The Art of Work: A Proven Path to Discovering What You Were Meant to Do

he couldn’t have been living off that money.
“Is it speaking?” I continued. I had explored this as a
potential means of income and been disappointed.
My friend smiled politely. “Yeah, I make a little money
from each of those.” Then he grinned knowingly, looked
around as if to see who was listening, and leaned forward to
tell me something. “Well, to be honest,” he whispered, “if
all those things went away, I’d still be okay.”
“What? Why?”
Smiling again, he said, “Because, and don’t repeat this,
but . . .” I was certain he was going to tell me he was a part
of a drug cartel and invite me to get in on it. “Well, I do a
little advising, some coaching, and mentoring for a few
influential leaders.”
“Oh,” I said, trying to imagine who he was talking
about. George W. Bush, maybe? Or George Clooney? I
could only hope.
But the point, and what I walked away from that
conversation with, was that my friend was living a portfolio
life. Not only was he doing this out of financial necessity, he
was also doing it because it’s what he found most fulfilling.
Most authors I know live portfolio lives. So do graphic
designers and construction workers and self-employed
people. What surprised me, though, is how many people
I’ve met who found their callings through a portfolio of
work. They didn’t do just one thing but instead embraced a
diverse set of activities that formed a complete identity. This
is the way the world works now—and maybe the way it’s