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Purpose is an aspect of disability that many people struggle with. Developmental psychologist Erik Erikson believed that adults’ lives are enriched by the knowledge that they are contributing to their families and communities. In other words, it is healthy to have a purpose.
Careers are a common method of achieving that enrichment; so much so that career and purpose are often so deeply interwoven that they share a common core. However, career opportunities can be severely limited for some people with disabilities, and that can affect their sense of purpose.
The Problem
Numerous factors contribute to a lack of career opportunities for people with disabilities. However, the most common factors within the United States are an inability to perform all necessary tasks independently, inaccessible job sites, medical conditions which prevent working long hours, and strict employment rules which are attached to vital government healthcare benefits. Progress has been made on the federal and state levels to reduce barriers. However, 80 percent of people with disabilities are still not counted as part of the labor force, and much more needs to be done to bring that statistic down.
Research has consistently linked self-esteem and self-worth to employment status ever since Eisenberg and Lazarsfeld studied the correlation back in 1938. The depression rate alone is currently twice as high in the underemployed, and nearly four times as high in the long-term unemployed. Financial stressors contribute to this, but so do societal stressors. Society has a habit of assigning personal value to job titles, celebrating the blurred and nonexistent lines between personal and professional lives, and using materialistic criteria to measure how well someone provides for their family. In other words, the value others place upon what we do can lead many to undervalue themselves and feel lost.
The Solution
What we do does not determine our value as human beings, but at the same time, what we do is a healthy part of the human experience. Purpose allows people with disabilities to participate in that part of the human experience if employment is currently not an option for them. Participation is important because doing something usually makes someone a part of something. That not only boosts self-esteem and self-worth, but also reduces isolation and loneliness.
Purpose takes many forms. Volunteerism is a popular option among people with disabilities because volunteers typically set the terms of their commitment. Reliable volunteers are also highly valued. As a former development director I can attest to value of a reliable volunteer. Starting small is not a problem because there is nowhere to go but up for reliable volunteers who put in their time. Never underestimate the power of volunteerism. It changes lives, transforms communities, and grants access to people at the highest levels of business and government.
Activism is another popular option because it takes place in both the physical and virtual worlds. This is a great option when leaving the home is difficult. However, caution needs to be taken with virtual activism. It is important to form reciprocal relationships with other people, and avoid parasocial relationships with anonymous Internet users, politicians, social media personalities. Group inclusion can occur virtually, but it can only be fully attained with reciprocal relationships. It goes without saying that activism is a powerful force. Remember the people being pulled from their wheelchairs and carried out of the Capitol? They accomplished more than many lobbyists have throughout their entire careers.
Sometimes a severe disability can leave a person with few options. In those cases purpose can be found in being a good son or daughter, brother or sister, mentor or parent, and friend or neighbor. Being a positive presence in one’s family and community is truly a noble purpose. Achieving it can be as simple as participating in a healthy relationship with another person to the best of one's ability.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that people with disabilities who can do something; need to do something. The mental and physical health benefits alone make it necessary. Replacing isolation with participation leads to better relationships, and happier and longer lives. People with disabilities have a lot of things taken away from them. However, a purpose is difficult to take away from someone – and it is a great way to take some of those things back.
