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1-Page Summary of The Art of Work

Overview

If you’re not happy at work, don’t worry. Many people feel that way because they haven’t found their true calling yet. A calling is what gets us out of bed in the morning and keeps us striving for greatness. When we find our calling, we’ll be excited to go to work every day and make a difference in the world. These key points lay out the benefits of finding your calling and give clear guidelines on how to find it.

In this book, you’ll discover how to live on after death by following your calling. You’ll learn why failure makes you a better person and why there is no such thing as a self-made man.

Big Idea #1: Your calling gives your life meaning.

A lot of people hate their jobs. Only 13% of the world’s population enjoys their work, but we can change that by finding our calling in life and focusing on it. We shouldn’t think only about happiness or pain; we should focus on something bigger than ourselves to find fulfillment in our work.

People should not just avoid pain and seek pleasure. Instead, they should strive for meaning in their lives. They can do that by accepting the challenges on the way to achieving goals and dreams as a natural part of finding out what they really love doing.

Viktor Frankl, a renowned psychologist and Holocaust survivor, knew that everyone needs a reason to keep living.

But how do you find your calling? It’s through awareness. You’ll recognize it when events or feelings trigger that awareness. For example, Luke Skywalker realized he wanted to be a Jedi after meeting Obi-Wan Kenobi.

So, you must be ready for this event. It’s hard to do, but being aware of it will help you seize the moment when it comes.

A great way to find your calling is to make a list of major events in your life. Then, consider what made you feel the most fulfilled or accomplished when you were at those moments. Your calling might be something that ties all these things together.

Big Idea #2: Find good mentors and never stop practicing.

To find and follow your calling is a personal journey, but you shouldn’t do it alone. It’s important to get support from others!

It’s tempting to think that successful people are self-made. In reality, almost no one achieves success alone. Most successful people have mentors and coaches who guide them along the way.

Every person you meet and every experience you have is a chance to learn something about yourself. Life is your school, so take advantage of it by learning as much as you can from the people around you. For example, Steve Jobs left college early because he wanted to pursue his dream of starting Apple Computers. He also attended some classes that were interesting or valuable to him while working in the real world with other people.

The next step is to find people who can help you move toward your goal. The only way to master your calling is through practice.

The best way to get better at something is to practice. You have to learn how to fail and keep trying until you succeed.

Practicing isn’t about doing the same thing over and over again. It’s about pushing yourself into new areas to make mistakes, learn from them, grow as a person, and become better at what you do.

Whenever you exercise, your muscles get stronger. You do this by pushing them to their limits and then letting them recover.

It’s important to note that you can’t force yourself to be successful. There are some things you just can’t do, and it’s OK if you haven’t found the right job yet.

Big Idea #3: Don’t stop moving toward your goal and always learn from your mistakes.

You can’t just set a goal and then sit back. You have to keep taking steps until you reach the top.