Meaningful Prospective Work drives Purpose in Life: The Role of Future Work Self

Having meaningful work is a shared aspiration for both experienced workers and young adults entering the job market, as meaningful work ensures several important outcomes such as psychological well-being. Research to date has primarily focused on contextual organizational factors to explain how work can be perceived as meaningful. However, self-awareness derived from the mental image of one’s desired work state also offers an opportunity to foster a profound sense of meaning. To illustrate this possibility we draw on the concept of Future Work Self (FWSs, Strauss et al., 2012), which refers to cognitive representations of individuals’ deepest hopes and aspirations in relation to work. Thus, the aim of this paper is to explore the potential of the FWS in activating a process of meaning making. We further investigate how meaning making and FWS contributes to achieving a purpose in life. Understanding these relationships is crucial for gaining insights on how individuals derive meaning to guide their career management and, ultimately, enhance their sense of purpose in life. Data were collected through a two-wave survey from a sample of graduate students (N = 117). At Time 1, data on FWS salience and positive affect were collected. A follow-up survey, 12 weeks later, assessed meaning making and purpose in life. Hypotheses testing revealed that higher levels of FWS salience and positive affect in envisioning the FWS were significantly related to meaning making, which in turn predicted purpose in life. The findings also indicated a mediated relationship between FWS positive affect and purpose in life, with meaning making serving as a mediator. Overall, this study extends our understanding on how individuals can derive meaning from an hypothetical work, and also contributes to the FWS literature by providing evidence of the predictive potential of FWSs in meaning making and in fostering a sense of purpose in life.