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48 Days to the Work You Love
48 Days to the Work You Love is not so much about finding a new job. It is more about learning who we are really called to be. According to the author, failing to make that fundamental discovery is why so many people find themselves in jobs they hate. But now, thousands upon thousands are finding the work they love thanks to practical advice from leading career counselor Miller.
Conversational and creative, Miller helps readers see clear patterns form from which we can make successful career and job decisions by understanding our God-given skills and abilities, personality traits, values, dreams, and passions.
48 Days to the Work You Love provides a step-by-step process for creating a Life Plan and translating that plan into meaningful and fulfilling daily work.
Conversational and creative, Miller helps readers see clear patterns form from which we can make successful career and job decisions by understanding our God-given skills and abilities, personality traits, values, dreams, and passions.
48 Days to the Work You Love provides a step-by-step process for creating a Life Plan and translating that plan into meaningful and fulfilling daily work.
240 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1996
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April 13, 2013
Dan explores this question over and over: What if you were "allowed" to do what you most enjoyed every day?
Millionaires who love what they do and they certainly didn't start out as millionaires. They started out doing what they love to do. :) (That is my conclusion ;)).
"Few obstacles exist beyond those in our mind and even though not all change is positive growth but all growth requires change - change is predictable and inevitable, impersonal and relentless."
From the book.
The concepts are very VERY inspiring and true - Having left my lucrative, work-from-home, 6-figure-income easy job and all its perks and benefits behind because I was bored out of my mind and could not stand the bureaucracy and the hypocrisy, I can SO relate to every word of this book. God bless entrepreneurship, and if I can do it, oh so can ANYONE.
Love the concepts and the quotes and the stories explored in this book. Some of my favorites:
1. Everyone lives on the threshold of job obsolescence and the threshold of opportunity. Guard against letting setbacks embitter you.
2. Miller's story about the "grace of interruption" - the lady who was laid off - and the refreshing pause is a new focus, a force for change .....
3. I loved that he said you cannot have a clear plan and a goal for the future AND be depressed. It just doesn't happen!
4. The most common mistake people make in choosing a career is doing something simply because they are good at it. - Dan Miller
5. If you know where you are going, you can respond to priorities rather than circumstances - Dan Miller
6. Your work should be to plan your work around your life, rather than planning your life around your work.
7. "The wheel of my life" - outer most: my legacy - one layer in: fulfillment of purpose, mission, destiny, calling.
8. The top characteristics of high achievers: the speed of implementation.
9. And there, caught between exciting dreams and the fear of failure, boring career paths are born. - dan miller.
10. Don't choose just the safe path and be done with it.
11. He offers a practical step by step advice on how to get a job, an interview, get your resume out there, write it up, connect with others,
You will learn so much from reading this book - from salary negotiation, looking for a job the RIGHT way, understanding how to go about seeking something that you can really love and connect with, and practical skills infused with a lot of inspiration. Miller isn't saying that we should all go out there and become self-employed superstars - although I highly recommend it for the brilliant ones out there and well, most if not all of you are brilliant but the corporate numbness has probably quieted that genius....
He is however insisting that you do work that you love, and he gives you the roadmap to find it in 48 days.
I highly recommend this book.
Millionaires who love what they do and they certainly didn't start out as millionaires. They started out doing what they love to do. :) (That is my conclusion ;)).
"Few obstacles exist beyond those in our mind and even though not all change is positive growth but all growth requires change - change is predictable and inevitable, impersonal and relentless."
From the book.
The concepts are very VERY inspiring and true - Having left my lucrative, work-from-home, 6-figure-income easy job and all its perks and benefits behind because I was bored out of my mind and could not stand the bureaucracy and the hypocrisy, I can SO relate to every word of this book. God bless entrepreneurship, and if I can do it, oh so can ANYONE.
Love the concepts and the quotes and the stories explored in this book. Some of my favorites:
1. Everyone lives on the threshold of job obsolescence and the threshold of opportunity. Guard against letting setbacks embitter you.
2. Miller's story about the "grace of interruption" - the lady who was laid off - and the refreshing pause is a new focus, a force for change .....
3. I loved that he said you cannot have a clear plan and a goal for the future AND be depressed. It just doesn't happen!
4. The most common mistake people make in choosing a career is doing something simply because they are good at it. - Dan Miller
5. If you know where you are going, you can respond to priorities rather than circumstances - Dan Miller
6. Your work should be to plan your work around your life, rather than planning your life around your work.
7. "The wheel of my life" - outer most: my legacy - one layer in: fulfillment of purpose, mission, destiny, calling.
8. The top characteristics of high achievers: the speed of implementation.
9. And there, caught between exciting dreams and the fear of failure, boring career paths are born. - dan miller.
10. Don't choose just the safe path and be done with it.
11. He offers a practical step by step advice on how to get a job, an interview, get your resume out there, write it up, connect with others,
You will learn so much from reading this book - from salary negotiation, looking for a job the RIGHT way, understanding how to go about seeking something that you can really love and connect with, and practical skills infused with a lot of inspiration. Miller isn't saying that we should all go out there and become self-employed superstars - although I highly recommend it for the brilliant ones out there and well, most if not all of you are brilliant but the corporate numbness has probably quieted that genius....
He is however insisting that you do work that you love, and he gives you the roadmap to find it in 48 days.
I highly recommend this book.
February 6, 2008
Having heard so much about this book and being on the waiting list at the library for over a month to read it, I expected it to provide a profusion of insight and inspiration. I got both, but only in manageable bite-size pieces.
Had I read this in college when I thought I knew what I was doing, it would have had a greater impact on me. Now that I'm in my thirties and I know I don't know what I'm doing, any chance of epiphany was demoted to a mere ping of intrigue. Not that I didn't enjoy this book, which was written in the same writing style Dave Ramsey is known for, I just found that before I read it I was a technical writer, and now that I'm done reading it, I'm still a technical writer.
Had I read this in college when I thought I knew what I was doing, it would have had a greater impact on me. Now that I'm in my thirties and I know I don't know what I'm doing, any chance of epiphany was demoted to a mere ping of intrigue. Not that I didn't enjoy this book, which was written in the same writing style Dave Ramsey is known for, I just found that before I read it I was a technical writer, and now that I'm done reading it, I'm still a technical writer.
November 2, 2009
I'm a fan of Dan's podcast but I wasn't fond of the book. There were some generalities in the text that felt like filler to me. An example, about the way people act when dissatisfied with their job (p. 45) "I see women stop going to church, spend money they do not have, read romance novels rather than inspirational material, and snap at their kids when asked an innocent question."
I guess instead of this vague anecdotal stuff, I'd prefer some sort of fact, such as, "78% of people polled who experienced poor job satisfaction also had one or more credit cards in arrears." Or something tangible and concrete.
And what's that romance novel crack supposed to mean?
I guess instead of this vague anecdotal stuff, I'd prefer some sort of fact, such as, "78% of people polled who experienced poor job satisfaction also had one or more credit cards in arrears." Or something tangible and concrete.
And what's that romance novel crack supposed to mean?
January 29, 2009
I'm skimming this one. It's turned out to be really vague, which I first realized when I discovered that the book, while suggesting you take 48 days to work on it, is not actually broken down into 48 day sections. Nor does it give you many concrete ideas on *how* to find your vocation, just that you should.
It does have some good quotes, both scripture and secular (it's a heavily Christian-oriented book), which are comforting and inspiring. Also, some of the points he makes serve to reassure me that I do have an okay idea of work and that it *should* be joyful. He even purports that God would want it that way! For example, I like his explanation of the difference between vocation, career, and a job.
Alas, I think this book would have been personally more helpful for me when I first left my stressful & joyless job to clean up my act (and my house) and learn some essential self-care techniques.
It does have some good quotes, both scripture and secular (it's a heavily Christian-oriented book), which are comforting and inspiring. Also, some of the points he makes serve to reassure me that I do have an okay idea of work and that it *should* be joyful. He even purports that God would want it that way! For example, I like his explanation of the difference between vocation, career, and a job.
Alas, I think this book would have been personally more helpful for me when I first left my stressful & joyless job to clean up my act (and my house) and learn some essential self-care techniques.
August 12, 2016
It's just another job search manual.
This book will help you if you're looking for a traditional job. It contains advice on resume writing and job search tactics, and a thorough section on interviewing skills.
But if "the work you love" is nontraditional -- freelance work or self-employment -- look elsewhere. Despite the author's admission that "the new normal" includes more such work, the job-hunting sections assume that "work" means a place on a corporate payroll. There are only two chapters about self-employment. The first spends a lot of time convincing you it can be done--but doesn't give details about how. The other offers a bunch of anecdotes, but no tactics for starting a business or advice for freelancers.
The sections on self-discovery -- figuring out who you are and what kind of work might be "the work you love" -- are also pretty flimsy. So look elsewhere if you're trying to discover what work is a good fit for you.
