148. Beyond the Grind: Crafting a Career That Leaves a Mark with Prina Shah

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Hello and welcome to this episode of Ways to Change Your Workplace with myself Prina Shah, where we uncover today how you can find ways to optimize your organizational cultures.

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Hello, hello, and welcome to this solo episode of the Ways to Change Your Workplace podcast. And this is quite the powerful episode where we dive deep into what really matters at work. So today's episode is unlike any that I've done before. Why? Because we're not just talking about change, we're talking about creating a legacy. A legacy that goes beyond the office walls, beyond the daily grind, something that will last long after you are gone. And this isn't just theory or motivational fluff. It's the heartbeat of my new book, which is called Make Work Meaningful: How to Create a Culture That Leaves a Legacy. Now, I don't want you just to listen to this episode today. I really want you to feel it. Because if you're tuning in, chances are you are searching for more. More meaning, more impact, more than just ticking off tasks and chasing promotions. Are you ready to make work meaningful? Let's get into this. Let me ask you something. When was the last time you sat back and thought about your career, not in terms of achievements, but in terms of the difference that you are making? We are so caught up in hustle, aren't we? The hustle culture is something else. Meeting targets, deadlines, KPIs. But here's the uncomfortable truth. Those things are just temporary. What lasts is the impact that you leave behind. It's the stories that people will tell about you, the changes that you have sparked, and the people that you have lifted up along the way. So let me take you back to a pivotal moment in my own career journey. I had spent years working hard climbing the corporate ladder, leading amazing HR teams, hitting every milestone. So on paper it looked perfect. But inside, inside, I felt lost. I didn't feel it. It just wasn't there. I was stuck in the daily grind, packed meetings, email approvals, and yet, despite all of that external success, something was missing. I wasn't making the impact that I thought that I was. That was quite the aha moment for me. Maybe you felt this too. That gnawing feeling, that little voice that says, There's gotta be something more than this, you get the job, you get the title, you get the recognition, but that deep, fulfilling sense of accomplishment, it doesn't always come. Yeah, I was achieving stuff, but for the organization and not really for myself. So I would say that I felt like my career was dragged, not driven. I hadn't driven it. I was not the architect of my own career, and I needed to change that. And that's what this book helps you to do. It helps you to be the architect of your own career. Because I know all well and truly how that feels like. And that's exactly why I wrote my book, Make Work Meaningful, because it's not about the next promotion, it's not about getting ahead just for the sake of getting ahead, it's about creating something that lasts, a legacy that changes not just your workplace, but the people in it, the lives they live, and the world around them. Think about it. I say this at length. We spend more of our waking day at work than we do with our loved ones. So our workday has to be a good place to be. We need to make work meaningful. So here's the real question I want you to think about right now. What kind of legacy are you leaving behind? Right now, right today, right? Not until you hit your deathbed or anything. I'm thinking about you within the workplace perspective. Think about it. When you leave your current job, how do you want to be remembered? Are you someone who just clocked in and clocked out? Or are you that person who made that work environment better for everyone? Did you just chase numbers? Or did you build something lasting, something meaningful, right? In my book, I talk about the achievement and legacy paradox. It's a strange space where you've achieved so much titles, rewards, recognition, but you still feel empty. You've reached the top of the mountain, but the view isn't as satisfying as you expected. Why is that? Because success without significance is just a shiny facade. Let me say that again. Success without significance is just a shiny facade. And that's for many of us. You can have all of the achievements in the world, but if they don't align with your deeper values, if they don't leave a lasting impact, they feel hollow. So let me share a personal story from the book. I once worked with a leader who seemed to have it all: a big title, a huge office, a hefty paycheck. But here's the thing: despite all that, their employees did not respect them. Why? Because that person was focused on results. Results and results only. That person was chasing the next big thing, the next financial milestone, without ever stopping to think how that person's decision impacted the people around them. Now, contrast that with another CEO that I worked with. This leader had a simple yet profound mantra. Enjoy the day and be the best that you can be. At first, it seemed like a small thing, just a sign off on emails. But over time, it became the DNA of his organization. His employees began to live by that mantra. In meetings, in