A Life at Work: The Joy of Discovering What You Were Born To Do
Product Description
All of us have a strong natural desire to feel fulfilled by our work. But many people have been experiencing a growing unhappiness with their work lives. Inevitably, the question being asked is the same: “Why am I doing what I’m doing?”
With his now famous blend of spirituality and psychology, best-selling author and lecturer Thomas Moore walks us through the difficult and transformative process of discovering our deepest purpose in life. He offers a personal, contemplative guide over obstacles such as inflated egos, despair, and fear, which prevent us from finding purpose in our careers. He also shares the struggles of great thinkers and artists who grappled with uncertainty before finding their true calling. For anyone who feels dissatisfied at work or questions the path they have chosen, this book will help them to discover the answers.
A Life at Work: The Joy of Discovering What You Were Born To Do
Dr Cathy Goodwin said,
Wrote on August 30, 2010 @ 10:43 pm
It’s not clear who will be the audience for this book. In my experience, people turn to career books when they face challenges in their own careers. They want a step-by-step guide, or at least some direction.
Moore’s book is about transformation rather than transition. Indeed, his core metaphor is based on the medieval art of alchemy. He offers a number of important insights, based on life experience and his work as a therapist. He reiterates some ideas that have been developed elsewhere. For instance, Rick Jarow emphasized the role of family and early childhood history in career decisions. Others have emphasized the importance of listening to signs, experimenting with different options and combining diverse career interests serially or simultaneously.
The chapters on the daimon and on dreams are more original. He suggests unique approaches to dealing with dreams and interpreting the daimon in one’s life.
On the other hand, Life at Work will be frustrating to many readers. For instance, Moore describes an incident where a dedicated retail salesperson was undermined by his boss. It’s not clear what lesson we’re supposed to learn or what the man can do.
And Moore seems curiously naive about some elements of the workplace. Describing a company retreat, he wishes for more silence and more sense of community. But in today’s corporate environments, you can’t afford to be open and you can’t trust your sense of community. You have to keep your game face and protect yourself. The employer-employee relationship is ultimately an economic one.
Ultimately, though, readers may be most frustrated because Moore seems to be an exceptionally gifted and wise therapist. We’re on our own on this one.
Rating: 4 / 5
Steve Burns said,
Wrote on August 30, 2010 @ 11:38 pm
While this is a nice spiritual book to read along your journey to finding your passion and life work, I did not find it to be very helpful or pragmatic for me.
The author has a very pleasant and engaging writing style that I enjoyed. He uses the metaphors of alchemy to explain the path to creating your life work. He also discusses the belief in the ancient world of us all having an Animus or Daimon that drive our passions and influence us. He also draws on the bible, Buddhism, and ancient mythology along his path to lead us to doing what we were born to do. I liked the fact that he took the focus on simply working and expanded the fact that our life work could be parenhood, our family, our hobbies, our religion, our whatever engages us and enables us to lose our sense of self in something bigger than we are. Beginners will find this book useful, but those of us that have been searching for meaning and a life work for years will likely be disappointed.
Rating: 3 / 5
Butterscotch said,
Wrote on August 31, 2010 @ 2:38 am
This was a nice book if you’re interested in thinking about your problems but not actually doing anything to solve them. The author, a former minister/preacher/theologian has a very calming and insightful way of presenting his outlook and information, but he does nothing in terms of offering practical advice. The problems that he touches upon are centered mainly around work – finding your calling and happiness in your job. I thought he did a great job of explaining the problem, and drawing examples from real life, but he didn’t offer any solutions. And, if you’re reading a book like this it’s probably a safe assumption that you’re searching for answers. You won’t find them here. There are a lot of other books that deal with similar topics: finding happiness in general, finding happiness at work, etc. and I’d suggest venturing into those because they offer useful/useable advice. Some suggestions: Happier by Tal Ben-Shahar, or
Now what? : 90 days to a new life direction by Laura Fortgang.
Rating: 2 / 5
Russ Donda said,
Wrote on August 31, 2010 @ 3:18 am
Thomas Moore, author of Care of the Soul, has just released his newest book, A Life at Work. I have read Care of the Soul numerous times and consider its suggestions and ideas to be profoundly life changing. It’s at the top of my “favorites” book list and I often recommend it to new friends. Whatever was done so splendidly in and with Care of the Soul seems to have now somehow found its true way home. A Life at Work has emerged from the cocoon of Tom’s heart into a healing balm of thoughts, ideas and words fully understandable–yet immeasurably life-changing. In Care of the Soul, I re-read many sentences as I attempted to fully understand the gift of ideas being presented. Not so in this book. Reading, discovery, encouragement and amazement flowed with ease. Perhaps that’s just me. But maybe not.
Whether, you have ever contemplated what it is you should be doing with your life–or perhaps more likely–if someone you know has been giving thought to what they want to do with their life, this Book is a rare, beautiful and precious “gemstone of guidance.”‘ But make no mistake, please: it goes far beyond our selection of the right work. For all of us, Thomas Moore steadily offers hope that a life of beauty, achievement, and tranquility arises from the ordinary–when it’s valued as extraordinary.
Can you tell I am recommending this book? I hope you will enjoy it…
Rating: 5 / 5
William J. Corbett said,
Wrote on August 31, 2010 @ 4:26 am
Thomas Moore teaches from a place of experience, knowledge, in depth study, and vunerability. Soul and heart are often missing in people’s chosen career paths in today’s business climate.
A focus on inner work (removing the log from my eye, instead of focusing on the splinter in other’s eyes) is required to awaken and implement the profound ideas in this 6 star book.
If we don’t connect immediately with the message in A Life at Work, sit with it a while; this gem will put a strong foundation under your dream job. If on the other hand, you find yourself saying, “wow, I really get this, enjoy the ride.
Rating: 5 / 5