The Seed: Finding Purpose and Happiness in Life and Work

by Jon Gordon

A business fable to help you discover your purpose in work and life New from Jon Gordon, the international and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Energy Bus , The Seed takes you on a quest for the meaning and passion behind work. Josh, an up-and-comer at his company, is disenchanted with his job. Challenged by his boss to take two weeks to decide if he really wants to work there, Josh takes off for the country, where he meets a wise farmer who gives him a seed and a find the right place to plant the seed, and his purpose will be revealed. Through Josh's journey cross-country journey, you'll find surprising new sources of wisdom and inspiration in your own business and life. Nobody captures the deeper meaning of business like Jon Gordon, and The Seed is his most searching and significant book yet. Whatever your profession, take this insightful look at the purpose behind work, and plant The Seed of inspiration in your life!

Q&A with Author Jon Gordon
Author Jon Gordon What inspired you to write The Seed ?
I had a vision of a farmer giving a young man a seed and saying “Find out where to plant this seed and your purpose will be revealed to you.” I think about passion and purpose a lot and was inspired to write a story about the journey and the four stages we all have to go through to find, live and share our purpose in our life and work.

Who do you see as the audience for this book?
It’s really a story for anyone who wants to live with more passion, purpose and happiness. Whether you are searching for your ultimate purpose, your unique reason for being alive, or simply want to experience more passion and happiness in your every day job, my hope is that this book will inspire you.

What advice would you give to someone who is looking to find a bigger purpose in their life or at their job?
I believe there’s a flawed perception in our society that in order to live a life of purpose we have to leave our jobs and go solve world hunger, feed the homeless, move to Africa or start a charity. While these are all noble causes and many are called to do these very things, for many of us our bigger purpose can be found in the here and now, in the jobs we have, right under our noses. And when we find and live this purpose it will provide the ultimate fuel for a meaningful life. You may not build libraries around the world but you can find the bigger purpose in reading to your children. You may not feed the homeless every day but you can nourish your employees and customers with a smile, kind word and care. And while you may not start your own non-profit organization you can begin a charity initiative at work. After all, "charity" means "love in action." You can make a difference every day and touch the lives of everyone you meet. I have found when you decide to serve in small ways you get more opportunities to serve in bigger ways. When decide to live with purpose, your bigger purpose finds you!

Do you know anyone personally who has found their bigger purpose? If so, what was it?
I heard of a janitor who worked at NASA and even though he was sweeping floors he felt his bigger purpose was contributing to put a man on the moon. I met a bus driver who knows his purpose is to help kids stay off drugs. I received an email from a man in the mortgage business who sees his job as a way to help couples save their marriages by keeping their homes. I know a Popeye's Chicken employee named Edith in the Atlanta Airport who makes thousands of air traveler's smile each day. I found my purpose when, at the peak of my unhappiness, I asked “why am I here and how can I serve.” A few days later, writing and speaking (something I never did before) came to me and I haven’t stopped since.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction, Business, Leadership, Personal Development, Spirituality, Audiobook

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Jon Gordon is an American business consultant and author on the topics of leadership, culture, sales, and teamwork.

Jon Gordon's best-selling books and talks have inspired readers and audiences around the world. His principles have been put to the test by numerous NFL, NBA, and college coaches and teams, Fortune 500 companies, school districts, hospitals and non-profits. He is the author of The Wall Street Journal bestseller The Energy Bus, The No Complaining Rule, Training Camp, The Shark and The Goldfish, Soup, The Seed and his latest The Positive Dog. Jon and his tips have been featured on The Today Show, CNN, Fox and Friends and in numerous magazines and newspapers. His clients include The Atlanta Falcons, Campbell Soup, Wells Fargo, State Farm, Novartis, Bayer and more.

Jon is a graduate of Cornell University and holds a Masters in Teaching from Emory University. He and his training/consulting company are passionate about developing positive leaders, organizations and teams.

When he's not running through airports or speaking, you can find him playing tennis or lacrosse with his wife and two "high energy" children.

You can find him on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jongordonpage

Reviews

[Dana Fontaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recommend this book to three types of people: 1) people who are unhappy with their work 2) people that are unhappy with themselves, and 3) people who are in their 20s, 30s, or 40s that don't know what to do with their lives. This tells the story of Josh and Dharma. Josh is the person, Dharma is a dog, and he (Josh) has lost his love of his job and of life. He has a meaningful encounter and then he has two weeks paid vacation to go find himself. I definitely recommend this book.

[Yelda Basar Moers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m always up for reading a book on one’s purpose in life. What spiritual reader isn’t? The problem is the topic has been overdone and the market flooded with such books. Purpose-inspired titles that I’ve read include: The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle and who can forget The Secret by Rhonda Byrne? But I’m left to wonder how the latest book on the topic can add anything new?

The Seed: Finding Purpose and Happiness in Life and Work by Jon Gordon was just published this year. This little nutshell of a book—a mere 143 pages—reminded me of Henry David Thoreau’s book Faith in a Seed, where he writes, “I have great faith in a seed. Convince me you have a seed there and I am prepared to expect wonders.” Though Gordon is not a philosopher or Transcendentalist like Thoreau, rather an author of bestselling business self-help books, he may have found an original twist on this old, well known adage: the be happy in work or in life, you must know your purpose and be aligned with it.

