“The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.”
Steve Jobs
The Tension Between Purpose and Settling
Every driven leader feels it—the tension between the work we do today and the calling we sense for tomorrow. Even when the work is good, the paycheck steady, and the role respected—there’s often a quiet inner voice asking:
“Is this all there is?”
I’ve been there. In a role where the alignment wasn’t quite right—the work was good, the people were great, but the call of “there has to be more” was ever present. That tension—the discomfort between where I was and what I sensed could be—is where the climb began.
Settling is subtle. It doesn’t announce itself. It shows up in comfort, in coasting, in telling ourselves, “This is fine.” But deep down, we know—we’re built for something greater.
So, the question is:
Are you leading yourself toward pursuing meaningful work—or have you quietly stopped climbing?
Settling Rarely Feels Like Failure—But It Is
Most of us won’t crash into failure. Instead, we’ll ease into comfort.
The paycheck is steady.
The title sounds good.
The work is fine.
But “fine” is dangerous.
Fine kills great.
Fine numbs us to the ache for more.
The best leaders I know push against that drift. They refuse to let security rob them of significance. They keep climbing—even when the view is unclear.
I think of Jim Collins’ book, Good to Great. His research is clear: Greatness never happens by accident.It’s built through disciplined, intentional choices.
Collins reminds us:
Comfort is the enemy of pursuing meaningful work.
The climb is always uphill.
Pursuing Meaningful Work Requires Endurance
Steve Jobs told us to “love what you do”—but here’s what I’ve seen:
Finding work you love is hard. Doing work that matters is even harder.
There are seasons where the work stretches you.
Where the next step isn’t obvious.
Where you wonder if all this climbing is leading anywhere.
That’s not failure—that’s the climb.
The leaders who endure those seasons—the ones who keep stepping forward—are the ones who find themselves doing work that truly matters.
Angela Duckworth’s TED Talk on grit drives this home:
Talent matters—but grit matters more.
The climb will test you.
Keep climbing.
Your Current Work: A Launchpad for Pursuing Meaningful Work
The best leaders I know don’t wait for the “perfect job” to lead.
They lead right where they are.
They see every role—every season—as preparation for what’s next.
I’ve seen leaders treat ordinary roles as their leadership training ground—leading teams, solving tough problems, and growing their influence long before their “dream job” arrived.
They knew:
Today’s work is not the end. It’s the foundation.
Your climb starts here.
Practical Steps to Lead Yourself Forward
- Audit Your Work and Heart:
Where have you started coasting? What work excites you?
Be honest. The first step is seeing clearly. - Reframe the Present:
How is today’s work developing the leader you want to become?
What’s this season preparing you for? - Take the Next Best Step:
Ask for a stretch project. Own a problem others are avoiding.
Start the side hustle.
What’s the next best step you can take—today?
Your Leadership Legacy Is at Stake
Each day, you decide:
Settle—or step forward.
The climb is the point.
Meaningful work isn’t handed to you.
It’s built—choice by choice.
Step by step.
What’s your next best step?
Keep climbing.