Some parts of this book are quite inspirational, but ultimately I can't recommend it. In addition to scattered typos ("tot" instead of "to" -- in all-caps, no less; an R missing from "unfotunately"), there's a clear lack of proofreading and fact-checking. The name of the famous missionary David Livingstone is misspelled, omitting the final E. The average time Americans spend in a job is variously given as 2.2 years and 3.2 years. One of them may be right, but which?
Most troubling to me is the repetition of the myth that claims Sir Ernest Shackleton placed a terse classified ad to recruit a South Pole expedition crew. It only takes a Google to learn that this anecdote remains unsubstantiated despite the best efforts the Antarctic Circle organization to prove it. (See http://www.antarctic-circle.org/adver... for more.) Miller's inclusion of this misinformation leads me to wonder what else in the book may be incorrect.
This book will help you if you're looking for a traditional job. It contains advice on resume writing and job search tactics, and a thorough section on interviewing skills.
But if "the work you love" is nontraditional -- freelance work or self-employment -- look elsewhere. Despite the author's admission that "the new normal" includes more such work, the job-hunting sections assume that "work" means a place on a corporate payroll. There are only two chapters about self-employment. The first spends a lot of time convincing you it can be done--but doesn't give details about how. The other offers a bunch of anecdotes, but no tactics for starting a business or advice for freelancers.
The sections on self-discovery -- figuring out who you are and what kind of work might be "the work you love" -- are also pretty flimsy. So look elsewhere if you're trying to discover what work is a good fit for you.
Some parts of this book are quite inspirational, but ultimately I can't recommend it. In addition to scattered typos ("tot" instead of "to" -- in all-caps, no less; an R missing from "unfotunately"), there's a clear lack of proofreading and fact-checking. The name of the famous missionary David Livingstone is misspelled, omitting the final E. The average time Americans spend in a job is variously given as 2.2 years and 3.2 years. One of them may be right, but which?
Most troubling to me is the repetition of the myth that claims Sir Ernest Shackleton placed a terse classified ad to recruit a South Pole expedition crew. It only takes a Google to learn that this anecdote remains unsubstantiated despite the best efforts the Antarctic Circle organization to prove it. (See http://www.antarctic-circle.org/adver... for more.) Miller's inclusion of this misinformation leads me to wonder what else in the book may be incorrect.
December 22, 2010
Don’t be scared when I tell you I am a huge fan of Dave Ramsey. Really, you don’t have to be scared because this book review is only about a book he consistently recommends to callers on his radio show. Now, I’m not looking for a job as I am quite happy with the one I have, but I am intrigued by Ramsey’s consistently suggesting books to his callers and he pretty much always has a specific title matching each caller’s particular challenge. I wanted to check the quality and caliber of his suggestions and picked 48 Days simply because the book and CD were both available simultaneously.
I’m so glad I took the time to investigate. If you are unemployed, this is a must read. If you are unhappily employed, this is a must read. If you are happily employed, read it as a reminder of why that is true. Miller examines the how and why of the typical American’s choice to perform work that we find tedious, distasteful and do not enjoy. He then shows examples of real people who transformed their passion into successful careers. Each chapter concludes with questions designed to assist in pinpointing your natural talents.
I only skimmed over the chapters on resumes and interviewing, but the chapter on effective job searching was fascinating simply in that Miller explains why current accepted job search strategies are obsolete and suggests strategies for success.
Miller’s work is truly inspirational and I plan on suggesting it to many.
I’m so glad I took the time to investigate. If you are unemployed, this is a must read. If you are unhappily employed, this is a must read. If you are happily employed, read it as a reminder of why that is true. Miller examines the how and why of the typical American’s choice to perform work that we find tedious, distasteful and do not enjoy. He then shows examples of real people who transformed their passion into successful careers. Each chapter concludes with questions designed to assist in pinpointing your natural talents.
I only skimmed over the chapters on resumes and interviewing, but the chapter on effective job searching was fascinating simply in that Miller explains why current accepted job search strategies are obsolete and suggests strategies for success.
Miller’s work is truly inspirational and I plan on suggesting it to many.
August 27, 2013
This was a very good book. I liked it more than the remainder of this critique indicates.
I do have some criticisms though. I would have liked to have seen more practical substance. Miller's chapter on resumes was excellent and I liked the chapter on interviews. The appendices were great practical exercises.
I feel Miller spent to much time discussing whether I was an eagle or an owl or whether the spokes in my wheel of life where balanced. These were interesting, but the first five chapters could have been condensed into two and chapters six through eleven could have been enhanced and additions made.
I do have some criticisms though. I would have liked to have seen more practical substance. Miller's chapter on resumes was excellent and I liked the chapter on interviews. The appendices were great practical exercises.
I feel Miller spent to much time discussing whether I was an eagle or an owl or whether the spokes in my wheel of life where balanced. These were interesting, but the first five chapters could have been condensed into two and chapters six through eleven could have been enhanced and additions made.
August 2, 2018
The thing is, I agree with Dan Miller on just about everything. I'm just annoyed by the way he says it. Maybe back in 1996 or whenever this was published the stories represented something new and innovative. Today it all sounds stale and overused. His mantras and end of chapter questions came across more used car-salesmen than I think is intended.
I'm sure this is a useful book and maybe I'm just reading it at the wrong "stage" of my life. I've known what I wanted to do since I was 6. But still, I hoped for something a little more from this one and did not get it.
I'm sure this is a useful book and maybe I'm just reading it at the wrong "stage" of my life. I've known what I wanted to do since I was 6. But still, I hoped for something a little more from this one and did not get it.
March 17, 2011
I had owned this book for about a year before reading it. I don't even remember where I got it. But I will tell you, this book was one of the main reasons that I am no longer in a rut! As a direct result of reading this book, I applied for a job at About.com and started my own website (www.lifewellread.com). It encourages you to find the career path that you were meant to have based on your personality and individuality. It also just gives you hope for the future. Sometimes thats all we need.
March 10, 2017
Right, so I gave up on page 117, which I don't know how to show in the new Goodreads format with the multiple reading thing. Arg for changes.
I gave up mostly because the friend who loaned this to me needed it back, but I also gave up because I just couldn't be bothered to finish this. While I appreciate his enthusiasm for the book, I’m afraid I don’t share and wasn’t all that bummed about having to return it without having finished it.
This came out in 2005--and it shows: “The workplace today is filled with new and exciting opportunities. Unemployment is at a relative low, and companies are desperately seeking new workers” (54). Hahahahahaha *ahem* I'm sorry, but three scant years later the crash basically killed all of this. And that's not necessarily Miller's fault in the sense that he didn't cause and perhaps couldn't have foreseen that any of that would happen. It does date the book tremendously, though, especially because he hammers in the idea that there's no excuse for being at an unfulfilling job. I realize this is a pep-talk kind of book, but I'd think it's unwise from a publishing standpoint to count on a booming economy for your advice to be of value.
There's also a very specific audience intended for that, namely the upwardly mobile middle class. The idea of "succeeding" (read: gaining titles and wealth) in the workplace is what Miller assumes you want, not necessarily in a crass way but definitely in an old-fashioned American Dream kind of way. Again, that dates the book significantly; as a poor millennial with a crap ton of educational debt and a desire to make a difference in the world, I never felt like Miller even knew I existed as a possible reader.
My biggest issue with this was that is veers very close to the Prosperity Gospel and the idea that remaining unemployed is all on you; on page 65 there's a story of guy who spiraled downward and “I had him start going to the YMCA each morning. This kept his mind occupied, his energy focused and away from the Pringles and television…I truly believe that the energy and vitality that exploded out of his physical well-being positioned him to very quickly bounce back in the initial areas of lack—which he did.” News flash, especially post-recession: not everyone who’s unemployed is fat, lazy, and sad—and, as Miller mentions later, seeking employment is a full-time job, so who does Miller know who has time to sit around and eat Pringles?
There's a ton of judgment here about what work should look like and what is acceptable in work/life balance; I'm not one to care much about celebrities, but on page 67 Miller gets into Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman (again, whoa the dating) for splitting because of their careers. Miller says they put their careers ahead of their family and they didn't need to because they're hella rich. A) Even celebrities can want their work to matter, so “Do they have to keep their work schedules to make the mortgage payment? No, this is just an extreme example of misplaced priorities!” is LITERALLY GOING AGAINST EVERYTHING YOU’VE JUST SAID ABOUT WHY WE WORK and b) yes, they’re allowed to choose career over family if their career is coloring everything else and making them miserable. Stfu.
There is a handful of good advice, and I promise I'll get to that, but there's so much bad advice here like Miller's assessment that walking into a place and saying you’re interested in a job is a better way to land employment than internet connections. I agree that it's who rather than what you know, but just strolling up to a counter and asking for a job they may not even be advertising simply doesn’t fly anymore, unless I’m missing something. True, don’t send out a bajillion resumes to HotJobs listings and sit back and wait, but marching into Google with an informed sense of your abilities isn’t going to go as far as you seem to think it will (also, hello privilege).
