Zen and the Art of Making a Living: A Practical Guide to Creative Career Design

by Laurence G. Boldt

Zen and the Art of Making a Living is the life-changing book that revolutionized the career planning field by offering a new vision of work. This new edition has been updated throughout with up-to-the-minute contact information and hundreds of new bibliographical and Internet resources. It includes all-new sections on developing a successful home-based business and creating an effective work development support group to assist you in your quest for fulfillling work.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Business, Philosophy, Personal Development, Zen, Spirituality

704 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one is really good, and the book I always want to give (and sometimes have) to some young seeker mulling over their options and how they plan to earn their crust and/(or?) fulfill their aspirations. Very much a workbooky, participatory sort of thing - a tool for living the examined life. In fact, I should return to it again myself, on the proposition that it is never too late.

[Jeff Lampson]

I've owned this book for over 15 years and at least annually I continue to soak in it's wisdom and inspiration.

[Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite unexpectedly, this book resonated with me. It was not full of the new-agey aphorisms I was expecting but rather a subtle examination of archetype as a guide for living - a critiqued life as it were. Joseph Campbell features prominently but also Nietzsche, CG Jung, and a host of other thinkers whose work could easily be twisted to fit a shallow self-help book, but wasn't here. I really found the first part of the book, with it's explanation of myth and zen, interesting. Especially because I could feel myself building up resistance as I read a passage readying my rebuttal to what I thought would be an exaggeration or misinterpretation, but I rarely got a chance. The writing was evenhanded and not preachy. The second half is more practical with its exercises, which I declined to complete. Add all the great quotes from strong sources and I was glad I picked this up, though it seemed repetitive at points and I think I could edit it down quite a bit.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like a bible.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is just an amazing book. I found it very affirmative of my life path. I wish I'd found it earlier as it would have been helpful. The funny thing about this book was that I actually found the practical information in it less helpful than the vast amount of inspirational information it contained. Laurence Boldt knows what he is talking about it.

[D.M. Dutcher · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's a normal career book with a bunch of zen babble. You have the "philosophy" aspects which take up most of the book, but the actual career advice is just the usual "discover your values, make a list of your talents, etc" that you get in these books.

I actually liked the philosophy at start, which posits that currently we are in a "little king" model of control and deny, and we are conditioned that being good means following society's rules as opposed to creating the life we mean to live. But then we get into very simplistic and wrong "eastern wisdom good, western rationalism/religion bad"that makes you roll your eyes, since if anything social control and materialism is probably much greater in those societies than in the west. There's a lot of stuff about serving others, but if you are needing to read a career book, most of the time you aren't in any position to serve or think about grand service and love.

I guess I was hoping for a far more limited book. It's probably better to just buy a regular career book, and a copy of Ueshiba's The Art of Peace, which covers a lot of the same philosophical themes in much, much less space.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book took me a very long time to finish, but I read it intermittently and really took the time to savor it. It is a very dense book with so many wise quotes, lessons and a very comprehensive overview of choosing a career and then finding a way to make it happen. The author approaches the career process the way an artist sees a blank canvas. He encourages us to approach the process with reverence and to honor our best self. He encourages us to think about more than money and success--he wants us to include our soul in the process. But at the same time the book is very, very practical. I guess the reason it is almost 600 pages is because he always us to think big and creatively and then encourages us to delve into the minutia and do the work. I highly recommend this book and encourage you to skim or skip sections that do not feel relevant to you. It is worth the time.

[Graciela Guzmán · Rating 5 out of 5]

I receive this book from my Dearest Friend Kerrie Kephart, in a moment I loose my job and I felt hopeless. I remembered what she wrote to me: "and fly your wings my batterflie". It was like a light in a dark room for me. It helps me to discover that I love to work with people, that somehow I need the contention of a institution, the lessons from the warriors, the sage, the students and... Get into too many philosofal ideas mixed with a recipes of looking for a job, was a cool breeze in a hot summer day.
I helped me that much that I lend to someone and never get back.... is what Kerrie wrote what I missed the most. Lovely.

[Venkat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read from getabstract.com kindle file. Quick read about choosing a perfect career that fulfills your desire. Few highlighted points:

When open, our minds have tremendous power to receive ideas.
Put your goals on paper.
Overcoming obstacles and making the best of a situation creates energy that you can use for greater achievements
Negative thoughts are normal and even useful, but immersing yourself in them is self-sabotage.
Human beings often are uncomfortable with change even if it improves the situation.
A strong sense of purpose enables you to respond positively to the inevitable difficulties.

[Leeann · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was recommended to me and I really, really wanted to try to get through it. It is 608 pages, by the way. I purchased this book when I was in between jobs and looking for a job that would fulfill my passion. Unfortunately, it did not create Zen for me or help me realize my passion as it translates into the workplace. Reading it made me feel frustrated and hopeless.

[Sehlers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned about this book from a freshman seminar I took a few years ago. It has some wonderful insights & some great tools for making you more aware of what it is you want to do "when I grow up"... unfortunately I still do not know what I want to be when I grow up.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been reading this book for several years--a little at a time. It calms and directs me and makes me think.

[Sophia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read 100% of the book until page 392... then i skimmed over sections i thought were interesting and read the quotes. This book didnt tell me anything i didnt already know.

[Paiman Chen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Change is not easy, even if you're motivated. Transformation is the action of both spiritual liberation and art.
Human beings often are uncomfortable with change even if it improves the situation. And yet if you resist change, you cannot advance. You're stuck in place, inactive and unable to transform. To change, recognize that you have more to learn, that knowledge is always expanding. Look at the world as an infant does - with eyes wide open, amazed by sights and sounds.

