Customer Reviews

Work with Passion: How to Do What You Love for a Living

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book was the foundation upon which I was able to change my life from that of an frustrated CEO to an independent business woman, wife, mother and friend. Nancy's process uncovered so many "ahh hahhhhh" moments that the dots connected themselves. I found myself breathing deeper, living lighter and seeing a brighter future. All of my relationships have improved -- including the one with myself! It has been three years since I started the my "Work With Passion" journey and my life is amazingly fulfilled. I thank Nancy and her guidance for showing me the way. I now recommend this book to all of my friends. An easy way to find a better life path.

Nancy Anderson's unique book, Work with Passion, is unlike anything I've ever read. It's a one-of-a-kind, hands-on, practical approach to getting paid to do what comes naturally to you. This is not a job hunt book. It's about the process that takes you to knowing your life's work, what's enjoyable for you, the job or business that uses all of your talents and skills. Doing this work gives you deep personal satisfaction, and all the money you need.

Work with Passion is different from other career books because it connects the emotional and psychological intricacies of early family life to the subconscious blocks that inhibit personal and financial success. I discovered this connection six years ago after I worked through the exercises in the book. I am still amazed by the transformation and changes that have occurred and are still occurring in my life since then. The process was slow and often painful, but it led me to freedom from the past. I've learned that the journey should be enjoyed because that's how you come to know yourself and what you love. The hardest part was letting go of what's familiar and trusting in the unknown. It's been a struggle to dissolve the myth that work should be drudgery, but three years ago I moved to Madrid, Spain and created my own business doing what I love most, language and communication coaching. The journey and process are still unfolding, but thanks to the work Nancy's book encouraged me to do, I'm at a place in my life that I had only dreamt of when I was younger.

Nancy Anderson doesn't just show you how to find a career you're passionate about she shows you how to find a life you're passionate about!

As I worked my way through my autobiography, and the other enlightening excercises in the book, I watched the hardened exterior of my old life crack and fall away, exposing the shine of a new life as bright as freshly polished silver.

I recommend this book to anyone who is tired of being and working the way others think they "should" and to those who are tired of making excuses for not doing the work they love and living the life they deserve.

Life is precious, live it now. This book will show you how.

"Do not let mediocre people discourage you," writes Nancy Anderson as she encourages her readers to discover the passion within and apply it to their lives. Such passion will attract other people to you. She notes, "People cooperate with people for mutual gain in a trade-off situation."

On the examined life, she includes an exercise whereby you can write the epitaph for your life. In essence, mine was to live passionately as a steward to Jesus Christ, maximizing the resouces He provided for me to serve as steward over.

She has some insightful things to say about how our work defines us, telling us, "It is through the dignity of the work we do that we achieve self-esteem in life." Anderson is a big advocate of enjoying life's journey, reminding readers that life can be adventurous and provide satisfaction.

Centuries ago, Socrates had observed that "the unexamined life is not worth living." Nancy's structured approach of obtaining and having a meaningful career through passion takes this ancient advice of self-examination to a very practical level. The first two chapters of this book are probably the most challenging because the reader is guided to write his/her own autobiography. It was just for this fact alone I'd decided to buy this book and use it in my new career path re-adjustment. I could not ever imagine that having my abridged life story `spilled' over eighty or so pages, that I could see it quite differently; sort of a perspective shift - from a frog's perspective to bird's view. But as my intuition/curiosity stirred me toward this book, the results were forthcoming. I had found and reconfirmed myself as a "solo type" in a contrast to "the partnership type" and "the team type", as Nancy classifies the basic personal traits in chapter six. No wonder my business venture with a partner ended in a hostile split (short of a fist-fight), nor was it a big surprise for me to realize the motivation for my escape from a Communist country decades ago. Surely, every person is a complex being, but there are preferred and detrimental conditions for one's own existence. Learning about passionate activities and analyzing happy moments in one's life brings more understanding what is important; we tend to habitually focus on analyzing our miseries. In this regards, Nancy accomplished through her approach and her writing style a major feat, not found in other career/personal growth books.

