Have you ever dared to dream that you could spend most of your time doing something you really love? You might say, "Impossible. Work sucks but I need the bucks." Did it ever occur to you that you could actually enjoy your work? If you have, terrific! Perhaps you are already doing what you love, or going in that direction. If you haven’t, well, I suggest that you run out to your local bookstore and buy Barbara Sher’s "Live the Life You Love" right away.

As you begin this book, you’ll immediately see that it is possible to improve your work life, immensely, and thereby begin to "live the life you love." After all, work, for most of us who aren’t independently wealthy, is a large part of our life, so if we aren’t happy in work, we aren’t happy in life, are we?

One of the biggest selling points of this book is its easy reading style, coupled with its optimistic slant. Barbara Sher obviously believes in positive outcomes, but not without a healthy dose of realism. She doesn’t just counsel the reader to "think positively" to achieve magical outcomes. She knows that people have a hard time with New Year’s Resolutions and staying on diets, and re-making themselves. The thought patterns and methods most people use to try to improve their lives are destined to fail, she tells us.

Instead, we have to look within ourselves to find out what really gets us going – we all have those things! She contends that those things point us to our unique gifts. How can we love something that we can’t do well? Our gifts are different than our skills. Skills can be learned through hard work, and can even be drudgery for us, according to Sher. She says that our gifts are those things that come naturally, that send us into "the zone" if-you-will. And we all have them, and have had experiences where we have been in that "zone." We simply have to find out what those gifts are and then figure out how to use them for gainful employment.

You think that it is impossible to take your off-beat gift and turn it in to money? Barbara Sher recites countless examples of people who have done just that. Reading these stories is not only enjoyable, it is inspiring. You begin to think, "Hey, if he / she can do it, so can I!" And here comes a big smile on your face. Why? Because her book makes you start to dream, and to tap in to the possibilities that lie out there for you.

And then, what you think is reality sets in. She talks about that too. You begin to say to yourself, "Oh, I can’t do that. I’m too old. I don’t have a degree in "X." Nobody would pay me to do "Y." These kinds of statements are called "resistance." She talks about resistance too, and how to overcome it.

The book is organized in 10 lessons, one for each step that she asks you to take. This book is a process. In order to get the full value, you must do the exercises, and they will take some time, but if you do them the way she wants you to, you’ll be on your way! The book is that convincing, that it pulls you in, coaxing you to do the exercises. Besides, they seem like FUN! The tools you’ll need will be a notebook and two decks of 3 x 5 cards, one white, and one in your favorite color, as well as a pencil and your "thinking cap." That’s it. You’ll find that the exercises are well-explained and easy to do, though they do take time and thought. That’s OK though, because you’ll have fun and learn a great deal about yourself in the process.

So, what are these ten steps?

1. Finding out what motivates you (we all have different things that get us off our "duff")
2. Getting a support system to help you with achieving your dream
3. Dealing with hidden feelings and putting them to rest so you can get on with it
4. De-cluttering your space (yes, that’s part of it – really!)
5. Uncovering your unique gifts (wow, what fun to find out what those gifts are)
6. Overcoming your biggest obstacle(s)
7. Accessing your "idea bank" to get the information you need (reality really is necessary too)
8. Performing your "dress rehearsal" to work out the kinks in going after your dream
9. Creating a special tool to help you get started
10. Choosing your path (at long last).

Do these steps sound intriguing and fun? If so, as you read the book, you’ll find that they are exciting and energizing. Barbara Sher has a very readable style, and peppers the book with meaty quotes and inspiration examples. She also gives of her own experience, which makes the book truly authentic. She’s been there, and done that, and the results (for her) were and continue to be wonderful. One can’t help pick up her enthusiasm – it’s contagious.

In short, this is one of the best motivational career development books I have ever read (and I have read many). If you aren’t doing what you love with the largest part of your day / life – rush out and get this book. It’s well worth the time and money. Don’t stop there – read it, and do the exercises. Barbara Sher will change your life!