Speaking of which, p. 105: “But critics say the rules set up on the 1970s [about how long they have to keep resumes on file] don’t work in the Internet age because it’s difficult to know the race of faceless online applicants and keeping resumes doesn’t make good sense.” You didn’t set up why race matters here AT ALL (like explaining that the rules were set in place for Affirmative Action or some such) so why on earth did you mention that, white guy?
The good parts: chapter six is on resumes and seems most helpful, taken with a grain of salt. There's the advice to take the initiative in a cover letter and say "I will call to follow up on..." and not leave the ball in the company's court to contact you. I may incorporate that as a trial run.
I didn’t even bother with the indices of resources. There are way better job books than this. And that it's from a Christian perspective just feels forced and weird. Nope. Not finishing.
I gave up mostly because the friend who loaned this to me needed it back, but I also gave up because I just couldn't be bothered to finish this. While I appreciate his enthusiasm for the book, I’m afraid I don’t share and wasn’t all that bummed about having to return it without having finished it.
This came out in 2005--and it shows: “The workplace today is filled with new and exciting opportunities. Unemployment is at a relative low, and companies are desperately seeking new workers” (54). Hahahahahaha *ahem* I'm sorry, but three scant years later the crash basically killed all of this. And that's not necessarily Miller's fault in the sense that he didn't cause and perhaps couldn't have foreseen that any of that would happen. It does date the book tremendously, though, especially because he hammers in the idea that there's no excuse for being at an unfulfilling job. I realize this is a pep-talk kind of book, but I'd think it's unwise from a publishing standpoint to count on a booming economy for your advice to be of value.
There's also a very specific audience intended for that, namely the upwardly mobile middle class. The idea of "succeeding" (read: gaining titles and wealth) in the workplace is what Miller assumes you want, not necessarily in a crass way but definitely in an old-fashioned American Dream kind of way. Again, that dates the book significantly; as a poor millennial with a crap ton of educational debt and a desire to make a difference in the world, I never felt like Miller even knew I existed as a possible reader.
My biggest issue with this was that is veers very close to the Prosperity Gospel and the idea that remaining unemployed is all on you; on page 65 there's a story of guy who spiraled downward and “I had him start going to the YMCA each morning. This kept his mind occupied, his energy focused and away from the Pringles and television…I truly believe that the energy and vitality that exploded out of his physical well-being positioned him to very quickly bounce back in the initial areas of lack—which he did.” News flash, especially post-recession: not everyone who’s unemployed is fat, lazy, and sad—and, as Miller mentions later, seeking employment is a full-time job, so who does Miller know who has time to sit around and eat Pringles?
There's a ton of judgment here about what work should look like and what is acceptable in work/life balance; I'm not one to care much about celebrities, but on page 67 Miller gets into Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman (again, whoa the dating) for splitting because of their careers. Miller says they put their careers ahead of their family and they didn't need to because they're hella rich. A) Even celebrities can want their work to matter, so “Do they have to keep their work schedules to make the mortgage payment? No, this is just an extreme example of misplaced priorities!” is LITERALLY GOING AGAINST EVERYTHING YOU’VE JUST SAID ABOUT WHY WE WORK and b) yes, they’re allowed to choose career over family if their career is coloring everything else and making them miserable. Stfu.
There is a handful of good advice, and I promise I'll get to that, but there's so much bad advice here like Miller's assessment that walking into a place and saying you’re interested in a job is a better way to land employment than internet connections. I agree that it's who rather than what you know, but just strolling up to a counter and asking for a job they may not even be advertising simply doesn’t fly anymore, unless I’m missing something. True, don’t send out a bajillion resumes to HotJobs listings and sit back and wait, but marching into Google with an informed sense of your abilities isn’t going to go as far as you seem to think it will (also, hello privilege).
Speaking of which, p. 105: “But critics say the rules set up on the 1970s [about how long they have to keep resumes on file] don’t work in the Internet age because it’s difficult to know the race of faceless online applicants and keeping resumes doesn’t make good sense.” You didn’t set up why race matters here AT ALL (like explaining that the rules were set in place for Affirmative Action or some such) so why on earth did you mention that, white guy?
The good parts: chapter six is on resumes and seems most helpful, taken with a grain of salt. There's the advice to take the initiative in a cover letter and say "I will call to follow up on..." and not leave the ball in the company's court to contact you. I may incorporate that as a trial run.
I didn’t even bother with the indices of resources. There are way better job books than this. And that it's from a Christian perspective just feels forced and weird. Nope. Not finishing.
February 26, 2012
This book would be great for people who have no idea what they want to do with their lives, people who have no idea who they are, and people who don't know their strengths and weaknesses. It would also be good for people who want to start their own business.
Who it's not good for: people who already know what they want to do and need help breaking into a difficult job market. This is me. So needless to say I didn't find this book extremely helpful. I appreciated the resume tips, job hunting tips, and interview advice. Everything else, though, didn't pertain to my situation at all so I felt like much of it was a waste of my time. I know who I am, what I like, what my strengths are, and what I want. What I don't know is exactly how to get it.
The book did give me some good job hunting tips that I feel will help me stand out from everyone else, but I felt some of the "tips" would be a little annoying to most employers. There is a fine line between being persistent and looking annoying and desperate and possibly disturbed. Some of the author's advice was definitely leaning toward the "possibly disturbed" side. . . I kept thinking, "If I was an employer and someone was doing this to get my attention, I would be seriously annoyed and wouldn't even consider hiring them."
When it comes to this book's advice, I'll take some, I'll leave some. The stuff I took, I'll use it. There is some good in here. Unfortunately you have to wade through a giant bog of "self discovery" to get to it.
Who it's not good for: people who already know what they want to do and need help breaking into a difficult job market. This is me. So needless to say I didn't find this book extremely helpful. I appreciated the resume tips, job hunting tips, and interview advice. Everything else, though, didn't pertain to my situation at all so I felt like much of it was a waste of my time. I know who I am, what I like, what my strengths are, and what I want. What I don't know is exactly how to get it.
The book did give me some good job hunting tips that I feel will help me stand out from everyone else, but I felt some of the "tips" would be a little annoying to most employers. There is a fine line between being persistent and looking annoying and desperate and possibly disturbed. Some of the author's advice was definitely leaning toward the "possibly disturbed" side. . . I kept thinking, "If I was an employer and someone was doing this to get my attention, I would be seriously annoyed and wouldn't even consider hiring them."
When it comes to this book's advice, I'll take some, I'll leave some. The stuff I took, I'll use it. There is some good in here. Unfortunately you have to wade through a giant bog of "self discovery" to get to it.
November 24, 2012
Way too preachy (from a Christianity stand point) which is disappointing as there is some really quality stuff in side. If you don't mind stuff that overtly laden with Christian view points this is definitely a good read. If you are in the job market and actively submitting resumes and/or interviewing this book is probably a must read. If you are not happy in your current job this is probably worth reading.
September 16, 2021
Motivational and fairly practical career advice, backed by the author's coaching experience and Christian perspective. The book's goal is to help you create an action plan for finding or creating work that's meaningful, fulfilling, and profitable, based on how God has uniquely gifted you in 1) skills and abilities, 2) personality tendencies, and 3) values, dreams, and passion. Instead of a rational analysis or series of tests to define your abilities, it teaches you to pay attention to what God has already revealed to you in the people, events, and activities that evoke the strongest response in you.
There are many valuable self-evaluation questions to guide your thinking. I like that Miller recommends that you consider self-employment and non-traditional employment as an alternative to finding a traditional job. I also like that he cautions that higher education isn't the right choice for everyone. Still, much more of the book covers how to get a traditional job than to be self-employed.
There are parts of the book that seem aligned with the Prosperity Gospel (God wants you to love your work, and if you do work you love, you'll succeed financially). When he talks about "sanctified ignorance" Miller seems to suggest that those in ministry (or other fields) who struggle financially are living life incorrectly. That doesn't seem to square with the poverty of many Old Testament prophets, New Testament disciples and apostles, and other believers in the Bible.
The book is a bit repetitive. I skimmed the sections on higher education and finding a job (finding openings, creating a resume, interviewing, negotiating salary, etc.) because those areas aren't relevant to me right now.
I first heard about this book through the 48 Days Podcast which I listened to somewhere around 2009-2011.
You can download the book's resources by opting in at http://www.48days.com/worksheets/.
Notes
What Is Work?
The Millionaire Mind found that the one characteristic millionaires have in common is doing work they love.
Questions to ask about career choice
• What was I born to do?
• What would be my greatest contribution to others?
• What do I really love to do (and when I'm doing it, time flies)?
• What are the recurring themes I find myself drawn to?
• How do I want to be remembered?
Countdown to Work I Love
• From looking at your work life so far, what has been of the greatest value or worth?
