ICP 041 Jeff Goins on Finding The Art of Work

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ICP 041 Jeff Goins on Finding The Art of Work

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Scroll down for detailed episode notes and quick access timings

In this episode you’ll learn:

What happened when Jeff quit his day job to be a writer
Some of the risks you’ll encounter when pursuing your dreams
How you can use existing relationships to evolve yourself
What writing a book on finding your calling can teach you

“A calling is not some carefully crafted plan. It’s what’s left when the plan goes horribly wrong.” – Jeff Goins

If you ask Jeff’s son what Daddy does for a living he’ll tell you that his “Daddy makes books.”

As a writer, musician and the author of four books, Jeff Goins, is also responsible for one of the most popular blogs on writing, Goinswriter.com.

In this episode, Jeff reveals what motivated him to write his new book, The Art of Work, a book about discovering your calling in life.

Jeff shares how purpose and vocation can work together. He reveals what happened the moment he quit his job and called himself a writer.

You’ll learn why Jeff believes the old apprenticeship model will no longer work, and why generations to come will need to be more creative and even more entrepreneurial.

“What makes a life extraordinary aren’t the chances we get, but what we do with them.” – Jeff Goins

Items mentioned in this episode (quick access):

Creativity, childhood and classic rock

[0:00:51] Rob introduces this episode.

[0:01:30] Jeff introduces his dog, Lyric, and reveals what happened when he chased a girl to Nashville.

[0:02:15] Talking about how Nashville is an entrepreneurial hub and a melting pot full of non-profits, writers and technology.

[0:03:52] What growing up in the suburbs of Chicago was like. His Dad was a guitar player who grew up in the seventies. Classic rock: Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd.

[0:04:54] Stories about rock guitarist, Jimmy Page.

[0:05:45] Jeff relates his creativity to his childhood. Jeff talks about how his Dad used to tell him stories. Jeff speaks about his Mum who was an artist and playwright.

“Life can only be understood backwards but it must be lived forwards.” – Søren Kierkegaard

Writing

[0:06:46] Reading the dictionary on road-trips. Jeff talks affectionately about his Mum who loved language and had a father who was an artist, journalist and playwright.

[0:07:29] Rob asks Jeff if his calling has always been to be a writer.

[0:07:37] What a calling is.

[0:08:23] What Jeff wanted to be as a kid. Touring with a band as a guitarist. Leaving the band and becoming a marketing director.

[0:09:25] How writing was something that Jeff kept returning to. Asking what friends thought. Getting feedback from his wife.

[0:10:10] Jeff reflects on how his life was telling him what he was supposed to do.

[0:10:28] Rob asks Jeff if it was hard for him to let go of the idea of being a musician.

[0:11:00] A big risk when following your dream.

[0:12:25] Fear.

[0:13:45] Jeff reveals what happened the moment he called himself a writer.

“You don’t have to want to be a writer, you are a writer, you just need to write… ” – Jeff Goins

Good fear and bad fear

[0:14:14] Steven Pressfield. Turning Pro.

[0:14:20] The reason we are afraid of success. An even greater fear.

[0:15:20] Jody Noland. The cost of not doing something.

[0:15:47] Permission. Not knowing what to do.

[0:16:21] Waking up at 5am and writing. Finding his voice. Discipline.

[0:17:23] Jeff reveals how he came up with the ideas for his new book, The Art of Work.

[0:18:00] Jeff’s transition from working in a day job. Struggling to provide an answer.

[0:18:34] Lucky incidents. Jeff’s friend, Mark. The moment he may have found his calling.

“Your purpose can’t just be about you it has to be about other people, some larger vision.” – Jeff Goins

The discovery process: finding your purpose

[0:19:28] What if finding your calling wasn’t a rare occurrence?

[0:19:40] Jeff talk about finding people who had found their calling. Telling these stories in The Art of Work.

[0:20:32] Listening to your life. Jeff talks about the idea of finding your purpose.

[0:21:20] Jeff reveals what happened the day he quit his job. How he felt when he spent two months doing nothing. Dreaming too small. Getting everything he wanted.

[0:22:11] Viktor Frankl.

“The worst way to be happy is to try to be happy…the best way is…to pour it out in service to other people.” – Jeff Goins

[0:22:50] Why you need a big project and someone to love. Good things coming from the bad.

[0:23:50] What you can learn from looking back at your life. Passion.

[0:24:10] Paying attention to pain. Why just pursuing your passion won’t work.

[0:25:00] Jeff shares a very touching story about his friend, Jody Noland, which led to the creation of the website, Leaving Nothing Unsaid.

“This idea that you just need to go back to what you want to do as a child…it’s incomplete advice.” – Jeff Goins

The portfolio life

[0:25:40] Rob reveals to Jeff why he loves podcasting.

[0:26:20] Charles Handy’s book The age of unreason.

[0:27:11] Jeff mentions a Forbes study on freelancing and work.

[0:28:00] Jeff shares why he believes our children and future generations will need to be more creative and entrepreneurial.

[0:28:40] The factory mindset. A holistic view of one-self.

[0:29:25] Rob mentions a report that reflects freelancers in the U.K.

“What makes a life extraordinary aren’t the chances we get, but what we do with them.” – Jeff Goins

Modern apprenticeships

[0:29:55] Jeff reveals why apprenticeships are an extension of the parenting process. Star wars.

[0:30:55] Having someone to show you the way.

[0:31:27] The Renaissance. Michaelangelo. Historic apprenticeships. Journeymen.

[0:32:20] Why the historic apprenticeship model wouldn’t work now.

“All of your life is a classroom.” – Jeff Goins

[0:32:35] How you can strategically use existing relationships to evolve yourself.

[0:32:49] Jeff mentions Steve Jobs.

“This idea of apprenticeship…that I need someone to show me how to do the thing that I think I might be able to do” – Jeff Goins

Being intentional

[0:33:32] The best way to find a mentor.

[0:33:45] Rob shares a Michael Bungay-Stanier thought about young mentors.

[0:34:10] Jeff shares details of his writing practice. The irony about being a full-time writer. Busy-ness.

[0:35:43] How Jeff describes his “3 bucket writing system.”

[0:36:43] Evernote. Editing. Keeping the well full.

“Clarity comes with action.” – Jeff Goins

Chasing big dreams

[0:37:16] Jeff reveals the biggest insight he received having completed writing The Art of Work.

[0:38:08] The journey is the destination. Tail-spins.

[0:38:53] Jeff shares how best to find out more about him and his work.

“This is a big risk in our world today… not that you’ll fail… but you’ll succeed at the wrong thing.” – Jeff Goins

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Links and resources:

The Art of Work book by Jeff Goins*
Leave Nothing Unsaid (Jody Noland website)
Evernote
Forbes
UK Creative Employment

People and other books mentioned in this episode:

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*affiliate links, ‡ includes charitable donation