Finding Purpose in Your Work

Last summer, I took a leap to join Dimagi. I was attracted to the idea of working for a B Corp who had room for growth and expansion. I was drawn in by the promise of working closely with NGO’s and impact-driven organizations all over the world. But what really pushed me over the edge was Dimagi’s commitment to changing the world. So what do I do at Dimagi?

First, let me admit that it’s really easy to let “changing the world” fall to the wayside in the day-to-day tasks of answering emails and figuring out how to schedule a Skype call with someone halfway around the world. It’s rare to look at yourself in those moments and say “Ah, yep. Changing the world.” Like any job, there are challenges and frustrations that come with a growing organization and team.

Yet somehow, Dimagi manages to keep impact top-of-mind even on the hardest days, often in unplanned and unceremonious ways. Sometimes it’s a quick morning call with your colleague who has stayed up late just to connect despite the dramatic time difference. Sometimes it’s reading a blog post about an organization you helped get started and seeing the widespread benefits CommCare is having in their small community. Sometimes it’s just the people you’re working next to in the office cracking jokes or laughing over a cup of coffee.

There’s an apocryphal story that is often referenced when the idea of purpose and impact in work is discussed. As the story goes, during a visit to NASA Headquarters in 1962, President John F. Kennedy took a wrong turn and bumped into a man cleaning the floor. Kennedy asked the man what he did at NASA and the janitor responded, “I’m helping to put a man on the moon!”

 That sentiment is what keeps employees engaged with their work, particularly in an era where “meaningful” work is in higher demand than ever. This feeling of purpose is incredibly difficult to manufacture but incredibly powerful when it happens organically. It takes time and patience to filter through powerpoint slides and Salesforce reports until you see how that impact happens. Yet, I’ve been fortunate enough to be a part of many companies and nonprofits where this feeling of pride and impact on the world is unshakeable. Dimagi is no different.

So how do I respond when somebody asks what it is that I do at Dimagi?

Well, I’m helping to change the world.