A Life at Work

I've been reading Thomas Moore's A Life at Work: The Joy of Doscovering What you Were Born to Do. You may remember him from Care of the Soul. The focus of his most recent book should be obvious from the title. Using the model of the alchemist, he lays out a strategy by which one can go about the quest for one's lifework the way the alchemist would search for the philosopher's gold. Perhaps not the best model, since what the alchemists were after was delusional. But the seriousness of one's quest should not be obscured by the impossibility of achieiving it, else we are all screwed. Here is one quote to give you the general flavor of the work: "Doing work that has not soul is the great hidden malady of our time. Clearly, it would be worth our while as individuals and as a society to address unhappiness at work and discover the deep roots of our discontent. The anceint art of alchemy shows a way: Pay attention to your deep and complex interior life, become more sensitive about relationships, consider your past thoughtfully, and use your imagnation at its full power. Work from teh ground up toward finding the work that will make your life worthwhile"

So far I am enjoying the book quite a bit and will give a fuller report later on. For now I would put this work with What Color is Your Parachute and Po Bronson's What Should I Do With My LIfe as must reads for anyone embarked on a journey for a meaningful career.