Greetings from the sky!

I’m flying back to LA with a full heart after throwing my dad a 75th birthday bash in my native NY.

Almost 100 family members, childhood-through-present-day friends, and fellow musicians turned out to celebrate Mr. Gregarious himself. My brother and I rented a restaurant on the Hudson River, complete with our own DIY music setup so we could play live for each other. We opened with “Home” (fitting), wound through everything from “These Boots Are Made for Walkin'” to “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” (timeless bangers), and my dad closed us out with “Enjoy Yourself” before enjoying the most massive, decadent chocolate cake I’ve ever laid eyes on.

But why am I regaling you with party details in a newsletter about work?

Because my career—the one I designed and love—is what enabled me to fund this party, carve out the time to plan it, be fully present and engaged during it, and truly absorb my dad’s unbridled joy and our community’s love and support. Yes, I’m back to work, but the stunningly positive vibes live on.

Designing a career you love is about supporting a life you love

You know the stat by now: We spend roughly 90K hours or a third of our life at work. So naturally, we want to spend that massive chunk of time doing work that energizes us, builds on our strengths, provides a healthy dose of challenge, connects us with wonderful collaborators, and creates an impact in the world that we’re proud of.

A big part of the Career Spark Engine is figuring that work piece out.

But we also need to ensure that work supports your life by looking through lenses like your:

• Money Floor: This isn't about scraping by. This is about owning the minimum amount you’d be comfortable hitting your bank after taxes—so we can see what’s truly possible in the market. And no, it’s not “greedy” or “selfish” to include your favorite splurges, a sleep-at-night safety net, or your equivalent of throwing your dad a birthday party.
• Schedule: Be honest: How many hours of sleep do you need? What’s your wind down and wakeup routine? How much vacation do you need? What caretaking obligations do you have? How unplugged do you need to be for your brain to truly rest and rejuvenate? These life factors dictate your work schedule—not the other way around.
• Passion & Purpose Anchors: Have you ever allowed yourself to imagine your dream week? In this dream you don’t need to make money or answer to a boss. The things you dream of doing (after catching up on rest, of course) deserve priority now—not some future retirement era. Either monetize ‘em or prioritize ‘em in small ways now.

If your work isn’t setting you up for your version of delicious chocolate cake and music on the Hudson River—and you’re not sure what to do about it—reply to this email. I read and respond to every message, and will do my best to get you movin’ and groovin’ in the right direction.

Onward!
Grace