Self-transcendence and Meaningful Work
The Oxford Handbook of Meaningful Work January 10, 2019 Adrian Madden
Meaningful work is often linked to self-transcendence, but the concept remains unclear. This chapter argues that the subjective experience of meaningful work, centered on significance and purpose, leads to understanding meaningfulness as the realization of human potential by connecting inner and outer life along spiritual and social dimensions. It proposes a conceptualization of self-transcendence that emphasizes the intersubjective nature of meaningfulness, raising questions about where meaning is created, how transcendence relates to work tasks, and what a transitory, ineffable state means for research. A shift in future research is needed to understand the self-transcendent nature of experienced meaningfulness.