tough times, when things didn't go as planned, they would ask each other, How can we be the best that we can be in this moment? That's the power of legacy. It's not about grand gestures, it's not about the daily, seemingly small actions that ripple out and create lasting change. This CEO wasn't just running a business, he was building a culture. A culture where people cared, where they showed up as their best selves, and where they found meaning in their work every single day. So here's the challenge for you. Take a moment right now and ask yourself: what is the culture that you are creating at work? Now, when I talk about organizational culture, people freak out, as well as you know, with the word legacy. Let's not go too macro. Every single one of us has an impact on our organizational culture. You don't need to be in HR, you don't need to be in the executive team, you don't even need to be a frigging leader to impact the culture. You can take reins off the culture yourself and even create a subculture. So, this isn't just about your leadership roles or any leadership roles, whether you're a manager, an executive, or just starting out, you do have the power to influence culture around you. Every interaction, every decision, every moment is an opportunity to leave a legacy. Are you taking that opportunity or are you letting it pass by? What is the mark that you are leaving on your colleagues, on your team, and on your organization? In Make Work Meaningful, I walk you through activities and reflections that will help you not just think about legacy but actively build it. This book, I am telling you, is super practical. At the end of every single chapter, you have some actions and you've got a notebook section as well. This is a personal book, it's gonna be all about you. It's about showing up in a way that makes a real difference, which is true to you and your needs. Because, let's be honest, the workplace needs to change. Work isn't working, and change doesn't start with some top-down mandate, change starts with you, it starts with me, it starts with us right here, deciding that work can and should be meaningful. Now, I know it's easy to get caught up in the daily grind. We have all been there, but let me ask you, when was the last time that you stopped and really thought about the bigger picture? What are you working towards? Not just the next project, but the lasting impact that you want to have. This book isn't just about giving you strategies for career success, it's about guiding you to align your career with your purpose again, so that you can be the architect of your career and not get dragged into a career so you can friggin' drive your career. You can be the driver and not the passenger of your career, let's say, to create a legacy that will resonate long after you have moved on. This isn't just about making your work meaningful for yourself, it's about the ripple effect. When you make work meaningful for you, you make it meaningful for your team, for your organization, and even the people that you don't see by the way, their families, their communities, and that's the power of legacy. It spreads far beyond the full walls of your office or of your workplace. So, if you are listening to this and thinking, yes, I want more, I want my work to matter, I want to leave something behind that makes a difference, then this book is for you. Make work meaningful isn't just a book. It's a guide, it's a companion, it is a call to action. It is full of practical steps that you can take right now, wherever you are in your career, to start building a legacy that matters. But more than that, it's an invitation. An invitation to stop, to reflect, and to ask yourself, what do I want my legacy to be? This book will push you, it will challenge you to think differently, it will challenge you to act differently, and to show up as the best version of yourself every day if you wish to. And when you do, you'll see that work isn't just a place to get things done, it's a place to create meaning, to make an impact, and to leave a lasting legacy. As I said at the beginning of this episode, we spend more time off our waking day at work than we do with our loved ones. It has to be a good place to be. I want you to join me on this journey. Pick up a copy of Make Work Meaning for Today and let's create the change that the workplace so desperately needs. I need a favor from you as well. When you buy the book, also please leave me a review. The more people that hear about this book, the better it gets, and the bigger the movement gets to make work more meaningful. Because we don't need more people clocking in and out. We need people who are ready to leave their mark, who are ready to make their work matter. So are you ready? Come on, let's make work meaningful together. That's over and out for me. Until next time, this is me, Prinasha, reminding you not just to work, but to create something that will last. Make it count, make it meaningful, and leave a legacy that truly matters. And I will see you in the next episode. If you like this episode, check out the show notes and sign up for my newsletter. That will help your workplace to be less shitty. It's full of novel ideas, good food for thought. And if you like this episode, pass it on to at least two people who will benefit. That's your good deed done for the day. 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