In Whistle While You Work, Richard Leider and David Shapiro counter the clichéd query about what you want to be when you grow up with a more intriguing question: "What is your life's calling?" The authors define calling as "the inner urge to give our gifts away in service to something we are passionate about in an environment that is consistent with our values." Drawing upon psychologist James Hillman's metaphor of the acorn programmed to grow into an oak tree, Leider and Shapiro guide readers to discover their "core gifts" and the work they were born to do. Each chapter describes a conversation with a cabdriver in a different city to introduce a key idea about the process of heeding your life's calling. These lively conversations are followed by stories of individuals--from a Motorola executive to a building security guard--who have identified their calling. The stories are paired with bulls-eye exercises that allow readers to discover their calling. Tools include "calling cards" to identify core gifts, a "calling journal" and the "calendar/checkbook" exercise to align values with time management.

The book would have been strengthened with more narrative about the relationship between choosing a calling and maintaining a positive cash flow. Yet the clarity and conviction of its approach sets this book apart from other do-what-you-love career books. It is an eloquent and practical blueprint for being at home in the world by making a living with your uniqueness. --Barbara Mackoff


From Publishers Weekly
"If we're spending our precious hours feeling half-alive as we drag ourselves through tasks that we abhor, then we're wasting our most precious commodity of all: time," warn Leider and Shapiro, coauthors of the bestselling Repacking Your Bags, in this intelligent and inspirational guide to discovering meaningful work. For those stuck in a job rut, they propose self-directed exercises to assess personal gifts and aptitudes, passions and values, so that readers can define their "calling," which the authors define as "the inner urge to give our gifts away." They also provide engaging stories of a wide variety of workers who have found ways to express their individual callings within conventional job titles. Leider and Shapiro maintain that when a calling serves to promote one of our passions in an environment consistent with our core values, we maximize our chances for infusing work with joy and meaning. Despite their enthusiasm, Leider and Shapiro acknowledge that all workers have to take responsibility for having "courageous conversations" with themselves, and they do not downplay readers' resistance to confronting tough realities, change and risk. Emphasizing their own successes and those of the others who have found their callings, the authors remind readers that "the only regrets we really have are the risks we didn't take." (Apr.)Forecast: With workplaces growing more impersonal, job-satisfaction ratings sinking and the economy stagnating, this lively and commonsensical guide, with its hopeful message and lack of jargon, could prove irresistible to readers who pick it up and its attractive price makes it accessible to workers at all salary levels.Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


Book Description
Everyone has a calling-something they were born to do. Heeding your calling is about deliberately choosing a way of life and work consistent with your gifts, passions, and values. It's a labor of love that is intrinsically satisfying. Whistle While You Work: Heeding Your Life's Calling is a liberating guide to helping people discover and heed their calling. Through powerful stories and exercises Whistle helps readers discover how to make a living doing what they were born to do.


Book Info
A guide to finding a true calling in life, and heeding the call. Helps the reader answer crucial questions about calling, such as 'What do I want to be when I grow up?' and 'What was I born to do?' Softcover. DLC: Vocational guidance.


From the Publisher
EVERYONE WANTS to live a life that enables them to make the most of their unique gifts, interests, and passions-to find their true calling, the work they were born to do. Whistle While You Work is a liberating guide that uses powerful stories and exercises to help readers find truly satisfying, fulfilling work consistent with their deepest values. The authors combine a thoughtful and practical discussion about calling with examples showing how to apply these ideas to one's life. They mix in dozens of inspiring stories featuring individuals who have found-or are in the process of finding-their calling with straightforward advice and suggestions on how to discover one's calling. Most importantly, they provides readers with a solid path for embracing calling-a subject usually addressed abstractly-in a useful, fun, and systematic way. Through a unique Calling Card(tm) exercise that features a guided exploration of 52 "natural preferences"-such as Advancing Ideas, Doing the Numbers, Building Relationships, Performing Events-the book gives readers a new way to detect and reflect on the core of their life's work. By using this and other tools in the book, readers develop their own answers to three critical questions: What gift do I naturally give to others? What gift do I most enjoy giving to others? What gift have I most often given to others? In answering those questions, they will reveal to themselves their calling-and ultimately move toward new realms of success and fulfillment. Whistle While You Work is an inspiring, effective, and entertaining approach to discovering one's calling. It will equip all of us with the mind-set, stories, coaching, and, perhaps most importantly, the hope we need to find our way ahead-and see a clear picture of what our right work is and what to do with our limited time here on Earth.


