Change the World
June 7, 2007 | by brett | Permalink
I love to do guest posts for other blogs because it allows you to reach an audience you normally wouldn’t reach. I don’t like to repost them to my blog unless I am proud of them.
This is a post that may be repetitive for the people that read this blog on a daily basis, but you know what, it’s good writing that I’m proud of. It’s about how I plan to change the world.
This post has nothing to do with the lessons taught by Guy Kawasaki. There will be no Babyface lyrics in this article. It’s about how I, Brett Farmiloe, a recent college grad and your latest corporate dropout, want to do something important, something that matters.
Will you help me change the world in a positive way?
Let me clarify what changing the world means to me. I don’t have the skills to find an end to world hunger, to move nations toward world peace, or to fight for freedom. Yet I have experience and skills that can make a significant difference. My idea of changing the world is tapping into a powerful, yet largely ignored natural resource — passion — the passion of people who do what they love.
The greatest ideas, effort, and productivity come from people who are propelled by passion. The world certainly needs more of these.
Yet the model we’re living is not designed to produce passion. It leads us down well-traveled career paths of 8 to 6 jobs that promise bonuses, promotions, and job stability. The model does not place importance on an individual’s love has for the work, but on the quantifiable measurements an individual brings.
I’m not buying that model.
One month ago, I left a corporate accounting position to continue a project I started in school. The project, Pursue the Passion, challenges individuals to find their life passion. The project began when two friends and I interviewed professionals about their career paths in hopes that we would find our own passion.
What happened along our journey is that I didn’t discover a passion. I developed many. I also found that an overwhelming majority of people have a passion. They just don’t know how or where to start making it the center of their life. Collectively, these reasons have led me to leave the security of a cubicle, to adopt a new lifestyle, and to pursue my passion with all I am.
Here’s how that looks.
In one month, my two friends and I will be couch surfing America to interview 200 people who love their work. We are traveling 14,000 miles in 90 days to uncover career paths people have paved. We’ll be talking, listening, and taking notes and videotaping so others can benefit from the interviews — the wisdom of the people we meet, their triumphs, the mistakes they share, and their lessons learned.
Would you help us make that tour the most it can be?
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THERE ARE 4 RESPONSES TO THIS INTERVIEW
Rosalie Webb Says:
June 7th, 2007
Hi Brett!
I have an elder gentleman I think would be a wonderful addition to your tour. His name is Harold Bjorklund [88 years young]. He was a Realtor before retiring and is the most passionate person I know. He lives everyday to the full. When speaking with him, he may seem slow; but, he has a sense of humor that is as dry as powder! He and his late wife [Rosalie-”Rosie”] were deeply in love and married well over 60 years. She passed away last year. He had a mishap since and gets around in a wheel chair these days and lives with his daughter [Sherry]. Every time I call, Sherry is laughing in the background in response to Harold’s comments. He is wise, knowledgable, funny and creative. I’m certain he will be a highlight in your tour. I have spoken with him this morning and he looks forward to hearing from you. He does not have email. I will send his contact information under separate cover. Remember: His sense of humor is sooooo dry that if you are not really listening, you might think he is deft … don’t let yourself even consider this idea … he is quicker than most 60-70 years younger than he.
Looking forward to your visit.
Rosalie
Danielle Says:
June 7th, 2007
Hey!
My friend Marisa (who is might get someone from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard to do interviews) sent her friend Colin a link to the site. Colin sent her this link, which she passed on to me. http://roadtripnation.com/ I thought you might find it interesting.
& Thanks for the mention in the newsletter!
Danielle
brett Says:
June 8th, 2007
The way that we distinguish ourselves from Roadtripnation is by the type of people we interview, and by the interactivity we promote.
1) 90% of our interviews are referral based, and 100% of the people we talk with are passionate about what they do. If you look at Roadtripnation, they interview people predominantly based on the title a person assumes, or the company they work for. That doesn’t necessarily mean they are passionate about their job. It is our job to find the people that whose purpose is sparked by what they do for a living, and to share their stories as far as we can spread them.
2) Our goal is to help people determine the direction of the their career so they can be passionate about their work. The only way I feel that we can effectively accomplish our goal is by providing real time advice, not just timeless advice in our interviews. This is done through interactive resources, like this blog, and through a resource we are in the process of working on.
brett Says:
November 8th, 2007
In retrospect, this is actually horrible writing. What the hell was I thinking?
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