Sunday, August 23, 2015

#Review: The Art of Work by Jeff Goins



Jeff Goins, a brilliant new voice counting Seth Godin and Jon Acuff among his fans, explains how to abandon the status quo and live a life that matters with true passion and purpose.

The path to your life's work is difficult and risky, even scary, which is why few finish the journey. This is a book about discovering your life's work, that treasure of immeasurable worth we all long for. Its about the task you were born to do.

As Jeff Goins explains, the search begins with passion but does not end there. Only when our interests connect with the needs of the world do we begin living for a larger purpose. Those who experience this intersection experience something exceptional and enviable. Though it is rare, such a life is attainable by anyone brave enough to try.

Through personal experience, compelling case studies, and current research on the mysteries of motivation and talent, Jeff shows readers how to find their vocation and what to expect along the way.
 



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REVIEW

I do not give many 5-star reviews.  When I do, it is because a book has something extra.  A book has to have that certain, "Je ne sais quoi", a broad appeal across genres, and lift us out of our ordinary lives to become something better.  The Art of Work by Jeff Goins is one such book.

Giving a little of my background: 

My father passed away during my senior year in high school.  He was 47 and had a stroke, passing a week later.  He was the first of his family to graduate college.  He had a PhD in Chemical Engineering.  He worked his entire adult life at a defense contractor, because he was good at what he did and it was a responsible job that put food on the table and kept a roof over our heads.  And he hated it.

I started out in college as a Musical Theatre major.  That's a heck of a field of study for a painfully shy introvert.  Due to a disastrous end-of-year audition in the program and a steady pressure from my mother, I switched in my sophomore year to "Business".  That was respectable.  That was something you could tell people without having them go, "tsk, tsk, tsk," and asking you how you were going to make a living.  And I hated it.

Reading The Art of Work was like having a personally-guided tour to the nobility of purpose.  It clearly brought out the difference between a 'job' (what you do to pay the bills) and a career or purpose - which I will define as your best contribution towards making the world a better place to live.

Somewhere along the line, society has pounded it into our skulls that we should keep our noses to the grindstone, our eyes downcast to the job at hand, to maintain the status quo.  Don't look up, don't dare to dream, fulfill the role someone else has decided is your niche.  Oh, and don't ask questions.

Bull cookies!

If you are having trouble seeing your dream or making it happen, you would do well to read The Art of Work.  If you are working on your dream, Jeff Goins's book can be an umbrella to help you hold onto your dreams during the storms of 'real life'.  And if you have achieved your dream?  CONGRATULATIONS!  Read the book anyway.  It's that good.

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MEET THE AUTHOR





Originally from Chicago, Jeff moved to Nashville after graduating from college and spending a year traveling with CTI Music Ministries.

In college, he studied Spanish and Religion. He spent part of his Junior year in Spain, which unlocked a passion for missions, travel, and other cultures.

After a long year of letter-writing and long-distance phone calls, Jeff moved to Tennessee to “see about a girl.” In 2008, he married her.

Jeff lives with his wife Ashley and their dog Lyric and has been working from home for a nonprofit called Adventures in Missions since 2006.

He has written and guest-blogged for a number of publications and blogs. Jeff also helps organizations with their marketing, communications, and creativity. 


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(Disclosure:  I received, well, actually two copies of this print book from Jeff Goins and the publishers in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.)

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This post represents my first day's entry for the 30 Day Blogging Challenge, hosted by Sarah Arrow at Sark Emedia

2 comments:

  1. Wow! This book comes with a very high recommendation. Have added in the TBR list! Thanks for sharing, LuAnn! :)

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  2. This book really does sound like a moving one, which leaves you thinking about life and evaluating why you have the job you might have now, and how much you enjoy it. I do believe in there being a job out there for everyone that should put enough pay in and also make you happy. I hope to find mine in the future someday.

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