Discovering the “why”: A qualitative study exploring alignment between an individual’s purpose in life and their work in academic advising

Abstract

Finding and articulating purpose in life has been both an individual pursuit and a line of research for individuals and scholars for decades. Viktor Frankl (1959/2006) noted that purpose in life is profoundly human, individually unique, and exists in each person. In recent decades, the research on purpose in life has grown substantially and has revealed that individuals who have a clear sense of their purpose in life also exhibit a variety of positive life characteristics both personally and professionally. Scholars are beginning to explore the associations between purpose in life and various career groups such as priests, nurses, and social workers. However, at the time of this study, no research has been found around purpose in life as it relates to academic advisors in higher education. This narrative inquiry engaged the theoretical frameworks of Frankl (1959/2006) and Dewey (1938) to enhance understanding of the data. Qualitative analysis revealed that the exploration of life stories allowed primary-role academic advisors to connect with emotions which led to the ability to interrogate the individual meaning assigned to the experiences and, subsequently, a deeper understanding of themselves. Having an unbiased partner to help interrogate those life experiences was an important part of the process. Furthermore, having an awareness of their purpose led to a more intentional focus on the relational aspect of the advising relationship while enhancing individual feelings of resilience in their work. Finally, primary-role academic advisors acknowledged potential conflicts between their purpose and the goals of their institution. Participants identified resources that they felt would help to mitigate these challenges and shared that having an awareness of their purpose would help guide them in their professional goals and potential career moves. Following the presentation of the data, implications for advisors understanding the alignment between their purpose in life and their work are presented and limitations in the current study are discussed with suggestions for future research.