Dan Miller and 48 Days

Do you love your job? If the answer is YES, then don't bother reading the rest of this post. If the answer is an astounding NO, then please read on.

Last summer while going through a personal career crisis as well as suffering from work-related stress and anxiety, I was searching for some answers and I inevitably found myself standing in front of the "Entrepreneur" section at Barnes & Noble, hoping that something would "grab" me from that shelf. I wasn't even sure what I was looking for when this book seemed to jump out at me. It is called, "48 Days To The Work You Love," by Dan Miller. I'd never heard of Dan Miller, but my friend Debbie had told me about Dave Ramsey and when I saw his name as the foreword writer on this book, it merited retrieval from the shelf. Upon thumbing through the pages, I soon found myself intrigued by what I saw and gladly made the purchase, anxiously returning home to start reading it. Little did I know that book of 224 pages would soon change my life.

Dan's philosophy is that we not only can pursue work we love and fulfill our purpose, it is our obligation to ourselves and our fellow man (woman) to do exactly that. He explains that work should be something we enjoy doing, not hate. I found myself underlining so many things in this book that I had bought a special pen just to keep in the book so I wouldn't have to search for one while reading. Right from the start, Dan explains how vital it is to love what you do. A quote from one of the first few pages says, "You could perform as others expect and get a paycheck, but you are not likely to experience meaning, purpose, peace, or fulfillment in work you loathe." This was an eye-opening statement if I ever read one.

I had made the decision to leave my job for many reasons, mostly because I knew in my heart it was the right thing to do at the right time. Physically, I was incapable of performing at a level I knew was expected to keep up with the increasing demand of the industry. Mentally I was exhausted and knew if I didn't make a change soon that I'd be in trouble. Spiritually I searched for meaning in my own life and how to make the last half of my life the best. I knew it wasn't going to happen if I kept up the insane pace I had been struggling with. The book was encouraging and informative. Dan wasn't just a life coach, he was a life-saver.

In today's struggling economic climate, the challenge of finding work is harder than ever. Unemployment is reaching frightening proportions. Because of this, finding a job with so many people out of work can be overwhelming, and finding "meaningful" work sounds impossibly daunting. Enter the endless cycle of negative reinforcement. How do you break this cycle?

After reading 48 Days, I believe that not only is it possible to alter the course of our work life, but that the dire straits of a failing economy may actually be the catalyst needed to fuel the creative engine and get the ideas flowing in ways that being in the "comfort zone" and routine of a good economy would never encourage.

Another quote from the book is: "It is often in the midst of change and challenges that we find our own true direction." A wonderfully inspiring statement!

Dan puts "failure" in the right perspective. We can learn to use our failures to bring a higher level of understanding, meaning, purpose, fulfillment and learning to our lives. We have the power to make positive changes if we first identify what our "unique purpose" is on this earth. I am still searching for my life's path, but I feel that since reading Dan Miller's 48 Days book, I now have a compass and road map to get there and I'm about 99% sure that my course involves writing. That's why I started this blog.

SO - whether you are job-seeking, soul-searching or simply need inspiration, please pick up a copy of Dan Miller's "48 Days To The Work You Love." I highly recommend this book as well as "No More Mondays." Both books and so much more are available on Dan's website. If you click on the banner at the bottom of this blog, it will take you directly to Dan's phenomenal website. Sign up for the newsletter and listen to his podcasts! You can download them directly from itunes, as it is explained on the website. Trust me, it'll change your life!