"Creating a Life that Matters"

I know my brain is shriveling when an article in USA Today seems to speak directly to me. Even worse, it's a review of a book called Success Built to Last: Creating a Life That Matters — which sounds like it's in the vein of the Seven Highly Successful Habits of Rich People or Prestige for Dummies genre.

But as I read, I felt my sense of irony being suppressed. I was even nodding my head. The authors interviewed more than 200 people, including my heroes Steve Jobs and Alice Waters, and here's what they found:

The bottom-line conclusion about how successful people operate: "Their passions create meaning in their lives that is nothing short of a lifelong obsession from which they seek no escape."

The book/article also advises you to have a "portfolio of passions" — not just one that you're excited about. I agree: there's nothing more boring than someone who can only talk about one subject, and one subject only. I've been neglecting my other passions, politics and fiction (my own and others'), so this is a good reminder.

The subjects all had three essential traits in common (snarkiness: Of course, these traits have to get cheesy, trademarkable names):

•Meaning. What you do must matter deeply to you, so much so that you lose all track of time. It's a "flow experience."

•ThoughtStyle. You have a highly developed sense of accountability, audacity, passion and optimism.

•ActionStyle. You find effective ways to take action.

To quote Apple co-founder Jobs: "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life." What's most important, says Jobs: "Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition."

Anyway, it totally cheered me up. I had the chance to follow someone else's heart and intution recently, and very likely make a lot more money than I am now, but I just couldn't get excited about it. Whereas I happily spent the entire day yesterday trying to track down the exact techniques used to finish a particular brand of grass-fed beef.

I will never get rich from my Ethicurean obsession, but I'm happy to say I don't care — and that makes me just like these other "Builders."

Basically, I'm just starting to realize that I'm a late bloomer when it comes to idealism. When I am honest with myself, the reason I haven't yet written a novel or started my own business or quit my job to freelance is simple. I'm afraid. Not just of failing, but of looking ridiculous, or cheesy, or less successful materially than other people. But I have to say, once you're finally in motion, the joy of just going for it far outweighs the occasional pangs.