Gordon’s book follows the story of Josh, a midlevel employee of a respected company who finds he has lost his passion for work. Josh’s boss is aware of his burnout, confronts him, and offers him time off to decide whether his job is worth keeping. So off Josh goes to find his purpose. On his journey, he meets several people who guide him along the way, introducing him to the concept of the seed.

There are four stages of the seed: first preparation, second planting, third growth, and finally the forth stage, the harvest. In the preparation stage, Josh learns that anything one has ever done, all of one’s gifts, talents, lessons learned, lead up to finding one’s purpose. Josh meets a farmer at this stage who tells him that one can’t find purpose without adversity and challenges. “Adversity, for many, features a time of drought. Drought might include a time when ideas, money, good fortune, contacts, and success dry up. It might include a job loss or the death of a loved one or a personal illness…During such times, you feel like you are in a desert, isolated from the prosperity, health and success of the world…However when you progress to the other stages of purpose and look back at the preparation stage of your life, you’ll realize it was the drought that made you the person you are today.”

In the planting stage, Josh learns not to go looking around for his purpose, but to plant himself where he is, and give his all in service to others. In turn, his purpose will find him. I found this to be a novel and refreshing concept. Usually, the hero journeys out, sometimes to far away lands, as in Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love. Staying put is almost counterintuitive, yet appealing. Following planting is the growth phase where most give up, as it has the greatest resistance. Josh is warned that right before one reaps his or her harvest, one faces the greatest challenges. The closer one gets to his or her goal, the stronger the resistance.

At the end of his journey, Josh makes it through all four stages, and finds his own purpose. He discovers the might of passion and purpose, and seeks to teach others. One of the most touching parts at the end is when Josh shares the story of a loan officer of a mortgage company who told him that her job was to save people’s marriages, because in helping people keep their homes she would be helping to keep families together.

In the end, I found The Seed to be a charming little green book, worth the read for its innovative take on an age-old adage. However, be warned that the writing is simplistic, written for the level of an elementary school student, and ridden with cliché expressions. In my experience, sometimes these kinds of books are not the best written and oversimplified. Still, the concepts of The Seed and its ideas are well organized, well thought out, and stirring enough for a satisfying and thought provoking read.

[Gr8fullycre8ive · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is magical! My life has changed after reading this book. It's like I have entered a positive portal and there is no going back. If you are trying to decide what to do with your life, I dare you to read this book and see what happens to you and the way your thinking changes. It is an easy read that will leave you more aware of the possibilities and connections that come your way.

[Sarah]

I have finished reading this but will wait to give rating while I process it. If “no rating” wasn’t an option, I would have had to give a 4 star rating.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the quick pace of this book, and the way it didn't appear to be cramming information into all available space. This is a patient book.

I'm seeing a theme in my reading, that I'm chasing the wrong things. The book Courage by Debbie Ford taught me that once you are wholly honest with yourself, the courage you seek will follow. Jon Gordon teaches that you don't pick an exciting life and step into it - you work hard where you are and that becomes very exciting.

I also like how he tied the process to the four stages of plants grown on a farm - preparation, planting, growth, and harvest. Unfortunately, my preparation has (so far) turned me into a person who still has no idea where to plant herself, so the usefulness of this book to me must remain suspended for the time being.

[Michael Tarpinian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Teaching novel about a man and his dog.

I had the blues because I had no shoes until upon the street I met a man that had no feet.

God doesn't choose the best. God chooses the most willing. If you are willing to seek your purpose and God with your whole heart god will do amazing things with your life.

The four stages of Growth
Stage 1: Preparation
Stage 2: Planting
Stage 3: Growth
Stage 4: Harvesting

[Heather C. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wish I could give this zero stars. Horribly written, excessively preachy, this story of a man trying to find meaning in his life by looking for signs (from God, for all intents and purposes) is supposed to inspire. Instead, I was left disgusted at the superficiality and uncomfortable by the preaching. A required book for school, I would complain to faculty, but I absolutely love the instructor who assigned it and apparently, it's her favorite book, so... (incongruous because she's brilliant).

[Pariya mhs · Rating 5 out of 5]

that's what I was looking for :))))

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I have read this year. I would recommend it to everyone who is looking for a puprose.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

Christian guy who wrote this book which is nice in a way but the book as a whole is a bit abstract for my liking. You follow a guy who is having to make a major decision in his life and there are small pieces of wisdom in each chapter.

The main thing I got out of this was that passion and purpose have a connection so if you invest in your current situation with passion you will find your purpose. It reminded me of how some people fake confidence and then find they have it.

It's a quick read as the chapters are small and make it easier to manage reading as you feel like you're making progress each time you pick the book up.

[Becky Carothers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay I like self-help books in some ways but someways I don't. This one was a great read. Instead of just telling you do's and dont's this tells a story. A young man finds himself learning from his boss that he has lost the passion for his job and he needs to find it again. What follows is a 2 week journey for Josh to find his purpose and happiness in his life and work.

