“sweet spot” . . .
by mulberryshoots
Since it’s Sunday, I was reading the New York Times, one of my favorite pastimes, and came across an interview in the business section with Kon Leong, CEO of ZL Technologies about what he seeks in people who want to work for him. Concluding the article is his definition of what a “sweet spot” in life is:
” . . . the intersection of what you’re really good at and what you love to do. If you can find that intersection, you are set. A lot of people would kill for that because, at 65, they’re retiring and never found it.”
I thought about that and am glad that G. embodies someone who is living in his sweet spot. He tunes and restores pianos and is good at it. And he loves it too (he’s right now typing out bills and appraisals which he hates to do, but even with that, he loves what he does.) For over twenty-five years, I was really good at directing project management in biotech start-ups over and over again. But I didn’t love it. It was too rife with politics, power struggles and stress. I’m grateful for the opportunities and I’m also glad it’s behind me.
Now that I’m retired, I am loving doing what I’m really good at doing: cooking, keeping house, knitting, playing music, watching TV, reading books and magazines. It’s okay to love what you do, even if it’s mundane, repetitive and, well, not written about in the New York Times! I’ve always been curious and interested in learning new things especially now that I have more time to do it.
To each their own. We’re lucky if we ever find it. Some of us are already doing it without even knowing it! And it’s especially sweet when you do notice it!
mulberryshoots 
Thank you for sharing this-I’m very dissatisfied with my job but am not sure about what to do. I’m not getting any younger and I don’t want to be a hamster on a treadmill for too much longer. I’m glad that you have found your right place and can do the things that are meaningful for you, I’m encouraged to start developing a plan to do the same!
Dear Beth, I stayed in work that was very hard for a very long time. It was necessary and I was fortunate to make my living doing something I had some ability for. During all that time, I also managed to still do things that I enjoy doing even more now. That is the thing that kept me going, I think: to be true to myself in some ways during the time when I wasn’t in a job-related “sweet spot.” You can still do that now even when you are unhappy in your job. Take heart and best wishes.
So true, it is the things I love that keep me going in the job. I know that the job enables those things. Having the “sweet spot” as a goal sounds like a good plan. Thank you, again!
Living with sweet spots along the way will enable you to live kindly with yourself. Not everyone is fortunate to happen upon work that also becomes that intersection but we can and will make the best of it. That is one reason I say that “life is long” ~ because the possibilities extend beyond what we might think about at the time if we can be self-aware and mindful of each day that we can make happiness a choice. Plan and live at the same time. What do you like doing best?