Work with Passion

As I mentioned in my opening blog post, I’m starting out this exploration with the support of Nancy Anderson’s Work with Passion: How to do what you love for a living. She initially published this work in 1984. And while not nearly as well known as other such books that subsequently came out, I have always liked hers the best. And over the next several posts, you’ll see why.

I first picked up Work with Passion as I was approaching 30. (For those of you astrology-followers: during my “Saturn Return” -- oh... THAT time of life...)

For me it was that time in life when it’s really hit that school life is behind me, including those early job experiments in retail, administration and temping. It was time to get serious about moving into a CAREER.

I was not one of those people who knew their career goals from birth -- or even upon college graduation. I was -- and remain -- a generalist. With interests in a broad range of topics. How on earth would I CHOOSE?

Back then, this book, with the support of a small group of similarly aged young women asking similar questions, provided a structure for me to explore and establish what would become my career path for the next 20 years.

So it was with some sheepishness that I brought the revised version to the cashier 20 years later (a cashier I might add, who was probably 20 years younger). I mean, c’mon. Shouldn’t I know by NOW what I want to be when I grow up? Hadn’t I figured that out -- at least by my actions -- these last two decades?

I only know that since being laid off, and maybe even earlier, I have had a sense that there is something else out there for me. That it’s time for me to reconnect with what I’m most passionate about. And you know, passions do change-- or at least mature-- along with us. So it really is okay that I’m 50 and picking up this book again, that I’m going to ask myself: just what is it today that makes me feel alive, that moves through my body when (as Anderson describes passion) I care deeply about something, that shows up when I want to do my best and want others to do their best? These things HAVE changed since I was 29. And some that haven’t changed have been sleeping, and long to be awakened.

Please... join with me in the query: When do you feel this sense of passion? When does it show up? How does it make you feel? What do you DO with it?