in hospice just before he passed away, in a moment of lucidity, he rolled over and looked at me, saying, “I wish I could walk at the mall again.” Studies indicate that after our basic needs are met, happiness largely depends on connection and purpose, rather than the amount of money we have in the bank. It doesn’t get more fundamental than walking at the mall surrounded by friends. In other moments of lucidity, he spoke about the difference between being an executive at a large department store and working on the floor of that same store as a designer and decorator. Executive work, “boring,” he said with contempt and a sour look. His expression changed when he spoke about creative challenges, though.
It was clear what brought him joy and what didn’t, yet he toiled away at what didn’t in his latter professional years. The pursuit of money and objects could never fulfill him, no matter how many antiques or dolls filled his turn-of-the-century Victorian house. For a split second, in his final hours, as he thought back to work and activities that brought him joy, his fear dissipated, and his pained expression eased. Purpose and connection.

In contrast, a year ago last month, sitting with my stepfather at his home, hours before he passed away, we spoke about his life and the choices he had made. A minister who studied and embraced all religions. A lifelong academic who never accumulated wealth but endeavored to overcome his inherent anxiety and find peace within himself through his vocation and actions. Regrets, none. Would he do some things differently or make different choices? Yes, but he explained that he had “lived the life he wanted,” and did not compromise his values along his journey. He died well, with a smile on his face, surrounded at home with his loved ones, content that he had travelled along his path with his own purpose.

However, finding purpose and working to fulfill it can be challenging. It often comes down to a choice: ride it out without much thought, moving from job to job, or embrace the challenge and put in the self-work. Imagining ourselves in hospice, looking back on this moment, may help us find clarity. What would your 80-year-old self do differently if he or she were looking back at you now, in this moment of change?

Three, Maybe Four, Steps

• Be still. Turn off distractions and sit until the stories in your mind settle. Then, write or use some other means to communicate with yourself. This can be achieved through a personal retreat or daily meditation. Journaling is a daily conversation with my subconscious, helping me stay focused on my purpose.
• Determine your purpose. This is harder than it seems. Is it to serve others? Is it to create art? Is it to manage projects? To learn? To teach? Once you have a purpose, you have a guiding light. Developing a high-level statement helps tremendously. After reflecting, you may find that your purpose is to “serve others and create.”
• Now, what actions do you enjoy that serve your purpose? Aligning the tasks we’re good at (our skill stack, you could say) with our purpose brings tremendous satisfaction. They are separate but connected and often confused with each other. Purpose is the guiding light for all tasks; tasks are the actions that fulfill purpose (and not always pleasant). In the above purpose statement, maybe it’s not visual art you create. It could be starting a business, a tax service, a laundromat, or another corporate role that aligns with your purpose (perhaps a leap from contracting to HR). Whatever it is, once you align your skills with the purpose that drives you, professional life becomes clearer.
• If you discover a purpose but have little skill that matches, it may be time to sign up for a course or find a mentor. There are remarkable resources online, such as Udemy, Coursera, and LinkedIn learning.

Align With Purpose

The Stoics didn’t promise ease—they promised eudaimonia, a life well lived. Seneca said, “No man is more unhappy than he who never faces adversity. For he is not permitted to prove himself.”

Losing your job isn’t the end. It’s a beginning, if you’re willing to do the work of reflection. Be still. Let your mind settle. Listen to yourself. This is where your purpose lies, waiting to be discovered. What are you meant for now? Don’t fret if it’s changed over the years; things change, but Epictetus said it well when he said, “Each of us needs to discover what he is best suited for, and then work on becoming the best at it.” That is a process of discovery that continues for as long as we’re taking breaths. And it doesn’t have to be world-changing; there is elegance in simplicity.

Once you have your purpose statement in hand, you can align your actions with what matters, not with what looks good on paper, but with what feels right in your bones. Whether it’s returning to corporate life, starting something of your own, or simply slowing down for the first time in decades, let your path reflect your purpose, not just your résumé.