• What would be the key characteristics of an ideal job or career?
• When you daydream, what do you see yourself doing?
• What have been the happiest, most fulfilling moments in your life?
Creating a Life Plan
"When there is an alignment of our skills, abilities, talents, personality traits, and passions, we will recognize 'God's call.' We will have found our sweet spot and we'll experience work that is fulfilling, meaningful, purposeful, and profitable."
Calling is broader than career; it's your purpose or mission. E.g., reduce pain and suffering in world. Multiple careers could fulfill a calling. E.g., physician, counselor, pastor, scientist.
Career isn't the only way to fulfill one's calling.
"There is no forever career - only a forever calling. The application in career can change repeatedly."
To overcome financial limitations of a career, do what majority of others in that career aren't doing.
Countdown to Work I Love
• Can you tell me what success means for you this year?
• Are you where you thought you'd be at this stage of your life?
• Do you go home at night with a sense of meaning, purpose, and accomplishment?
Success Is More Than a Job
"Don't think that your dreams need to be new and revolutionary. … even those who end up extremely wealthy are not necessarily doing something rare; rather the critical element is that they are doing something they truly enjoy!"
The Cure for Divine Discontentment
Don't think primarily about what you can do, but about what you enjoy and are drawn to.
My personality: Compliance (Analytical) - Beaver - Owl.
Values, dreams, passions
• If money were not important, what would you spend your time doing?
• What did you enjoy as a child but perhaps have been told was unrealistic or impractical to focus on as a career?
"It's better to focus on your uniqueness and do that with excellence then to end up with mediocrity in several areas." Rule of thumb: work where you are strongest 80% of the time, where you are learning 15% of the time, where you are weak 5% of the time.
"Any skill God has given you can be used for ministry. … our unique work is our best opportunity for sharing with the world."
Does My Work Have Any Meaning?
• What special abilities has God given you?
• What special desires has He put in your heart?
• How do you like to relate to people?
• Do you enjoy lots of people-contact, or are you more task-oriented?
• Do you like to create, innovate, and go where no one has gone before, or do you prefer to be part of an established team?
"Don't be misdirected even if you are presented with something that appears 'godly' … If God has not gifted you in the things required there, you will be miserable and so will those around you." 1 Peter 4:10.
Countdown to Work I Love
• In what kind of settings are you most comfortable?
• How do you respond to management?
• How would you manage people?
• Are you better working with people, things, or ideas?
• Are you more analytical, detailed, and logical, or are you one to see the big picture and respond with emotion and enthusiasm?
• Are you steady and predictable, or do you seek variety and new challenges?
• Are you verbal and persuasive, or are you the caring, empathetic listener?
• What strengths have others noticed in you?
Show Me Your Promo Materials
Countdown to Work I Love
• Can you see value in those things you may have done as a volunteer through your church or community?
• Has God given you abilities that do not match your desires? If so, how can you reconcile those?
Being the Boss You Always Wanted to Have
Do you have what it takes to be self-employed?
• Are you a self-starter?
• Do you get along with different kinds of people?
• Do you have a positive outlook?
• Are you able to make decisions?
• Are you able to accept responsibility?
• Do you enjoy competition?
• Do you have willpower and self-discipline?
• Do you plan ahead?
• Can you take advice from others?
• Are you adaptable to changing conditions?
• Can you stick with it?
• Do you have a high level of confidence and belief in what you are doing?
• Do you enjoy what you are going to do?
• Can you sell yourself and your ideas?
• Are you prepared to work long hours?
• Do you have the physical and emotional energy to run a business?
• Do you have the support of your family and/or spouse?
• Are you willing to risk your own money in this venture?
"The characteristics that make a person a good employee are often the exact opposite of those that make a successful self-employed individual. Being loyal, predictable, and doing what others expect may, in fact, sabotage your best entrepreneurial efforts."
Key ingredients for business success: ability to plan, organize, communicate. 85% of success is from people skills (attitude, enthusiasm, self-discipline) and 15% is due to technical skills.
You don't have to be creative or original to be successful in business. "If you can do something 10 percent better than it's currently being done, or provide added value, you can be wildly successful."
Dream, Plan, and Act
"Remember the story of the ten talents. If you have the ability to increase your responsibilities and income and channel it wisely, then not doing so may be poor stewardship."
There are many valuable self-evaluation questions to guide your thinking. I like that Miller recommends that you consider self-employment and non-traditional employment as an alternative to finding a traditional job. I also like that he cautions that higher education isn't the right choice for everyone. Still, much more of the book covers how to get a traditional job than to be self-employed.
There are parts of the book that seem aligned with the Prosperity Gospel (God wants you to love your work, and if you do work you love, you'll succeed financially). When he talks about "sanctified ignorance" Miller seems to suggest that those in ministry (or other fields) who struggle financially are living life incorrectly. That doesn't seem to square with the poverty of many Old Testament prophets, New Testament disciples and apostles, and other believers in the Bible.
The book is a bit repetitive. I skimmed the sections on higher education and finding a job (finding openings, creating a resume, interviewing, negotiating salary, etc.) because those areas aren't relevant to me right now.
I first heard about this book through the 48 Days Podcast which I listened to somewhere around 2009-2011.
You can download the book's resources by opting in at http://www.48days.com/worksheets/.
Notes
What Is Work?
The Millionaire Mind found that the one characteristic millionaires have in common is doing work they love.
Questions to ask about career choice
• What was I born to do?
• What would be my greatest contribution to others?
• What do I really love to do (and when I'm doing it, time flies)?
• What are the recurring themes I find myself drawn to?
• How do I want to be remembered?
Countdown to Work I Love
• From looking at your work life so far, what has been of the greatest value or worth?
• What would be the key characteristics of an ideal job or career?
• When you daydream, what do you see yourself doing?
• What have been the happiest, most fulfilling moments in your life?
Creating a Life Plan
"When there is an alignment of our skills, abilities, talents, personality traits, and passions, we will recognize 'God's call.' We will have found our sweet spot and we'll experience work that is fulfilling, meaningful, purposeful, and profitable."
Calling is broader than career; it's your purpose or mission. E.g., reduce pain and suffering in world. Multiple careers could fulfill a calling. E.g., physician, counselor, pastor, scientist.
Career isn't the only way to fulfill one's calling.
"There is no forever career - only a forever calling. The application in career can change repeatedly."
To overcome financial limitations of a career, do what majority of others in that career aren't doing.
Countdown to Work I Love
• Can you tell me what success means for you this year?
• Are you where you thought you'd be at this stage of your life?
• Do you go home at night with a sense of meaning, purpose, and accomplishment?
Success Is More Than a Job
Knowing God's will is not some passive guessing game. Rather it is taking what God has already revealed to us and developing a plan of action. And that revelation comes through our bodies, minds, hearts, and spirits. Yes, we are submissive to God's will, but God is not an angry taskmaster. He will not force you to be miserable day after day. The secret to creating a career that is both nurturing to the soul and the pocketbook is … to find where 'your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet.' … We cannot talk ourselves into doing something we do not inherently enjoy, no matter how spiritual that something may appear to those around us.""The Bible does not rank the godliness of occupations, but well-meaning people often do."
"Don't think that your dreams need to be new and revolutionary. … even those who end up extremely wealthy are not necessarily doing something rare; rather the critical element is that they are doing something they truly enjoy!"
The Cure for Divine Discontentment
Don't think primarily about what you can do, but about what you enjoy and are drawn to.
My personality: Compliance (Analytical) - Beaver - Owl.
Values, dreams, passions
• If money were not important, what would you spend your time doing?
• What did you enjoy as a child but perhaps have been told was unrealistic or impractical to focus on as a career?
"It's better to focus on your uniqueness and do that with excellence then to end up with mediocrity in several areas." Rule of thumb: work where you are strongest 80% of the time, where you are learning 15% of the time, where you are weak 5% of the time.
"Any skill God has given you can be used for ministry. … our unique work is our best opportunity for sharing with the world."
Does My Work Have Any Meaning?
• What special abilities has God given you?
• What special desires has He put in your heart?
• How do you like to relate to people?
• Do you enjoy lots of people-contact, or are you more task-oriented?
• Do you like to create, innovate, and go where no one has gone before, or do you prefer to be part of an established team?
"Don't be misdirected even if you are presented with something that appears 'godly' … If God has not gifted you in the things required there, you will be miserable and so will those around you." 1 Peter 4:10.
Countdown to Work I Love
• In what kind of settings are you most comfortable?
• How do you respond to management?
• How would you manage people?
• Are you better working with people, things, or ideas?
• Are you more analytical, detailed, and logical, or are you one to see the big picture and respond with emotion and enthusiasm?
• Are you steady and predictable, or do you seek variety and new challenges?
• Are you verbal and persuasive, or are you the caring, empathetic listener?
• What strengths have others noticed in you?
Show Me Your Promo Materials
Countdown to Work I Love
• Can you see value in those things you may have done as a volunteer through your church or community?
