Work That Matters: Create a Livelihood That Reflects Your Core Intention

257 Pages·2017·3.57 MB·English

by  Maia Duerr

“In a world that seems to be going crazy, finding meaningful work that not only
pays the bills but helps people and society and the earth to heal is becoming
more important than ever. What do I really want to do with my life? How can I
make a difference? Maia’s insightful book shows us how to approach those
questions, in a way that can help us discover our own true path.”
— David Loy, A New Buddhist Path
“As Lao Tzu said, ‘A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step’ and
reading this book might well be yours. For anyone who’s spent time looking for
a way to love what they do, Maia Duerr charts a step-by-step route for getting
there. Wise, realistic, and encouraging.”
— Karen Maezen Miller, author of Paradise in Plain Sight and Hand Wash Cold
“This is a clear and wonderful guide on how to bring balance and wisdom into
your livelihood.”
— Roshi Joan Jiko Halifax, Abbot of Upaya Zen Center, The Fruitful Darkness
“Work That Matters counsels us on how to optimize not only our work life but
life itself. This helpful book offers the reader a way to look deeply, discover, and
creatively follow our true-life direction. Becoming intimate with our core
intention, the way opens, and we can discern our unique path to rewarding and
meaningful work. The concrete exercises and reflections Maia offers will lead to
a transformation of the meaning and value of your work choices.”
— Roshi Pat Enkyo O’Hara, Most Intimate
“The most creative contributions to this world are usually made by people who
have aligned their work with their deepest values and true intentions. I have
worked with Maia Duerr in many contexts and have witnessed her commitment
to cultivating this awareness and finding skillful ways to teach it to others. This
is not just another book on mindfulness—it could change every working day of
your life.”
— Mirabai Bush, Senior Fellow of the Center for Contemplative Mind in
Society, Working with Mindfulness
“Maia Duerr brings a mindful and liberating approach to creating a work life that
speaks to one’s unique gifts and purpose. Providing key tools and exercises, this
gem of a book can help you navigate a path from an unfulfilling job to a
meaningful and joyful career of your own making.”
— Brenda Salgado, Real World Mindfulness for Beginners
“This wise and brilliant book harnesses the power of mindfulness and a host of
creative and visionary techniques and practices to help you find the work that
you love. Maia Duerr is an insightful, compassionate, and experienced guide
along the way. This book will change your life.”
—Diana Winston, Director of Mindfulness Education at UCLA’s Mindful
Awareness Research Center, coauthor Fully Present
“If you want to find joy in your work, read this book! Maia Duerr is the kindest
and most encouraging of guides. She helps us look into our own hearts to clarify
what matters to us, and points us toward practical tools that can help us manifest
this vision. This book will be helpful to anyone who is considering their work at
any stage of life. I found myself eagerly doing the exercises at the end of each
chapter, and was reminded of priorities of my own that I have been neglecting.
Now in my mid-seventies, my own work life has been enriched. This book about
finding a fulfilling livelihood is essential and straight from the heart.”
—Susan Moon, This is Getting Old

To Nicole Sangsuree Barrett…this book would have been my gift to you, if
you’d been able to stay around long enough to see it. As it is, you’re doing the
work that matters most from the realm of the stars. Thank you for shining your
brilliant light on all of us and for being a huge inspiration to me during your
short time on this planet.
CONTENTS
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Foreword by Pamela Slim
How to Use This Book
PART I: FOUNDATIONS
Chapter 1: A Love Story about Work
Chapter 2: What Is Liberation-Based Livelihood?
Chapter 3: Three Building Blocks of Transformation
1. Returning to This Very Moment
2. Leveraging Adversity
3. Staying the Course
PART II: THE 6 KEYS TO LIBERATION-BASED LIVELIHOOD
Chapter 4: Key 1: Become Intimate with Your Core Intention
Chapter 5: Key 2: Value Your Gifts and Time
Chapter 6: Key 3: Break Through Inertia and Take Action
Chapter 7: Key 4: Make Friends with Uncertainty
Chapter 8: Key 5: Think Big and Make the Most of Your Resources
Chapter 9: Key 6: Build a Circle of Allies and Ask for Help
PART III: NAVIGATIONAL TOOLS
Chapter 10: Craft Your Personal Mission Statement
Chapter 11: Strategies and Tools for Navigating the Three Pathways
to Liberation-Based Livelihood
1. Plan Your Exit Strategy
2. Love the Job You’ve Got
3. Create Work That You Love
Chapter 12: Create Your Personal Action Plan
Conclusion: True Freedom through Work That Matters
Notes
Resources
Appendices
A. Loving Kindness Practice
B. Guide to Creating a Personal Retreat
C. Treasure Hunting Letter Example
Acknowledgments
About the Author
FOREWORD
I
sat in the darkroom on a stool next to my dad, watching him look through a
page of contact sheets with a handheld magnifying glass.
“There—look at the difference between these two photos. What do you
notice?”
I squinted as I looked between the two images. They were so similar, but then
I noticed that in one, the person on the far left had a slightly different look on her
face. Her eyes looked brighter and her smile felt more genuine. I could sense
how the picture worked better than the nearly identical one next to it.
“This one looks slightly better. That look on her face does it.”
I watched a quiet smile spread on his face.
“That’s right. That’s why you have to take so many pictures. There are always
slight inconsistencies, or things that feel a tiny bit off. Out of the two hundred
pictures you take to get one shot, you will find the one that works. I am always
relieved when I find it.”
Perhaps you have been lucky enough to witness someone doing work that they
love. For some, it is expressed as working calmly and thoughtfully on their craft.
For others, you feel the passion pouring out of them as they cook up a storm, or
speak or teach with great enthusiasm.
These people love their work. They are devoted to their work. It feeds them
and fuels them. Who doesn’t want that?
Finding out what you want to be when you grow up, or how to make money
from your passions, or what your next job or career is, or how to make meaning
from your time on Earth are questions that many, many people ask themselves.
Imagine how wonderful life would be if you enjoyed the things you did to put
food on your table.
So why is it so hard?
When you are in a state of flux with work, it feels like it will never get better.