For many years, I worked for large, well-known companies. These companies developed apps that improved the lives of their users, and I’m proud of the work I did at places like GoPro, Intuit, Walmart, Petco, and others.

However, when I took a job at Insulet, my perspective on the value of my work changed. Insulet manufactures an insulin pump called the OmniPod for people with Type 1 diabetes. This pump and a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) communicate to automatically manage users’ (whom we call Podders) blood glucose levels using a proprietary algorithm. Many Podders are young children.

I had the opportunity to meet the parents of some of these children. They shared how the OmniPod gave their kids new freedom – like going on sleepovers for the first time or spending weekends at their grandparents’ house. One mother told me a story that gives me goosebumps every time I think about it.

Her little boy had been diagnosed with diabetes eight years before they started using the OmniPod. She said that thanks to our product, she and her son were able to sleep through the night for the first time in eight years. Eight years.

For eight long years, she would wake her son four times a night to check his blood sugar, giving him either a juice box or insulin depending on the readings. She lived in constant fear of finding him in a coma – or worse.

As a parent, I couldn’t imagine what it must have been like for her. My children are now wonderful young adults, but I remember the exhaustion of being sleep-deprived for a few months when they were infants. Eight years of sleepless nights? It’s unimaginable.

The OmniPod changed all of that for her. She said being able to sleep again made her happier, a better parent, a better wife, a better friend, and a better person.

For the first time, I was working on something that literally changed lives. These kids got to be kids again. The device, and the app we developed to control it, gave them healthier lives by significant, measurable margins.

I’ve since moved on from Insulet, but the lessons I learned there have stayed with me. What we choose to do with our lives – and how we spend our time and energy – matters. I encourage you to reflect on the contribution you’re making to the world. The thing that brings you pride in your work will be different for each of you. Find whatever that is and pursue it.

I’m reminded of the famous quote: “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” While it’s an exaggeration (we did plenty of hard work at Insulet), the mission’s value and the impact we had on our customers’ lives made the work feel lighter and more fulfilling than the same tasks at other companies.

I’ve never worked for a company with as little internal competition as Insulet. Everyone was genuinely pulling in the same direction, truly trying to help each other – because the mission mattered. I’ve heard from colleagues at other diabetes care companies that their cultures benefit similarly from this powerful, motivating mission.

You may find that the mission you’re working on has a similar effect on your company’s culture. Or perhaps it simply motivates you and fuels your passion for your work. I hope you’re involved in projects, teams, and companies that give you that sense of pride. If you’re not, I hope you find it soon.

Have any of you had similar experiences? I’d love to hear your stories, and I’m sure our readers would too. Please comment and share your thoughts!