To be authentic, the play or action of your life must come from within, must flow from your heart. The spiritual or inner life cannot be separated from work - or anything else.

Finding a meaningful livelihood requires effort. You may not be able to change now, but if you work hard at your job, treat people pleasantly and learn all you can, you'll acquire the skills and knowledge you need to make a move. As Zen master Non-sen said, "Everyday life is the path."

A strong sense of purpose enables you to respond positively to the inevitable difficulties, annoyances and inconveniences of life in general and change in particular.

William Shakespeare once wrote, "Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt." Fear of falling short often prevents people from seeking their true calling. 

Everyone can learn self-awareness. Cultivate a positive attitude. Express gratitude. A karate master once said that if he were a garbage man, he'd be the best garbage man in the universe. Taking pride in even the most menial task creates a positive state of mind and opens you up to possibilities. "When open, our minds have tremendous power to receive ideas."

The best answers come from the heart, not the head.To play the game, you must understand the rules.Peace comes from within, not from other people.Wait for the perfect time to make a change and you'll wait forever.Fear of failure can stand in the way of your dreams.Until you find what you love, love what you do.Giving up is not an option.
Do what your heart dictates, and trust that you and the universe are one and the same.
The road of life is unpredictable, and frequently filled with boulders and detours.
Don't be discouraged. Develop a fundamental belief in yourself and your talents. Reach for "the root of faith"; understand that "the seed is within."

[Ricky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very insightful book about the art of making a living with zen philosophy. I can see very clearly the tremendous effort from the Author by putting his thoughts and understanding together to make this book. He is passionate and has been patient enough to have consistently working on this book for 4 years to complete writting the book. Thank you for his effort.

I recommend those young people to read this book before they embark on the career life. This is also good book for those who are interested to spend their effort to quest for their life's work at any stage of life, it is never too late to start!!

Happy reading and have a good year ahead!!

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first half of this book argues that everyone has a purpose in life and we are responsible to pursue this purpose, for various reasons. Reading about the hero's journey was fascinating (incredibly so), and has made me consider reading Joseph Campbell's The Hero with a Thousand Faces.
The second half of the book explains how to pursue your purpose. I wasn't as interested in the second half because I learned many of Boldt's instructions and suggestions throughout my life. However, the fact that this book isn't just written to point out problems, but encourages strategic action and solutions, makes it better than most self-help books.

[Shane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the one, definitive book that helped me get where I am today. It totally forever changed my way of thinking and gave me practical step-by-step instructions on how to get to where I wanted to go. I’ve gifted this book more times over the past two years than I’ve gifted books in my life. I can’t recommend it enough to people serious about making a change in their life, both in terms of career and perspective. I continue to go back to this book for myself and in counseling others.

[Cherie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just heard the title "Zen and the Art of Making a Living" and thought this would be a useful book on applying the Buddhist principles to the workplace, but it's more of a self-help book on how to pick a new career. I like my career, so I didn't find it useful, but many people would. Highly recommend for college-age students or anyone struggling to figure out what do I do with my life.

[Valleri · Rating 1 out of 5]

Only the last chapter was worth a look. The rest of the overly large and endlessly boring book was full of ethnic stereotypes and worthless suggestions. Do not waste your time with this culturally tone-deaf paperweight.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up and put it down and picked it up and put it down for *over a year* because its wisdom is just too potent to take in all at once. The best book on “career” I have ever read. I owe a lot to it.

[Seema Rao · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is full of quotes and ink-drawings. It has the tone of a Zen monk writing a leadership tome. I don't know if I was deep enough to appreciate its lessons (read 1/2).

[Alia Makki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the mediation between the ideal and the real.

[Belle Meade School]

650.14

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good guide and workbook. I picked up this book because I wanted to discover what is my true passion in life, and this book looked to promise that if I were willing to do the work. I made it through only half the workbook, but I read the entire thing. The workbook parts are a little reductive, but I found that working through the ones I did helped me to see myself in a new perspective. Even the ones that I didn't do asked good questions that got me thinking about my life's mission. Figuring out one's life ambitions is a lot to ask of a book, but this book rises to the challenge. I found it very helpful in thinking about myself. He uses a lot of good sources and quotes that he peppers into the readings. Very inspiring.

[Kenneth · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Zen tells us that if we want to be free to play, we must be done with the agitation of envy and shame. otherwise, we can be triggered, through prize and ridicule, into performing like trained monkeys -- without ever knowing how or why"

"For good thoughts... towards men, are little better than dreams, except they be put into action; and that cannot be, without power and place." -- Francis Bacon

This book to me is about how to choose and play the "games" that's right for me.

[Kelli Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actually, I have not finished this book, because it's really the kind of book one takes in smaller bites. It's got a lot of stuff, and you might not need all of it at the same time. Parts of it have hit me as exactly what I need. Other parts probably would be great if I had the time to work through them. Still others, I'm just not there. I'll likely be getting it periodically from the library as needed, or I'll just buy myself a copy and carve out space on my limited shelves...

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a big one and i will be referencing it for a while. really great follow up/ companion to Sark's book making your creative dreams a reality. The beginning of this book really sounds a lot like Ishmael which is what drew me into it.

[EC · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first part of this book is about looking at work philosophically. The rest of the book is pretty much like most career guides, but the approach taken here resonated a little more with me than most of the others I"ve read.

[Elaine · Rating 2 out of 5]

In my late 20s, I got partway through the very extensive writing and reflecting that this workbook calls for, and that's it. There's only so much soul-searching that I can do.
Maybe this book would be better for people with more life/work experience -- and thus more to reflect on...?

[Adrianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember reading this book and thinking, "Why were we not taught this before?" It made the job search, career search, more palatable. Took the stress of it and gave me a new perspective to job searching.