From the Author
Endorsements "Put simply, here's a book that will help you make sure that your work matters-to you and to others."
-Alan Webber, Founding Editor, Fast Company magazine "This book inspires us to remember that the essence of every calling is a summons to serve."
-Walter F. Mondale, former Vice President of the United States "This book is music to your soul."
-Bob Rosner, author of Working Wounded and The Bosses Complete Survival Guide, and syndicated columnist "They gave me new ways to think, ideas to ponder, action items to move on, and they made me smile. Thank you!
-Beverly Kaye, coauthor of "Love 'Em or Lose 'Em: Getting Good People to Stay"


About the Author
Richard J. Leider Richard J. Leider is a founding partner of the Inventure Group, a training firm in Minneapolis, Minnesota devoted to helping individuals, leaders, and teams discover the power of purpose. His clients include many Fortune 500 companies. Leider is author or coauthor of six previous books, including the bestselling Repacking Your Bags, The Power of Purpose, The Inventurers, and Life Skills. Books by the Author:
Repacking Your Bags
The Power of Purpose
Whistle While You Work David A. Shapiro David A. Shapiro is the Education Director of the Northwest Center for Philosophy for Children, a non-profit organization that brings philosophy into the lives of young people in schools and community groups. David is coauthor (with Richard J. Leider) of Repacking Your Bags, and author of Choosing the Right Thing to Do. Books by the Author:
Repacking Your Bags
Choosing the Right Thing to Do
Whistle While You Work

FROM THE PUBLISHER

EVERYONE WANTS to live a life that enables them to make the most of their unique gifts, interests, and passions -- to find their true calling, the work they were born to do. Whistle While You Work is a liberating guide that uses powerful stories and exercises to help readers find truly satisfying, fulfilling work consistent with their deepest values.

The authors combine a thoughtful and practical discussion about calling with examples showing how to apply these ideas to one's life. They mix in dozens of inspiring stories featuring individuals who have found-or are in the process of finding-their calling with straightforward advice and suggestions on how to discover one's calling. Most importantly, they provides readers with a solid path for embracing calling -- a subject usually addressed abstractly -- in a useful, fun, and systematic way.

Through a unique Calling Card exercise that features a guided exploration of 52 "natural preferences" -- such as Advancing Ideas, Doing the Numbers, Building Relationships, Performing Events -- the book gives readers a new way to detect and reflect on the core of their life's work. By using this and other tools in the book, readers develop their own answers to three critical questions: What gift do I naturally give to others? What gift do I most enjoy giving to others? What gift have I most often given to others? In answering those questions, they will reveal to themselves their calling -- and ultimately move toward new realms of success and fulfillment.

Whistle While You Work is an inspiring, effective, and entertaining approach to discovering one's calling. It will equip all of us with the mind-set, stories, coaching, and, perhaps most importantly, the hope we need to find our way ahead -- and see a clear picture of what our right work is and what to do with our limited time here on Earth.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

"If we're spending our precious hours feeling half-alive as we drag ourselves through tasks that we abhor, then we're wasting our most precious commodity of all: time," warn Leider and Shapiro, coauthors of the bestselling Repacking Your Bags, in this intelligent and inspirational guide to discovering meaningful work. For those stuck in a job rut, they propose self-directed exercises to assess personal gifts and aptitudes, passions and values, so that readers can define their "calling," which the authors define as "the inner urge to give our gifts away." They also provide engaging stories of a wide variety of workers who have found ways to express their individual callings within conventional job titles. Leider and Shapiro maintain that when a calling serves to promote one of our passions in an environment consistent with our core values, we maximize our chances for infusing work with joy and meaning. Despite their enthusiasm, Leider and Shapiro acknowledge that all workers have to take responsibility for having "courageous conversations" with themselves, and they do not downplay readers' resistance to confronting tough realities, change and risk. Emphasizing their own successes and those of the others who have found their callings, the authors remind readers that "the only regrets we really have are the risks we didn't take." (Apr.) Forecast: With workplaces growing more impersonal, job-satisfaction ratings sinking and the economy stagnating, this lively and commonsensical guide, with its hopeful message and lack of jargon, could prove irresistible to readers who pick it up and its attractive price makes it accessible to workers at all salary levels. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

Alan Webber

Put simply, here's a book that will help you make sure that your work matters-to you and to others.  — Founding Editor, Fast Company magazine

Bob Rosner

This book is music to your soul.  — author of Working Wounded and The Bosses Complete Survival Guide, and syndicated columnist

Walter F. Mondale

This book inspires us to remember that the essence of every calling is a summons to serve.  — former Vice President of the United States

Beverly Kaye

They gave me new ways to think, ideas to ponder, action items to move on, and they made me smile. Thank you!  — coauthor of Love 'Em or Lose 'Em: Getting Good People to Stay

ACCREDITATION

Richard J. Leider is a founding partner of the Inventure Group, a training firm in Minneapolis, Minnesota devoted to helping individuals, leaders, and teams discover the power of purpose. His clients include many Fortune 500 companies. Leider is author or coauthor of six previous books, including the bestselling Repacking Your Bags, The Power of Purpose, The Inventurers, and Life Skills.