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

recalled. She wanted to go beyond the typical “What have
you done for me lately?” conversation. “To me, it was an
obvious thing that you would do for people . . . but then I
realized how rare it was.”
Through her workshops and speaking engagements,
Jody helps people see things in the people they love that
they would otherwise struggle to express. She is, in effect,
using the gift of affirmation she learned at IBM.
After my seven years of working at a nonprofit, I can
relate. Nothing is wasted. No job, no task, no obstacle is
useless, if we are willing to see how it can fit into our
calling. At times, I felt frustrated at having to do a certain
task or answer yet another e-mail. It felt like I was being
held back. But now I realize the truth. There isn’t a day that
goes by when I don’t use some skill learned during those
seven years. It was all preparation for what was to come. As
you explore your own calling, you will be surprised by how
your previous experiences are conspiring to lead you in the
direction of your life’s work. You just have to listen.
Listening to your life begins with doing what none of us
wants to do, with what Larry Elliott chose to do and what
Mike Noland didn’t do. You have to imagine your own
death. When your time comes, what will you regret not
doing? What will you wish you had more time to do, and
what will have seemed trivial? Think of what you fear losing
—those are the things that matter most.
One way to deepen this awareness is to watch other
people. Pay attention to those who love their lives and see