• Has God given you abilities that do not match your desires? If so, how can you reconcile those?
Being the Boss You Always Wanted to Have
Do you have what it takes to be self-employed?
• Are you a self-starter?
• Do you get along with different kinds of people?
• Do you have a positive outlook?
• Are you able to make decisions?
• Are you able to accept responsibility?
• Do you enjoy competition?
• Do you have willpower and self-discipline?
• Do you plan ahead?
• Can you take advice from others?
• Are you adaptable to changing conditions?
• Can you stick with it?
• Do you have a high level of confidence and belief in what you are doing?
• Do you enjoy what you are going to do?
• Can you sell yourself and your ideas?
• Are you prepared to work long hours?
• Do you have the physical and emotional energy to run a business?
• Do you have the support of your family and/or spouse?
• Are you willing to risk your own money in this venture?
"The characteristics that make a person a good employee are often the exact opposite of those that make a successful self-employed individual. Being loyal, predictable, and doing what others expect may, in fact, sabotage your best entrepreneurial efforts."
Key ingredients for business success: ability to plan, organize, communicate. 85% of success is from people skills (attitude, enthusiasm, self-discipline) and 15% is due to technical skills.
You don't have to be creative or original to be successful in business. "If you can do something 10 percent better than it's currently being done, or provide added value, you can be wildly successful."
Dream, Plan, and Act
"Remember the story of the ten talents. If you have the ability to increase your responsibilities and income and channel it wisely, then not doing so may be poor stewardship."
January 16, 2012
To be fair, Dan Miller provides some good information and strategies for people who are looking for a job or wanting to transition to a better job sprinkled somewhat haphazardly throughout this verbose book. Sending a letter of intention, then a resume with a cover letter, and following up with a personal phone call is a better way to go about looking for a job than just sending out resumes or filling out electronic applications and waiting for the calls to come to you. Fair point. Unfortunately, Miller feels the need to fill out a book's length of material without having much of anything else to say, evidenced by the repletion of quotations, asides, "anecdotes," and blatant repetition of his idea that fill out the book. This is confusingly compounded when throughout the book he refers the reader to all the great insights, aides, and supplementary assets available not in the book for which you just paid an excessive amount of money but on his website - why not just put that information in the book? This way discredits a lot of his "show good faith to your customers/audience" talk, making us feel like suckers for buying a book instead of just getting it all for free on the website. The quotations are another source of confusion, since at times Miller tries to sprinkle his Christianity in the book as if it's something real (which never succeeds) and relevant to finding a job, but he quotes a variety of sources, most of whom are opposed to Christianity, leaving us with the impression he had his people do Internet searches on "work" AND "jobs" AND "mildly famous people" without any sense of connection to his covert main purpose of glorifying God. The editors, likewise, failed to notice two chapter titles got switched for this "revised" edition. The subtitle, something about "the new normal," is forgotten shortly into the book and not referenced in the last hundred pages or more. Miller also contradicts himself throughout, as he fails to find a balance between "find a new job you love" and "be faithful to the job/employer you have now during this season." At times he tries to comfort us with the steadfastness of old-time reliable work ethic and industry (like the Amish have), but then he scares us out of our complacency with statistics about how the market is ever-changing and none of the skills/items being utilized today will be around in the next 5 years, so all is Heraclitean flux. How does he address "God's calling" for your life with the caveat all people should be prepared to have double-digit-numbered jobs in the 21st century (since the workplace is ever shifting, over which we have no control, like Marx told us so long ago, apparently) and you can't realistically expect to work the same job the entirety of your adult life? By saying God calls us to generic, amorphous fields of endeavor (like "serving" or "helping" or "knowledge"), in which we need to be prepared, resumes always updated, to shift and move and transfer every 2.2 years. His only real encouragement is to be positive, smile, sell yourself (as in your skills, why you desire this job, and why you are the best candidate for it), and be a hard worker - and if you aren't doing the "work you love" now, change jobs, because you aren't doing what God wants/designed you to be doing. Since Thoreau agrees, you know it must be true. The self-assessment questions are helpful, though, and if you have never had anyone give you good advice on how to really get a job, some of his ideas are good for you, too. You can probably save the time and money, though, by going to his website - since that's what he really wants you to do, anyway.
February 25, 2021
A fairly good read giving some practical input/counsel on evaluating your true "calling" for work that you love. Author Dan Miller, likewise offers practical advice on the pursuit of a job that isn't really a job when you deeply enjoy what you do, and advice for one who may be inclined to want to be his/her own boss. Other practical points of advice include developing a resume, winning an interview, studying the company before an interview, knowing oneself prior to the interview, and what actions to carry out once the interview is completed. How do you sell yourself to a potential employer? That is a fundamental question that Miller is seeking to answer.
I found the book to have some great insight on the job search and could be helpful for a young person in the throes of college preparing to begin a job search, or opting instead, to not necessarily spend five years pursuing a diploma that has a short shelf life but rather pursue an occupation that they have a passion for.
I found the book to have some great insight on the job search and could be helpful for a young person in the throes of college preparing to begin a job search, or opting instead, to not necessarily spend five years pursuing a diploma that has a short shelf life but rather pursue an occupation that they have a passion for.
October 18, 2020
This is a helpful book discussing the importance of calling and vocation over career. We can use our skills, abilities, personalities, values, dreams, and passions to make a life and make a difference. Our life is more than our job. We can find balance, we can use our talents, and love what we do. Work is important, learning is important, and enthusiasm and intentional decisions will make us happier and help others.
Here are some quotes I liked:
"'Who do I want to be?... What am I going to do (p. 1)?'"
"Doesn't every responsible person forget about dreams and passions in exchange for getting a paycheck? Absolutely not (p. 2)!"
"In Colossians 3:23 we are told 'whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men (p. 4).'"
"How had God uniquely gifted you in (1) Skills and Abilities, (2) Personality Tendencies, and (3) Values, Dreams, and Passions? From these areas you will see clear patterns from which to make career and job decisions (p. 5)."
"Work is not a curse of God but one of the benefits of living on this earth. Finding the work you love is not a self-serving goal; it is a required component of fulfilling your true calling (p. 5)."
"This is a book where you get to tell the ending. You get to decide if the main character is a victim of circumstances, unable to rise above the oppressive forces of his or her upbringing, current family expectations, and the limitations allowed by the government and the company (p. 6)."
"'The master in the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure... He simply pursues his vision of excellence at whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working on playing. To him he is always doing both (James Michener, p. 7).'"
"This issue is not how much money is being generated but rather, how much does the work 'fit' you (p. 7)."
"What if you found something you truly enjoyed that also supplied your needed income (p. 8)?"
"Finding or creating the work environment that fits you is a very individualized process (p. 9)."
"What would you call your daily activity if you actually enjoyed it? Would it cease to be 'work' (p. 9)?"
"A job should not define who or what you are. You should be able to leave today and it not change the overall purpose or direction of your life. Your calling is a much larger concept than what you do daily to create income. Work opportunities can come and go--the direction of your life should remain constant (p. 11)."
"'Work is love made visible.' Is that how you feel about your work--that it's a prayer offering to God? That it is a direct expression of how you love others (p. 12)?"
"If we recognize prayer as a time of being present with God, then it follows that our work can be a form of engaging our hearts and spirits in a way that places us in His presence. Anything less would be a questionable use of our time, talent, and resources (p. 13)."
"Proverbs 18:14 tells us 'a man's spirit can endure sickness, but who can survive a broken spirit (p. 14)?'"
"Set aside time for vigorous physical exercise.... Read inspirational material... Volunteer for a worthy cause (p. 14)."
"The challenge of parenting is to discover how God has uniquely gifted this child and how the parent can help the child excel in that area... The power of confidence in career choice comes from looking inward for the alignment of personal characteristics, not from looking outward to where 'opportunities' lie (p. 17)."
"Getting a job is only one tool for creating a meaningful life. Better questions to ask...
* What was I born to do?
* What would be my greatest contribution to others?
* What do I really love to do?...
* What are the recurring themes that I find myself drawn to?
* How do I want to be remembered (p. 18)?"
"When we are not true to ourselves, to our unique God-given characteristics, we lose the power of authenticity, creativity, imagination, and innovation (p. 18)."
"What have been the happiest, most fulfilling moments in your life (p. 19)?"
"He had guaranteed his position, not through manipulation or asserting his rights or having a contract, but by being a person everyone wants on their team (p. 21)."
"Become genuinely interested in other people... Smile.... Be a good listener... Talk in terms of the other person's interests... Make the other person feel important--and do it sincerely (p. 21)."
"Beware of safe and secure--they will trap you in the common, mediocre life (p. 22)."
"Understand the need for wisdom as an addition to knowledge and information... Understand the changing models of work... Make your life international--meet new friends... Understand the power of relationships... Serve those around you... Know your gifts and talents (p. 23)."
