Jonathan Fields is a reformed hedge fund lawyer-turned entrepreneur, yoga instructor, published author, blogger, father, husband and all around great guy. We caught up with him and were inspired by his experiences of trading a live-to-work existence for a quest to make a living from doing what he loves.
You’ll find Jonathan’s answers after the jump, and for more about Jonathan, not to mention countless tips for living your dream, don’t forget to check out his truly excellent blog, Awake at the Wheel.
- What books, movies, or CDs have been most helpful or inspiring to you?
A Short Guide To A Happy Life by Anna Quindlan, The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell, Influence by Robert Cialdini, Built To Last by Jim Collins, Comfortable With Uncertainty by Pema Chodron, The Old Man And The Sea by Hemingway, The Bhagavad Gita, Purple Cow and Tribes by Seth Godin, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Led Zep, Pink Floyyd, Krhisna Das is what I rock out to and, for movies, Rudy, Radio, What The Bleep Do We Know and Rocky I. - What’s your current obsession?
Professionally – writing, mentoring, building businesses and helping people do the same. Just give me something to create that touches peoples’ lives and I’m a happy puppy. Personally – hanging out with my wife and seven-year-old daughter as much as possible (seriously, can you ever get enough of that?). - Who inspires you?
My wife and daughter, they just plain rock. In biz, Branson, Godin, and anyone who’s willing to risk entrepreneurship in the name of coming alive. - How do you get things done?
Set what Collins called “Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals” in Built To Last, then don’t stop until you make them happen. Shoot for the ultimate end, but focus on the task at hand. Do NOT multitask, it’s a myth. You lose a huge of time in the process of fluttering between tasks and having to ramp up. One exception, if you’re a mom or parent of young kid, you’ve got no other option. - What are the tools of your trade?
My brain, I live and breath to create stuff, beyond that, I’ll adapt whatever tools I have to do what I need to do. One day it’s a paintbrush, the next it’s yoga class, the next day it’s a blog. - Just by virtue of being you, what are you teaching?
Ask me again in about 30 years.
- What’s the feeling you’re usually trying to achieve?
Stillness, lightness, peace. - What advice are you always giving to people?
Be real, even if you’re really good at faking it, eventually, people will see through you and even if they don’t, the fact that you’re living a lie will eventually eat you up inside. Oh, and don’t be an ass, lead with compassion, not fear. Think “first you, then me.” Life’s not about things, it’s about people. Security isn’t about what you have, it’s about what you are capable of. There is no sideways in life. - What’s a repeating lesson in your life?
Lighten up. Stuff happens, sometimes it’s your fault, other times not. What’s more important is how you respond to it. - What would you like to master?
I want to live my legacy now, I want to be here to drink in the unfolding as it happens. I want to master my insanely unrealistic desire to ever master anything and allow myself to be blissfully awash in the opportunity to do what I love at whatever level of expression I have. I want to be a great dad and husband (hahaha, like you can master those), I want to play Little Wing on guitar, I want to be able to write on a level that illuminates the human condition, I want to be able to tell stories that transport those listening and leave them in a different place, a better place. I want to master love and compassion. Oh, and the perfect thin crust pizza wouldn’t suck, either! - What does an entrepreneur need to believe?
Just because nobody’s done it before you, doesn’t mean it can’t be done. When people say it can’t be done, what they really mean is “I can’t do it, so who the hell are you to trying?” Do whatever you need to do to believe you can succeed. Without belief, there’s no action. Fear of failure isn’t a reason not to try. Remember this, if you never try, you’ve already failed. - What would you like to revolutionize?
The way people earn their livings. So many people have been sleepwalking or even suffering through jobs that suck the life out of them, without ever even testing the possibility that there could be another way. Being a grown up is not about trading mind-numbing, purposeless work for the illusion of false security. It’s about coming alive in everything you do, and that includes the way you earn your living.
Pre-order Jonathan’s book: Career Renegade
Career Renegade: How To Make A Great Living Doing What You Love will be released on January 13th, 2009. Find out more about the book on Jonathan’s website, or pre-order it now from Amazon.
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