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Do You Know Your Life's Purpose?: September 2020

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Pratip Bhattacharya
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39 views

Do You Know Your Life's Purpose?: September 2020

Uploaded by

Pratip Bhattacharya
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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September 2020

Do you know your


life’s purpose?

Your life purpose can be mapped to nine


universal values. You have access to all
nine to some degree, but the exact mix
is unique to you. Our research uncovered
three common patterns based on these
values: the free spirit, the achiever, and
the caregiver. Are you like one of these? Or
do you identify as something else entirely,
based on your own combination of the nine
values? And what does it mean for your life
at work?
Nine types of individual purpose.

We surveyed 509 people representing a range of personal demographics


(gender, age, ethnicity, and e  ducation) and occupational characteristics
(industry, sector, and role). We asked them about the type a nd intensity of
their life values by having them rate the importance of a series of statements,
each r elated to a value that academic research has found to be universal.

Achievement Conservation Caring


Having a sense of authority Working against threats Helping the people close
to the environment to me
Being the most influential
person in any group Raising awareness of the Sacrificing for my loved ones
importance of preserving Being responsive to the
Having high status and the environment
power needs of my family and
Caring for the environment friends
Having a high income

Freedom Respect Tradition


Learning things Not being shamed Respecting my culture’s
for myself in front of others history
Forming my Avoiding humiliation Practicing the rituals of
own opinions my culture or religion
Choosing my Preserving the established
own goals values of my culture or
religion

Enjoyment Stability Equality and justice


Having new and Respecting authority Listening to people who
different experiences figures are different than I
Going on adventures Having order and Trying to understand
Having excitement stability in society people, even when
in life Adhering to standard I disagree with them
rules Ensuring everyone is
treated fairly

2
‘Free spirits’ tend to find meaning in situations where
they control what they do and when they do it.
‘Free spirits’ tend to find meaning in situations where they control what
they do and when they do it.

Archetype 1: The free spirit


Higher importance Lower importance

Agency

Achievement Conservation Caring

Self Freedom Respect Tradition Others

Equality +
Enjoyment Stability
justice

Integration
Primary type: Secondary type:

Freedom Respect, tradition

I embrace: I am challenged by:


Working independently while Being micromanaged or stuck
having opportunities to stress test with inflexible processes
ideas with others
Being censured in public
Choosing how I accomplish my goals
while still observing the traditions of Being pressured to take actions
my family and culture solely to increase productivity

3
‘Achievers’ find purpose in accumulating social
or material resources; they often find meaning in
self-improvement.
‘Achievers’ find purpose in accumulating social or material resources;
they often find meaning in self-improvement.

Archetype 2: The achiever


Higher importance Lower importance

Agency

Achievement Conservation Caring

Self Freedom Respect Tradition Others

Equality +
Enjoyment Stability
justice

Integration
Primary type: Secondary type:

Achievement, tradition Enjoyment, respect

I embrace: I am challenged by:


Feeling invisible or lacking influence
Opportunities to increase earnings
in a group
and gain stature in the eyes of others
Facing high-risk situations, fearing
Being the authority on a subject
that failure equals humiliation
and impressing others
Having to act out of sync with my
Opportunities for fun and excitement
culture/religion

4
‘Caregivers’ find meaning in choosing how and when
they care for others; they care less about material gain
or what others
‘Caregivers’ thinkinof
find meaning them.how and when they care for others;
choosing
they care less about material gain or what others think of them.

Archetype 3: The caregiver


Higher importance Lower importance

Agency

Achievement Conservation Caring

Self Freedom Respect Tradition Others

Equality +
Enjoyment Stability
justice

Integration
Primary type: Secondary type:

Caring Stability

I embrace: I am challenged by:


Being able to help others or mentor Being pulled away from family and
colleagues friends or isolated from colleagues
A work–life balance that provides Uncertainty, or lack of an orderly path
opportunities to respond to the needs
of family and friends
A sense of security and order

Copyright © 2020 McKinsey & Company. All rights reserved.

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