Fall in love with your work.

My friend and fellow coach Stephen Mayo has a great site with thought-provoking quotes and questions. One of my favorites is this one, from Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.

Pres. Obama: "How did you keep perspective? [after so much success]"
Jerry Seinfeld: "I fell in love with the work. And the work was joyful and difficult and interesting, and that was my focus"

What would it be like to be in love with our work? Imagine if what you did every day not only challenged you and consumed you but brought you joy and stimulation? I think for many of us, this often isn't the case. And while a job might be "fine for the next few years" or on the surface seem exciting to the people we meet, I think a lot of us ignore the little voice inside us that every so often knocks on our gut or our conscious and says "but surely there's more?" And the challenge, I find (both from my own personal experience as well as my experience with clients) is truly listening to that voice and mustering up the courage and conviction to turn that voice into action.

Another quote that has always stuck with me on this same topic is by Steve Jobs. He said:

“I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.”

What would it be like to live a life where you got to get up every day and go do something you loved? That doesn't need to be something reserved for fantasy or celebrity. There's a passion inside each of us, just waiting to be discovered and executed on.