"In not one case did I ask for a resume or even inquire about degrees or certifications. More likely I am going to look for... Leadership of a group on a social networking site... A regular blog that is compelling and engaging... A high EQ vs a high IQ... The days of a great resume being enough are over. You have to be remarkable in other ways (p. 25)."
"Your diploma has a built-in expiration date (p. 26)."
"The world doesn't pay you for what you know, but for what you do (p. 27)."
"Any success I've had has come as a result of just doing something (p. 28)."
"What value do you bring to the table (p. 29)?"
"Do you want to do something great--in any area? If you are content with mediocrity in your life, then you will try to protect yourself from any failure. Just recognize the trade-off (p. 32)."
"Take responsibility for where you are--whether good or bad... Pursue work that engages your passions as well as your abilities (p. 33)."
"My theory is that you will be a brighter, better person for trying something big--even if you 'fail ‘(p. 35)."
"'I simply went to where the puck was going to be.' An average player would go where the puck was or is. Change is inevitable... Maybe we need little fires of change in our own lives periodically to keep us less vulnerable to the major changes (p. 36)."
"To take initiative presents unexpected rewards (p. 38)."
"If you ask a group of thirty second-graders, 'How many of you can draw, sing, or dance?' every hand will go up as each child clamors for a chance to prove their multiple abilities. Ask the same group when they are juniors in high school and perhaps half will claim any one of these skills. Ask the same group when they're at age thirty-five, and you will find perhaps two or three who acknowledge performing adequately in any of these areas... We get used to very familiar paths in our lives and eliminate many possibilities along the way (p. 38)."
"First decide what kind of life you want, then plan your work around that life (p. 39)."
"Rebuild your resume (p. 40)."
"Am I doing what God wants me to do? Does my life have a purpose (p. 40)?"
"Your responsibility and source of real freedom and success is to discover who you are. Lead with your own unique talents and personality. Be authentically you and let God use you (p. 40)."
"Genius is the ability to clearly visualize the objective (p. 41)."
"Only those who believed there was something better coming tomorrow were able to survive (p. 41)."
"Our ideas about education are being rocked... they are looking at how does this person think, solve problems, lead, and handle failure (p. 44)."
"We don't really care about those letters after your name if you can prove you can do the job well. The key issue is 'competence’ (p. 46)."
"Education is an ongoing process... Continual learning is the key to continual living. If you stop learning you have effectively stopped living (p. 46)."
"Do you think maybe that traveling internationally would be adding knowledge, information, and education that would equal or surpass sitting in a classroom regurgitating textbook facts (p. 47)?"
"'We become what we think about (p. 48).'"
"I learned by doing, as well as by listening and talking to anyone who knew more than I did (p. 50)."
"Read…at least twelve great books... Take two or three courses in areas of interest... Reach out to help someone else... Acquire at least one new skill this year... Plan two trips this year (p. 55)."
"An educational system isn't worth a great deal if it teaches young people how to make a living but doesn't teach them how to make a life (p. 58)."
"Never confuse activity with accomplishment (p. 62)."
"What life experiences have added to your 'education' (p. 63)?"
"A calling is something you have to listen for... Vocation then is not so much pursuing a goal as it is listening for a voice (p. 65)."
"'A tree gives glory to God by being a tree. For in being what God means it to be it is obeying Him (Thomas Merton, p. 66).'"
"When there is an alignment of our skills, abilities, talents, personality traits, and passions, we will recognize God's 'call’ (p. 66)."
"The most common mistake people make in choosing a career is to do something simply because they are good at it (p. 69)."
"Remembering the happiest times in your life and the times when you felt most fulfilled are better indicators of your calling than just knowing what you have the ability to do (p. 70)."
"The Bible gives dignity to any work. There are no non-sacred occupations (p. 72)."
"Without knowing where you are going, you are doomed to evaluate your life looking in the rearview mirror (p. 72)."
"A clear sense of purpose will provide a feeling of continuity and contentment to carry you through the inevitable changes of a volatile workplace (p. 74)."
"When we talk about success, we are talking about more areas of life than just a career (p. 74)."
"We are frequently more defined by what we do than by who we are (p. 76)."
"Next time you meet someone, try asking, 'How are you making the world a better place?' rather than the normal, 'What do you do (p. 77)?'"
"Success is never an accident. It typically starts as imagination, becomes a dream, stimulates a goal, grows into a plan of action--which then inevitably meets with opportunity. Don't get stuck along the way (p. 79)."
"Look at how God has uniquely gifted you in your skills and abilities, personality traits, and values, dreams, and passions. It is in these that we find the authentic path designed for us to live a life of purpose (p. 83)."
"People are crippled in life because of indecision (p. 84)."
"Can you live with the results of your own inaction? Recognize that even making no decision is a decision (p. 85)."
"'Indecision is the seedling of fear!... Indecision crystallizes into doubt, the two blend and become fear (p. 85)!'"
"Expectations of your future do, in fact, tend to create your future (p. 87)."
"Control your own destiny by controlling what goes into your mind (p. 88)."
"Something magical happens when you write down your goals (p. 90)."
"I find many people living their lives within boundaries that exist only in their minds (p. 91)."
"'The best way to predict your future is to create it (Stephen Covey, p. 91).'"
"Nothing is unrealistic if you have a clear plan (p. 92)."
"Are you living a balanced life (p. 92)?"
"What are you doing today to maintain or improve your future (p. 92)?"
"Want to learn a new language? Do it this year (p. 92)."
"Take time for personal development (p. 93)."
"What gifts do you have that you have not been using (p. 93)?"
"'The best way to make your spouse and children feel secure is not with big deposits in bank accounts, but with little deposits of thoughtfulness and affection in the 'love account.' (Zig Zigler, p. 94)"
"Can you say that you are now living out God's purpose for your life? What are you a part of that goes beyond yourself (p. 94)?"
"Be careful how you start your morning. You are planting the seeds for what the day will hold (p. 97)."
"'Help me, O God,
To listen to what it is that makes my heart glad
And to follow where it leads (Ken Gire, p. 101).'"
"Pay attention to those skills that give you pleasure and joy when being used (p. 104)."
"Are you expressive and visionary, or are you analytical, logical, and detailed (p. 104)?"
"Unfortunately, success in a position can cause you to be promoted into a position that is not a good fit (p. 105)."
"Common personality traits are grouped in four categories:
1. Dominance (Driver)--Lion--Eagle...
2. Influencing (Expressive)--Otter--Peacock...
3. Steadiness (Amiable)--Golden Retriever--Dove...
4. Compliance (Analytical)--Beaver--Owl (p. 105)."
"What is it that you find naturally enjoyable (p. 106)?"
"I find many people have squandered their creative energies by investing largely in the hopes, dreams, plans, and expectations of others (p. 107)."
"Would you rather be an average doctor or an excellent carpenter (p. 109)?"
"There is no cookie-cutter plan for everyone (p. 111)."
"Sometimes the greatest risk is not taking one (p. 112)."
"Never separate your work from your worship (p. 113)."
"No one is impressed by people wo are 'wandering generalities,' or people who haven't really determined their special abilities (p. 115)."
"The process of creating your resume may be more important than the result of that process (p. 117)."
"Create a LinkedIn profile... Write a blog... Join two other social networking sites (just find groups that match your interests)... Have a Facebook profile (p. 119)."
"Have an elevator speech (p. 120)."
"Luck is what happens to people who have clear goals and detailed plans of action (p. 126)."
"If you take no action, you will likely get no results (p. 128)."
"Our stability is in knowing what we do extremely well (p. 134)."
"Do you feel trapped because of your current or past work experience (p. 135)?"
"Keep in mind the transition we have had from 'production work' to 'knowledge work (p. 136).'"
"Your tools of the trade are largely between your own two ears (p. 137)."
"Asking friends for job leads gets a job for thirty-four out of a hundred who try. Don't be hesitant about letting others know what you are looking for (p. 141)."
"Don't be afraid of being persistent (p. 145)!"
"No one is going to come looking for you (p. 147)."
"Inject some confidence and optimism into your life (p. 148)."
"You have to believe that you have something of value (p. 152).”
“Talk about your personal goals as well as business goals. Companies today are looking for balanced individuals (p. 157).”
“Be pleasant and outgoing (p. 163).”
“Your persistence and initiative may be the one small difference in making you the candidate of choice (p. 171).”
“‘I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed (Booker T. Washington, p. 173).’”
“We tend to see boundaries that may not actually exist (p. 209).”
Here are some quotes I liked:
"'Who do I want to be?... What am I going to do (p. 1)?'"
"Doesn't every responsible person forget about dreams and passions in exchange for getting a paycheck? Absolutely not (p. 2)!"
"In Colossians 3:23 we are told 'whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men (p. 4).'"
"How had God uniquely gifted you in (1) Skills and Abilities, (2) Personality Tendencies, and (3) Values, Dreams, and Passions? From these areas you will see clear patterns from which to make career and job decisions (p. 5)."
