Purpose as an Active Commitment: Lessons from William Damon

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Sep 30, 2024

William Damon, a Professor of Education at Stanford University and a leading authority on purpose, dives into the transformative concept of purpose as an active commitment. He discusses the 'triple helix' of good work—excellence, engagement, and ethics. Damon highlights how purpose evolves over a lifetime and the critical role of gratitude and service in shaping it. He also explores generational perspectives on work, the ethical responsibilities of organizations, and the importance of maintaining core human qualities amid technological advancements.

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ANECDOTE

Reviving Exemplar Research

Damon and Anne Colby's book Some Do Care revived exemplar research in psychology.
Their case studies revealed surprising patterns that surveys would have missed.

INSIGHT

Triple Helix Of Good Work

Good work requires three linked commitments: engagement, excellence, and ethics.
Two of the three are never enough for sustained meaningful impact.

INSIGHT

Purpose Defined As Active Commitment

Purpose is an active, ongoing commitment to achieve something meaningful to oneself.
It also requires the aim to produce consequences for the world beyond the self.

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In this episode of Meaningful Work Matters, Andrew Soren sits down with William Damon, a pioneering developmental psychologist and one of the world's most senior purpose scholars. Damon shares insights from his decades of research on purpose, positive youth development, and the "triple helix" of good work.

Key Topics Explored:

The "triple helix" of good work: excellence, engagement, and ethics
Defining purpose as an active commitment with personal meaning and societal impact
How purpose evolves throughout one's career and life stages
Critical mindsets for cultivating purpose: gratitude and service
Balancing meritocracy, equity, and the potential dark sides of meaningful work

Quote from the Episode:

"Purpose is an active commitment to accomplish something that is both meaningful to the self and of consequence to the world beyond the self." - William Damon

Key Takeaways:

Purpose develops gradually over a lifetime, requiring adaptation to changing circumstances.
Gratitude and a sense of service are crucial for fostering purpose, especially in younger individuals.
The pursuit of excellence through hard work remains important, even as workplace values evolve.

Resources Mentioned:

"Good Work: When Excellence and Ethics Meet" by Howard Gardner, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, and William Damon
"The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren

About Our Guest:

William Damon is a Professor of Education at Stanford University and Senior Fellow (by courtesy) at the Hoover Institution. He is one of the world's leading researchers in human development and a pioneer in the study of how people find purpose.

Damon has authored numerous influential books, including "The Path to Purpose," "Greater Expectations" (winner of the Parent's Choice Book Award), "Good Work" (with Howard Gardner and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi), and "Some Do Care: Contemporary Lives of Moral Commitment" (with Anne Colby).

His most recent book, "A Round of Golf with my Father," explores narrative methods for fostering positive identity, gratitude, and redemption of regrets.

Damon is a Fellow of the National Academy of Education and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and has spent his career advancing our understanding of moral development, purpose, and positive youth development.

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