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

He had started a publishing company, which was a dream of
his for a number of years, and I wanted to know more about
how that happened. What led to Jonathan’s transformation
in perspective, turning him from a dreamer into a doer? At
first he was reluctant to share, but I kept prodding until he
caved. Finally he said what changed for him was one simple
phrase. Everything began to change after that, all thanks to a
small but significant shift in vocabulary.
Every week Jonathan and his friends would get together
for dinner, gathering around the kitchen table to talk about
their hopes and dreams and what they would do with their
lives someday.
“One night,” he recalled, “we were all sitting around my
kitchen table, talking like we always did. We were thinking
about what life would be like when our dreams came true, if
only circumstances were different, you know? And then
someone spoke up and said, ‘What if we stopped saying
what if and started saying let’s?’ ”
That was it for Jonathan. It was the challenge he needed
to get started with his dream. Instead of saying “what if,” he
started saying “let’s.” He ditched the dreams and instead
became a person of action. When I spoke with him on the
phone, I could tell something had changed; he was a new
man. It was a small shift—a minor pivot—but it made all the
difference.
The lesson is clear. We can spend our days dreaming of
a better life or do the messy work of getting started today.
You are not just waiting on your calling; your calling is