This is a question that a reader actually submitted (thank you, Kenny!), and with no other information, my first reaction is that it is a two-part question:

Part 2 – How do you build a career that supports that purpose?

Knowing what gives you purpose is a prerequisite to building the career that supports this. How do you define purpose? Is it serving a specific goal, such as increasing access to good food? Is it doing something never done before, such as introducing a new product? Is it helping people in some way? Keep in mind that the pursuit of purpose doesn’t imply working for a non-profit or the government. You could work for Whole Foods, Apple, or Zappos (a subsidiary of Amazon), all private sector companies and each an example of providing good food, innovating, and prioritizing people, respectively.

Caroline Ceniza-Levine helps people find fulfilling and financially rewarding careers, as the co-founder of SixFigureStart® career coaching.   As a former executive search and corporate recruiter for over 10 years, Caroline has hired thousands of people for leading companies in financial services, consulting, media, pharmaceutical/ healthcare, and technology. She is the co-author of the best-selling “How the Fierce Handle Fear: Secrets to Succeeding in Challenging Times” 2010, Two Harbors Press; and “Six Steps To Job-Search Success” 2011, Flat World Knowledge.  Caroline is a 2010 grant recipient of the Jones New York Empowerment Fund and a performer with the comedy group Comic Diversity.