Case study. Yuki always said she was only in her job for the paycheck. She really wanted to pay off her student loans and credit card debt, and she worked as many hours as she could to earn the money she needed. She was good at her job and completed her tasks accurately and on time, but seemed to derive little pleasure from it. She worked hard all week and counted the days until Friday. She often seemed unhappy or bored with her work. Her manager asked her what she felt she was working for, what were her goals. Yuki explained that she was working for a paycheck. Her manager then asked what she would be working for when the debt was gone. Yuki couldn’t answer. Her manager suggested she think more broadly about what she was working for and how she could find other rewards in her work. They brainstormed a list of Yuki’s professional and personal goals, and then discussed how Yuki could view her work in the context of these goals. Yuki began to feel more engaged in her work.