"Work is not a curse of God but one of the benefits of living on this earth. Finding the work you love is not a self-serving goal; it is a required component of fulfilling your true calling (p. 5)."
"This is a book where you get to tell the ending. You get to decide if the main character is a victim of circumstances, unable to rise above the oppressive forces of his or her upbringing, current family expectations, and the limitations allowed by the government and the company (p. 6)."
"'The master in the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure... He simply pursues his vision of excellence at whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working on playing. To him he is always doing both (James Michener, p. 7).'"
"This issue is not how much money is being generated but rather, how much does the work 'fit' you (p. 7)."
"What if you found something you truly enjoyed that also supplied your needed income (p. 8)?"
"Finding or creating the work environment that fits you is a very individualized process (p. 9)."
"What would you call your daily activity if you actually enjoyed it? Would it cease to be 'work' (p. 9)?"
"A job should not define who or what you are. You should be able to leave today and it not change the overall purpose or direction of your life. Your calling is a much larger concept than what you do daily to create income. Work opportunities can come and go--the direction of your life should remain constant (p. 11)."
"'Work is love made visible.' Is that how you feel about your work--that it's a prayer offering to God? That it is a direct expression of how you love others (p. 12)?"
"If we recognize prayer as a time of being present with God, then it follows that our work can be a form of engaging our hearts and spirits in a way that places us in His presence. Anything less would be a questionable use of our time, talent, and resources (p. 13)."
"Proverbs 18:14 tells us 'a man's spirit can endure sickness, but who can survive a broken spirit (p. 14)?'"
"Set aside time for vigorous physical exercise.... Read inspirational material... Volunteer for a worthy cause (p. 14)."
"The challenge of parenting is to discover how God has uniquely gifted this child and how the parent can help the child excel in that area... The power of confidence in career choice comes from looking inward for the alignment of personal characteristics, not from looking outward to where 'opportunities' lie (p. 17)."
"Getting a job is only one tool for creating a meaningful life. Better questions to ask...
* What was I born to do?
* What would be my greatest contribution to others?
* What do I really love to do?...
* What are the recurring themes that I find myself drawn to?
* How do I want to be remembered (p. 18)?"
"When we are not true to ourselves, to our unique God-given characteristics, we lose the power of authenticity, creativity, imagination, and innovation (p. 18)."
"What have been the happiest, most fulfilling moments in your life (p. 19)?"
"He had guaranteed his position, not through manipulation or asserting his rights or having a contract, but by being a person everyone wants on their team (p. 21)."
"Become genuinely interested in other people... Smile.... Be a good listener... Talk in terms of the other person's interests... Make the other person feel important--and do it sincerely (p. 21)."
"Beware of safe and secure--they will trap you in the common, mediocre life (p. 22)."
"Understand the need for wisdom as an addition to knowledge and information... Understand the changing models of work... Make your life international--meet new friends... Understand the power of relationships... Serve those around you... Know your gifts and talents (p. 23)."
"In not one case did I ask for a resume or even inquire about degrees or certifications. More likely I am going to look for... Leadership of a group on a social networking site... A regular blog that is compelling and engaging... A high EQ vs a high IQ... The days of a great resume being enough are over. You have to be remarkable in other ways (p. 25)."
"Your diploma has a built-in expiration date (p. 26)."
"The world doesn't pay you for what you know, but for what you do (p. 27)."
"Any success I've had has come as a result of just doing something (p. 28)."
"What value do you bring to the table (p. 29)?"
"Do you want to do something great--in any area? If you are content with mediocrity in your life, then you will try to protect yourself from any failure. Just recognize the trade-off (p. 32)."
"Take responsibility for where you are--whether good or bad... Pursue work that engages your passions as well as your abilities (p. 33)."
"My theory is that you will be a brighter, better person for trying something big--even if you 'fail ‘(p. 35)."
"'I simply went to where the puck was going to be.' An average player would go where the puck was or is. Change is inevitable... Maybe we need little fires of change in our own lives periodically to keep us less vulnerable to the major changes (p. 36)."
"To take initiative presents unexpected rewards (p. 38)."
"If you ask a group of thirty second-graders, 'How many of you can draw, sing, or dance?' every hand will go up as each child clamors for a chance to prove their multiple abilities. Ask the same group when they are juniors in high school and perhaps half will claim any one of these skills. Ask the same group when they're at age thirty-five, and you will find perhaps two or three who acknowledge performing adequately in any of these areas... We get used to very familiar paths in our lives and eliminate many possibilities along the way (p. 38)."
"First decide what kind of life you want, then plan your work around that life (p. 39)."
"Rebuild your resume (p. 40)."
"Am I doing what God wants me to do? Does my life have a purpose (p. 40)?"
"Your responsibility and source of real freedom and success is to discover who you are. Lead with your own unique talents and personality. Be authentically you and let God use you (p. 40)."
"Genius is the ability to clearly visualize the objective (p. 41)."
"Only those who believed there was something better coming tomorrow were able to survive (p. 41)."
"Our ideas about education are being rocked... they are looking at how does this person think, solve problems, lead, and handle failure (p. 44)."
"We don't really care about those letters after your name if you can prove you can do the job well. The key issue is 'competence’ (p. 46)."
"Education is an ongoing process... Continual learning is the key to continual living. If you stop learning you have effectively stopped living (p. 46)."
"Do you think maybe that traveling internationally would be adding knowledge, information, and education that would equal or surpass sitting in a classroom regurgitating textbook facts (p. 47)?"
"'We become what we think about (p. 48).'"
"I learned by doing, as well as by listening and talking to anyone who knew more than I did (p. 50)."
"Read…at least twelve great books... Take two or three courses in areas of interest... Reach out to help someone else... Acquire at least one new skill this year... Plan two trips this year (p. 55)."
"An educational system isn't worth a great deal if it teaches young people how to make a living but doesn't teach them how to make a life (p. 58)."
"Never confuse activity with accomplishment (p. 62)."
"What life experiences have added to your 'education' (p. 63)?"
"A calling is something you have to listen for... Vocation then is not so much pursuing a goal as it is listening for a voice (p. 65)."
"'A tree gives glory to God by being a tree. For in being what God means it to be it is obeying Him (Thomas Merton, p. 66).'"
"When there is an alignment of our skills, abilities, talents, personality traits, and passions, we will recognize God's 'call’ (p. 66)."
"The most common mistake people make in choosing a career is to do something simply because they are good at it (p. 69)."
"Remembering the happiest times in your life and the times when you felt most fulfilled are better indicators of your calling than just knowing what you have the ability to do (p. 70)."
"The Bible gives dignity to any work. There are no non-sacred occupations (p. 72)."
"Without knowing where you are going, you are doomed to evaluate your life looking in the rearview mirror (p. 72)."
"A clear sense of purpose will provide a feeling of continuity and contentment to carry you through the inevitable changes of a volatile workplace (p. 74)."
"When we talk about success, we are talking about more areas of life than just a career (p. 74)."
"We are frequently more defined by what we do than by who we are (p. 76)."
"Next time you meet someone, try asking, 'How are you making the world a better place?' rather than the normal, 'What do you do (p. 77)?'"
"Success is never an accident. It typically starts as imagination, becomes a dream, stimulates a goal, grows into a plan of action--which then inevitably meets with opportunity. Don't get stuck along the way (p. 79)."
"Look at how God has uniquely gifted you in your skills and abilities, personality traits, and values, dreams, and passions. It is in these that we find the authentic path designed for us to live a life of purpose (p. 83)."
"People are crippled in life because of indecision (p. 84)."
"Can you live with the results of your own inaction? Recognize that even making no decision is a decision (p. 85)."
"'Indecision is the seedling of fear!... Indecision crystallizes into doubt, the two blend and become fear (p. 85)!'"
"Expectations of your future do, in fact, tend to create your future (p. 87)."
"Control your own destiny by controlling what goes into your mind (p. 88)."
"Something magical happens when you write down your goals (p. 90)."
"I find many people living their lives within boundaries that exist only in their minds (p. 91)."
"'The best way to predict your future is to create it (Stephen Covey, p. 91).'"
"Nothing is unrealistic if you have a clear plan (p. 92)."
"Are you living a balanced life (p. 92)?"
"What are you doing today to maintain or improve your future (p. 92)?"
"Want to learn a new language? Do it this year (p. 92)."
"Take time for personal development (p. 93)."
"What gifts do you have that you have not been using (p. 93)?"
"'The best way to make your spouse and children feel secure is not with big deposits in bank accounts, but with little deposits of thoughtfulness and affection in the 'love account.' (Zig Zigler, p. 94)"
"Can you say that you are now living out God's purpose for your life? What are you a part of that goes beyond yourself (p. 94)?"
"Be careful how you start your morning. You are planting the seeds for what the day will hold (p. 97)."
