You’ll feel better as a coach, consultant or small business owner when you see the difference you can make.

I was asked on a podcast recently to identify my most memorable job from the last 10 years as a Digital Marketer and entrepreneur.

The interviewer was probably expecting me to come up with a job I did for one of my big-name clients from the past, like Office works, Myer! or Jim’s Cleaning franchise.

But I didn’t. My most memorable job is one I did for a friend about 5 years ago. I helped her start a Chutney business and to help her grow her one-man business.

And it worked gangbusters. In fact, she now has her products in her local IGA and has published a recipe book.

Why was that job more satisfying than some huge project I did for a much bigger company?

It was satisfying because I could clearly see the results. I could see how much I had helped my friend and her company.

In other words, I had made a difference and could see it.

With much of our work, we never really get to know if our contribution made any significant difference… The Digital marketing work I did for Office works may have been good, but it certainly didn’t change the trajectory of the company. I couldn’t see the difference I had made.

This is important because as humans we find it deeply satisfying when we can see that our skills and hard work are actually worth something.

Working for money is one thing. But making money is not as meaningful to us as the knowledge that what we do has meaning, and that our work can change lives.

I’m not suggesting you stop working for larger companies, but you might want to consider an occasional job for some very small companies or causes. It doesn’t matter what they pay you, or whether they pay you at all. I never took a penny from my friend.

What matters is that from time to time you get to see and feel that the work you do is important.

Do more work that matters, more for the selfish reason of the satisfaction it gives you…