Passion at Work

"Am I Having the Time of My Life, in the Time of My Life?"

Most people have dreams, but they never manage to make them a reality. They are "scratchers." Like chickens, they peck and scratch at the ground, hoping to dig up a few seeds, never looking up. They work a job to pay the bills and hope that one day, if they earn a lot of money and buy a lot of things, life will improve. However, studies show that once you've provided for your basic needs, accumulating additional money will not make you happier.

Scratchers try to control their lives – a worthy goal. Yet it is an impossible one, because of the "x-factor" – life's unexpected events, such as illnesses, natural disasters and even benign coincidences. You only go around once, so honestly assess your situation. Unfounded optimism or pessimism will only get in your way.

Don't confuse wealth or social status with personal success. Instead, write your own definitions. Think about the things that really matter to you. How do you want people to remember you when you die? Formulate a plan to live and work according to your passions. When you work at something you love, "work" ceases to be work. Instead, it becomes...