I reread the article in the New York Times titled “For the Love Of Money” by Sam Polk, wherein he talks about his being addicted to money (among other harmful substances). Mr. Polk worked on Wall Street as a bond and credit default swap trader, and discusses being disappointed making only $1.5 million in his second year at the hedge fund, and then a few years later while just 30 years old – being very unhappy with a $3.6 million bonus. In 2010 Mr. Polk quit his job after demanding $8 million instead of $3.6 million.

In the article, Mr. Polk talks about something he describes as the addiction to money. He seemed quite candid in revealing his own addictions and shortcomings, and gives credit to hard work and his counselor for helping him make changes. While Sam Polk takes a critical look at himself, he also describes a wealth addict’s distorted perspective. As an example, he mentions McDonald’s CEO Don Thompson whose compensation in 2012 was $14 million – including an $8.5 million bonus – the same year his company published a financial guide for their low wage employees offering advice as to how to survive on low pay. Their budget presumed that workers have a 2nd full-time job (and no heating bill).

While it seems crazy for anyone in Mr. Polk’s shoes (likely expensive and new), to be angry over a $3.8 million bonus, I’m not passing judgment. The world is full of several billion people, from every walk of life. What’s more, there has nearly always been huge differences in wealth.

But the article did have me thinking about choices people make, and what makes for a meaningful work life. We may not always be able to do exactly what we want in our work lives, but it’s probably a worthwhile exercise to think about what is meaningful to us as individuals.

Here is a start at what meaningful work includes (for me):

• The desire to be involved with innovation. Innovation and technology contain the promise of doing things better and faster, of leveraging human capability (bulldozers increased our physical capability, computers leverage our mental capabilities).
• Improve the world. Yes it sounds corny… but it could be argued that everything we do makes a difference. With that in mind, we’re either improving and contributing (being a good parent, volunteering to pick up some trash in our town, holding a door for someone), or we’re not (forwarding more erroneous fear-based emails, doing nothing). Sure, there’s a theoretical neutral line, but my guess is you’re either adding to the good, or not.
• Working alongside great people. Great people not only make it happen, but you can’t help but learn and improve with them as your colleagues. These folks have characteristics that include being: knowledgeable, collaborative, inquisitive, genuine, hardworking, value-driven, creative, generous, thoughtful, striving, open-minded, and having an abundance mentality.
• Personal growth. Humans are designed to learn and grow. Learning feels good and is empowering.
• An opportunity to contribute. Everybody wants to have helped move the needle – whether it’s the calculations that went into cooling the circuit board, the driveline installation instructions, or an element of the product launch campaign – everybody wants to have helped.
• An opportunity to teach. In addition to being natural learners, we all have something to teach. Everybody is an expert at something. Help those around you.
• Being on the team. Sure, we’re each individuals. But it feels good to be a part of a team, to be a contributing colleague, to collaborate wholeheartedly. To not hold back, to be a part of the whole. And yes, it’s best when the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.
• Making a difference. Steve Jobs called Apple’s huge attempts at product innovation… “making a dent in the universe”. Even if your work is not that far reaching, it’s still matters that you’re intent on bettering things, on doing what hasn’t been done before, on making a difference.
• Work hard. This may seem a bit counter-intuitive, but working hard is meaningful because it is necessary for clearing every major hurdle. Hard work moves the seemingly unmovable. It’s what results in new products, improves operating efficiencies, a demonstrable sales tool that wows. It’s what drives revenue.

I could probably come up with a few more…. but money hasn’t even yet made the list.

I’d love to hear what meaningful work includes for you. Please add your thoughts below!

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Tom loves building meaningful businesses and technology (with people who care). Reach him on Twitter @thomastriumph or tomtriumph.com.