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Give Your Wellbeing a Boost: Find Your “Why"

Taking time to reflect on what matters in our lives is good for mental well-being — and for careers.
Life is hectic, and day-to-day responsibilities may distract from what’s most important. Taking time to reflect on what matters in our lives is good for mental well-being — and for careers. After all, people spend a considerable amount of time at work.

Research shows that people want purpose beyond a paycheque because when employees feel fulfilled, they have a greater sense of well-being and tend to stay at their jobs longer, according to Great Place to Work. More broadly, the National Institutes of Health finds that having purpose can lead to a healthier, longer life, partly because we can more easily bounce back when things don’t go our way.
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But how do you even begin to explore such a lofty idea like purpose? Brian Johnson, the founder and CEO of the self-development training platform Heroic and author of Areté: Activate Your Heroic Potential breaks it down. Brian shares how to discover what’s meaningful to you and how it connects to your everyday life.
Identifying your purpose


​​​​​​​Finding your “why” starts by thinking about what only you can give to the world — what you do that’s unique.

“Just as we need to eat and breathe, we have a need to be fulfilled. To do that, recognize how you uniquely impact the world with your skills and talent and build on that,” Brian explains.

If you’re having trouble identifying your “why,” Brian says, look at the people you admire, identify what you admire about them and match those qualities with aspects you want to express more.

When trying to define his purpose, Sam Islam, who leads four RBC bank branches around Edmonton, thought back to his childhood.

“As a kid, I led a lot of sports teams and brought people together,” he says. “Now, as a Community Manager, I try to do the same by connecting with my team personally and professionally, in addition to coaching and training them. Through connection, the team can feel safe to be themselves and share the good, bad or whatever is on their mind. I’m happiest when we feel and act as a team.”

Brian says that’s the sweet spot – when an employee’s values match the work they’re doing.

“When your beliefs and skills meet your challenges, you feel great and do great,” he says.
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Helping others to help yourself

If you’re still not sure what your purpose is, Brian says look to where we often find meaning – in giving to others.

“The quickest way to boost your mood and find purpose in your day is to do a random act of kindness,” he says. “Giving of ourselves through acts of service is something that helps everyone.”

Research from the Mental Health Foundation says giving is good for our well-being because being kind can lower the risk of depression and boost confidence.

Helping others makes Sian Robinson happy. As an RBC Banking Advisor, she helps clients set up accounts and connect with financial experts to meet their goals, like home ownership or growing a business.

“It’s really rewarding because I see a lot of first moments for clients, like a student depositing their first paycheque, a newcomer transitioning to a city or a client retiring. I love helping them meet their financial goals,” Sian explains.

When Sam was an advisor, he also had many heartwarming moments with clients. He once met with a hard-working dad to talk about how to reach his lifelong goal of owning his first home. With Sam’s guidance, he saved up over two years to buy his large family a house. Later, the dad told Sam how much his help meant to him — he even has a stone with Sam’s name on it in his home as a sign of gratitude.

“That fills me with happiness,” Sam says.

What comes next?


Determining your purpose is a great first step, but to truly fulfill it — you’ve got to do something, which can be daunting.

Sian knows what that feels like.

“I was a stay-at-home mom and had no financial background. When I first started at RBC, I wondered if I was in over my head, she says. “I didn’t know a lot about banking.”

But she took the initiative to take that first step to RBC. With the bank’s training programs and her co-workers’ support, she learned a little bit more each day, and her career has grown.

“I’ve learned new things and taken on challenges – like passing the investment funds exam in Canada to get my mutual funds license. It’s one of my proudest moments,” she says.

It may take a lot of courage to move from thinking about purpose to acting on it, but Brian says it’s worth it.

“Go all-in and you’ll see a powerful change in your life,” he says.
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A word from our lawyers

This article offers general information only and is not intended as legal, financial or other professional advice. A professional advisor should be consulted regarding your specific situation. While information presented is believed to be factual and current, its accuracy is not guaranteed and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subject matter discussed. All expressions of opinion reflect the judgment of the author(s) as of the date of publication and are subject to change. No endorsement of any third parties or their advice, opinions, information, products or services is expressly given or implied by Royal Bank of Canada or its affiliates.

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