"'Help me, O God,
To listen to what it is that makes my heart glad
And to follow where it leads (Ken Gire, p. 101).'"
"Pay attention to those skills that give you pleasure and joy when being used (p. 104)."
"Are you expressive and visionary, or are you analytical, logical, and detailed (p. 104)?"
"Unfortunately, success in a position can cause you to be promoted into a position that is not a good fit (p. 105)."
"Common personality traits are grouped in four categories:
1. Dominance (Driver)--Lion--Eagle...
2. Influencing (Expressive)--Otter--Peacock...
3. Steadiness (Amiable)--Golden Retriever--Dove...
4. Compliance (Analytical)--Beaver--Owl (p. 105)."
"What is it that you find naturally enjoyable (p. 106)?"
"I find many people have squandered their creative energies by investing largely in the hopes, dreams, plans, and expectations of others (p. 107)."
"Would you rather be an average doctor or an excellent carpenter (p. 109)?"
"There is no cookie-cutter plan for everyone (p. 111)."
"Sometimes the greatest risk is not taking one (p. 112)."
"Never separate your work from your worship (p. 113)."
"No one is impressed by people wo are 'wandering generalities,' or people who haven't really determined their special abilities (p. 115)."
"The process of creating your resume may be more important than the result of that process (p. 117)."
"Create a LinkedIn profile... Write a blog... Join two other social networking sites (just find groups that match your interests)... Have a Facebook profile (p. 119)."
"Have an elevator speech (p. 120)."
"Luck is what happens to people who have clear goals and detailed plans of action (p. 126)."
"If you take no action, you will likely get no results (p. 128)."
"Our stability is in knowing what we do extremely well (p. 134)."
"Do you feel trapped because of your current or past work experience (p. 135)?"
"Keep in mind the transition we have had from 'production work' to 'knowledge work (p. 136).'"
"Your tools of the trade are largely between your own two ears (p. 137)."
"Asking friends for job leads gets a job for thirty-four out of a hundred who try. Don't be hesitant about letting others know what you are looking for (p. 141)."
"Don't be afraid of being persistent (p. 145)!"
"No one is going to come looking for you (p. 147)."
"Inject some confidence and optimism into your life (p. 148)."
"You have to believe that you have something of value (p. 152).”
“Talk about your personal goals as well as business goals. Companies today are looking for balanced individuals (p. 157).”
“Be pleasant and outgoing (p. 163).”
“Your persistence and initiative may be the one small difference in making you the candidate of choice (p. 171).”
“‘I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed (Booker T. Washington, p. 173).’”
“We tend to see boundaries that may not actually exist (p. 209).”
February 19, 2012
An interesting book. You have to be in the right mood to use it.
The title of the book says "48 Days," but there are no specific tasks that are meant to be done each day. Rather, 48 days is a general timeframe during which the author expects you to make meaningful progress.
Each chapter starts with inspirational quotes, and I'll probably remember some of the quotes long after I forget what it is in the book. (Is that a good thing? Probably not.) In any case, it is good to read a book written from the perspective that work is meant to be enjoyable -- not that it will be easy, but that it will feel rewarding to put in the effort needed to do a good job.
Those considering reading this book might also be interested in Flow or Just Work. The former is not about employment per se, but it is about how to find meaning and engagement in the tasks of everyday life. The latter is also not a job-hunting manual, but it explores in depth the contradiction between the material necessity of work and our own expectations that work provide a benefit to us other than just a paycheck.
This book is written for a Christian audience, and the author quotes from time to time from the New Testament. This could be a good or a bad thing, depending on your perspective.
The title of the book says "48 Days," but there are no specific tasks that are meant to be done each day. Rather, 48 days is a general timeframe during which the author expects you to make meaningful progress.
Each chapter starts with inspirational quotes, and I'll probably remember some of the quotes long after I forget what it is in the book. (Is that a good thing? Probably not.) In any case, it is good to read a book written from the perspective that work is meant to be enjoyable -- not that it will be easy, but that it will feel rewarding to put in the effort needed to do a good job.
Those considering reading this book might also be interested in Flow or Just Work. The former is not about employment per se, but it is about how to find meaning and engagement in the tasks of everyday life. The latter is also not a job-hunting manual, but it explores in depth the contradiction between the material necessity of work and our own expectations that work provide a benefit to us other than just a paycheck.
This book is written for a Christian audience, and the author quotes from time to time from the New Testament. This could be a good or a bad thing, depending on your perspective.
March 7, 2012
Very easy to read book with a lot of valuable insight, especially the practical tools regarding job searches, i.e. resumes, introduction letter, etc. However, like some of the other reviewers have stated, it is oftentimes too general. It does not discuss HOW to find the work you love, but just that you SHOULD find it, which I found disappointing. Also, I paid for Dan Miller's personality assessment on his website one week ago, and was quite disappointed - for $28 you get a 29 page printout of your personality as it relates to careers and how you communicate with others. 29 pages based off of 20 questions! Needless to say, my results were not very accurate. It gave me approximately 80 job choices that allegedly would suit my personality - from Accountant to Artist, to Police Officer to Physician. First, so many job recommendations is hardly useful for someone who doesn't know what they want to do. Second, the assessment did not ask anything relating to my abilities or skills or passions or dreams, which the book relies heavily on. I do highly recommend the book, but I would instead save your extra money and pay $60 for the Myers-Briggs assessment!
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June 23, 2011Once upon a time not too many years ago, people would start a career that typically lasted until they retired, with few job changes. Nowadays, the statistics are that people will have roughly 16 jobs during the course of their working careers. How does one navigate the work force with so many changes and new jobs emerging while still putting one’s own talents and giftings into use? Miller encourages individuals to make measurable goals and life plans. He uses scriptures for some of his basis plus his own vast work experience. The concept of whether work should be part of your ministry is discussed, as well as a test for whether or not your boss is the Spawn of Satan! Haha. I was curious to see what steps Miller recommends for finding fulfilling work / careers / etc. I found the book to be somewhat helpful, but not ground-breaking. Also, this was written prior to the downfall in the economy and I feel that there are not as many opportunities out there now as there used to be, but one can’t give up looking for fulfilling work.
July 6, 2009
The book is not well written in the sense of being enjoyable to read and intellectually stimulating. It took me awhile to get over that, and actually I don't think I really did. BUT it had some really good information about finding a vocation that you have always wanted and for whatever reason haven't pursued. There are some good job hunting strategies, but mostly this book is a "pump you up" type of job-self-help book. I would recommend it just because when you are pursuing career options, this book might have some nugget of wisdom in it for you. It definitely helped me rethink what I could do as a career.
July 19, 2011
48 Days is more workbook than just book which perfectly fits its purpose of allowing you to identify for yourself what it is you were meant to do. It is not about getting a better paying job but rather how to align your interests and skills with a vocational calling. After completing the 48 Days schedule I was left with a 28 page document full of questions and answers. I recommend sticking with the schedule since it allows time for reflection on that day's lesson but I'll be the first to tell you that it is hard to resist the temptation to read this one cover to cover as soon as you get excited about discovering your calling.
June 19, 2013
I've been working through this book for awhile, but that's because it has so much good material in it. Dan Miller knows how to help you delve into your passions and dreams and make them into a career you can enjoy.
Since being familiar with Dan Miller's work, I have recommended this book to many of my friends. It teaches you how to go about using direct methods to find a job that you will love. This is a required book for anyone who is tired of working at a J-O-B and who is ready to find work that is meaningful, purposeful, and profitable.
Since being familiar with Dan Miller's work, I have recommended this book to many of my friends. It teaches you how to go about using direct methods to find a job that you will love. This is a required book for anyone who is tired of working at a J-O-B and who is ready to find work that is meaningful, purposeful, and profitable.
May 12, 2011
I read this a little while ago and saw it again while packing things up for a garage sale. A few years ago, I might have attempted to find and do something I love, but now, with the economy so shaky, I am just thankful that I have a job. This sort of self-discovery (self-indulgence) is better left to boom years. I suppose if I ever lose my job I could apply some of these, but the things I like to do don't pay well.
March 7, 2017
I didn't realize the large amounts of religious reference until I opened the book. I had to pass on it as I am not seeking a better relationship with God in the 48 days I was looking to improve my work.
February 13, 2019
I didn’t realize this was going to be so over the top religious. I did still give it a chance but had to shut it off when the author equated disliking a job to an abusive marriage. Lost all interest after that. If you’re looking for real career advice, don’t bother with this one.
March 13, 2009
If you truly want control of your career instead of having your career control you, you'll read this book.
March 7, 2011
good book. It helped prepare me for interviews and gave good ideas on resumes and how to look for a job.
March 11, 2013
I thought this would be just a "how to" book. I guess the forward by Dave Ramsey should have given me a heads up. Will have to file this under inspirational.
January 13, 2013
Going this book extremely helpful when decided to make a career change.
August 2, 2013
Insightful focus on your purpose, not just strengths and personality.
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