Callings: The Purpose and Passion of Work

One of the central themes in Callings is the importance of finding not only purpose but also pleasure in one’s work. The subtitle of the book—“The Purpose and Passion of Work”—states this explicitly, and the Introduction written by Dave Isay further highlights this theme. Isay quotes from Studs Terkel’s study that says people look to work “for daily meaning as well as daily bread, for recognition as well as cash, for astonishment rather than torpor” (3). In other words, people want their work, whatever that is, to give them sustenance and survival but also purpose and joy. Isay reiterates this by saying he hopes the book will inspire readers to find the meaning in their own work.

The individuals in these stories have all succeeded in deriving meaning—purpose and pleasure both—from their professions. This does not mean, however, that they all gain that meaning from the same aspects of work or in the same ways. For some, the ability to chase a dream, no matter how unusual or unprofitable, allows them to find work that offers a deeper purpose and joy in their lives. This is true for those in Part 1, such as Herman Hays, the street-corner astronomer.