I'd like to mention that I am fortunate that Nancy lives in the neighboring county, and that she still offers private sessions; one-on-one in person or by the phone. She is in a real life as true to a client as she is as a writer to a reader. I had to research her past with a great effort; she is very humble about her accomplishments.
The consultations are useful for "decoding" of the autobiography. Nancy has a great gift to see the underlying patterns that we operate on - our choices of partners, employers and so on. The reader, a passion seeker, does the nitty-gritty work; sessions with her are not `make me feel good again.'

The book is only eleven chapters long, but do not let this fact mislead you. Nancy is a very efficient, eloquent and precise writer - there is never a doubt about what she means. In this book, there are real people stories, there are sample approach letters.
Buy and use this book.
Why?
If a passion was good for Einstein, might be good for you, too:
"I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious." -- Albert Einstein

I would give this book my highest recommendation. It was extremely interesting to work through and the size of it is not daunting whatsoever. It gives the reader a structure and a well-thought out process to work through to define what one's passion actually is - not an easy thing for many of us! In fact, it's a wonderful book to help you define yourself - especially if you have had life changes or feel stale and in need of a change.

It's rather hard to find the perfect job until you define what lights you up on every level. When you have worked through the process, it's amazing how opportunity presents itself in just the right way!

Nancy's book not only changed my life five years ago, but has continued to enrich my understanding of why I receive enjoyment out of certain activities, why I haven't enjoyed specific jobs, how to make wise choices about opportunites that present themselves to me, and how to continue to pursue my dream. I would not have found the courage to follow my passion without her guidance. This is an essential book. It is thought-provoking, professional, and helps you see yourself and your career from a perspective unlike any other. It helps you identify ways you are limiting yourself without even realizing it, and gives you tools to overcome these unnecessary obstacles. I have given out over two dozen as gifts, and every single person has experienced significant, life-changing help from it. I can't imagine anyone not being grateful to have a copy.

Work with Passion is the best book I've read about finding work you love to do. Nancy Anderson writes in a clear, direct style and her wisdom and humor come through in the book. One thing I like is that while I am working on the steps she outlines, she also addresses the fear and anxiety that crop up when I start making changes. I've read other popular books on career help, but this one has the right mix of information, examples, emotional support, and common sense. I recommend it to anyone searching for the right career.

In my early 20's I was an avid reader of self-help and psychology books. I took seminars, workshops, and volunteered in self-help groups for 2 years. I read books literally by the dozen.

I read "Work with Passion" about 5 years ago. It is the only book I can honestly recommend, as it is the only book which ever caused me to change my behavior. Assuming that such a change is the goal of reading a book geared towards helping one's self, then it alone was successful with me.

In reading it I became particularly in touch with the interests I had as a child. Upon reading it, I proceeded to fine-tune my college studies, and two years later had a job in the specialized field I had re-discovered through reading this book.
One thing I hadn't been aware of is that the author offers counseling in Marin County (call 411 for her number). Due to the recession, I am now in a state of career flux once again, and intend on using her personal services for the first time.

Though it helped me, this book may not resolve another person's lengthy (in my case 7 years) search for the "true" profession. However, if you intend on buying a book to help you out, do include this one.

Work with Passion is the single most important book I've ever read in terms of producing tangible improvements in my everyday life. I was suffering from a terminal case of career angst with no cure in sight when I stumbled upon this rare jewel of an author. Following Nancy's tried and true approach gave me the structure (and hope!) I needed to find work I'm passionate about. Working with the author one-on-one as a client also accelerated my learning curve tremendously. Nancy is as warm, funny, wise, and practical in person as she is in print. I recommend this book to anyone in search of a strategy for ushering happiness into all aspects of their lives.