Reawakening Your Passion for Work (HBR OnPoint Enhanced Edition) Ebook

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The tragedy of September 11, 2001, provided many of us with the impulse to take stock: "Am I really living the way I want to live?" This impulse to take stock comes up periodically for most of us in far less dramatic circumstances. In normal circumstances, most of us have a passion that drives us. But when that passion fades, we begin to question the meaning of our work. So what are the signals that it's time to take stock? The authors provide us with some traditional feelings: "I feel trapped."; "I'm bored."; "I'm not the person I want to be."; "I won't compromise my ethics."; "I can't ignore the call."; "Life is too short!" It does not necessarily have to be a world tragedy to set these feelings off. The most traditional one is probably the mid-life crisis. Once these signals/feelings are identified, it is vital to listen and respond to them. The authors also provide us with some tools for reflection. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, but there are various approaches available. Probably the simplest one is the call for a time-out. This can take the shape of a sabbatical, or holiday, or taking up a (new) hobby. The second strategy is to find a program. This is a more structured strategy, guiding people as they explore their dreams and open new doors. Others create a "reflective structure", or time and space for self-examination, which can take place a few hours a week, a day or two a month, or a longer period every year. You could also decide to work with a coach to provide you with an outside perspective. This can come from family, friends, and/or colleagues. For most of us, it's not possible to change job or move somewhere new, even if the current situation is undesirable. In those circumstances, you could make some small adjustments so that your work more directly reflects your beliefs and values. This, however, requires courage to take some risks. The authors use various real-life examples from the business world to explain the points.

Unlike Daniel Goleman's previous articles on leadership, this one is more a self-help article. It discusses a problem which we see more and more often in modern society - the classical 'burn-out' - and I mean not just within the business world. The aim of this article is to make us understand when and how we can take stock of our lives and, most helpful, how we can renew our passion. The subject reminds me of Stephen R. Covey's compass ('The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People'), in which we map our goals for our life. I also recommend Peter F. Drucker's 1999-article 'Managing Oneself', in which he advises us to prepare for a life after work. Although the article is published in the Harvard Business Review, it is useful for not just business people. The authors use simple US-English.