How do you get extraordinary drive? It’s all about passion, baby, about discovering what it is you love to do. Combs suggests you:
- Admit what really interests you
- Pinpoint your true aspirations (including the ones your family might not agree with)
- Discover the many jobs related to your interest (Combs shows you how)
- Feel your fears and do it anyway.
What I really like about this book is that Combs anticipates the arguments against his ideas and answers them with helpful exercises that walk you through what he’s trying to get you to realize, experience, and act on. His own passion for helping others find their passion is evident. So many other books on success focus on more tangible advice, and that’s important too, but if underneath all that surface stuff your fire isn’t blazing, satisfaction is going to be hard won, if won at all.
"Trust your emotions," Combs writes. "Choose enjoyment, satisfaction, and learning over dollars."
He also suggests your best job may not be what you’re good at, and that life is very generous to those who follow their passions and pursue their dreams. I find that inspiring, not only for twenty-somethings just starting out, but also for those of us who have tried a career or three and are still searching for the one that brings us joy. The older we get, the more important that becomes.
Combs provides plenty of exercises for discovering which job that might be. He also discusses:
- Power journaling
- Dealing with fear
- Setting goals
- Choosing the classes that really matter
- Managing time and stress
- Finding a coach
- Networking in professional organizations
- Interviewing effectively
Major in Success is filled with practical advice about the things that really matter in life, the things that lead to true success. Now in its 5th edition, it’s sure to be around for decades to come.
