30–40% of Americans volunteer
Dr. Keltner noted that 30 to 40 percent of Americans volunteer, and returning to this tradition is especially beneficial when feeling exhausted or purposeless.
Snapshot · The Mel Robbins Podcast
Feeling Lost or Behind in Life? The #1 Happiness Expert Explains How to Find Your Purpose
Explore episode
Jul 13, 2026
Where this was said
Finding Your Calling: Amy Wrzesniewski's Framework
At 18:51 · chapter starts 17:40
Dr. Keltner pivots to the science of calling, referencing Yale's Amy Wrzesniewski and her famous research showing that calling is not the exclusive domain of artists or executives. Anyone — including a hospital janitor who literally cleans bedpans — can experience a deep sense of calling if they understand their work as serving a larger human need. The janitor's clarity ('I keep this place clean for the patients') is treated not as a coping mechanism but as a genuine expression of purpose. This framing is liberating: you don't need to change your job, your income, or your life circumstances to access a sense of calling. You need to locate within yourself the question of who you are and what you want to serve in the world.
Calling Doesn't Require Changing Your Job
A hospital janitor who cleaned bedpans said the work was vital because it kept the place clean for patients — and felt a profound calling. A world-class cellist felt connected to the entire history of music through each performance. Calling is about how you see what you do, not what you do.
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