[B P · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was heavily geared towards Christians and relies too heavily on faith for me. If you aren't religious, the thought of attaining your goals just by believing in a higher power isn't particularly helpful. Also, there is an unnecessary, borderline-comical plot twist at the end that made reading it even more painful.

[Andrew · Rating 1 out of 5]

First, I listened to the audiobook...which was read by the worst narrator I have ever heard.

As for the story, I was very disappointed. I am usually a fan of Jon Gordon, but this book was awful. It felt very contrived - like he wrote it in a weekend and used as many cliches as he could until it was long enough.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book about planting your seed where you are. Learning, growing and serving in your current place.

[Juan Chavez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book on finding your purpose and live your purpose. Joshua is lost at work and he has lost his passion. His boss gives him 2 weeks off to find out if he still wants to work there or if it is time for time to move on. He takes a short vacation and visits a corn maze with his friends. In the maze he gets lost and meets a farmer that gives him a seed to plant to find his purpose. It tells him about the four stages of finding your purpose. Joshua travels to his old college to find it but realizes he was the happiest there not because of the place but because it was there that he was always growing. He then gets offered a job and he rushes to the airport for the interview and he meets George who tells him about his experience on the energy bus. He finally realizes that he could find his purpose at his present job. But he must be driven not by numbers and sales goals but by passion and purpose. He decides to stay at job and makes his life about great customer service. He makes his job about serving others. He convinces his CEO to make it a campaign at his job. But it seems to backfire as sales fall. He thinks about stopping the campaign as many of the upper management loses confidence in the idea. He remembers the farmer telling him how most people quit right before the harvest. He pushes on and the business begins to thrive. Sales grow and he gets promoted. He goes back to the maze to tell the farmer and his wife tells him he passed 10 years ago. He cant believe it.
His CEO realizes he has outgrown his job. He offers his to be president of the company or start a consulting company and his current company will be his first client. He now has a successful blog and is a sought after speaker.
The book does not tell us what he picked..but the jist of the story is to live your life with purpose and wealth will follow.

Awesome book. Short but inspiring. I love Jon Gordon books.

1- God does not choose the best. He chooses the most willing.
2-People do not get burned out because of the work they do but because they forget the reason why
3- The season teach us there is a time for everything. There is a time to prepare, a time to plant, a time to grow and a time to harvest.

[Nile · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't want to like this book because it does have that overly simplistic "Power of Now" feel to it. But unlike Power of Now it might actually have some useful information for people dealing with an existential crisis. And if you don't get anything from it Gordon at least has the decency to be brief. The book is a parable about someone dealing with what Frankl would call "the existential void" and although it does have a very churchy tone to it, it does have some stuff that someone in this situation might find helpful.
That being said if you don't want to read it I think the best bit of information the book has to offer comes in chapter 30: "When you plant yourself where you are and decide to make a different, instead of searching for your purpose, it finds you. He told the audience, 'We think we'll get excited about life when we get a life that is exciting. But just the opposite is true. When we get excited about life, we get a life that is exciting.'"
This might seem like reframing (a technique that I find has limited usefulness) but I actually think that taking this attitude primes your mind to see opportunities for meaning that you otherwise might have missed. I could totally be wrong though.

[Narinder Bhatia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice inspiring read about finding purpose in life. The story is nicely weaved and the protagonist comes across as a very relatable character for the readers. Many of us struggle for finding our purpose in life and at times it appears like an eternal quest. The book beautifully captures the dilemma and confusion of the protagonist Josh, a working executive, who seems to have lost interest in job circumstances lead him on a journey to discover his passion and purpose in life. How the protagonist discovers that the best place to discover happiness is in the present and not in past or future, is one of the core themes of the book. There's plenty the readers could take away from the book and I, as a reader, enjoyed the 4-stage framework, which in way makes the entire quest of purpose appear feasible and easy to accomplish. The story may appear like being dragged a bit but that may happen if the reader has been through similar books earlier. Overall, the book has plenty for the readers, not only to learn but to reflect too.

[Ben Daghir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic perspective on growing, finding joy in the work we do, and encountering our purpose through unlikely places.

In my second year of seminary - this book came at a great time. The word "seminarian" has its roots in the word "seed" just as the word "seminary" has its root within the idea of "seed bed."

This book has helped me take a few steps back and reflect on where I've been placed, where I'm growing, and what is really the nutrients of my life.

At certain moments, the book was somewhat "corny and goofy" but the main message was powerful enough and gained my attention to the point where I just didn't care.

I realized that I have room to grow.

[Shaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing was simple but that is one of its greatest strengths. It reads like a tale about someone who went through a similar experience to you, told by a friendly uncle in response to a life question.

The book itself doesn't contain momentous insights - essentially its premise is, put everything of yourself into the work you currently do, and things will grow from there. Still, its purpose is more about making you think, reevaluating, starting some introspection. And it does that really well.

[Giselle Ates · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed listening to this short purpose-filled business fable. It provides solid time-tested advice with an interesting twist at the end and a fun spin on doggy wisdom as well as sound biblical principles. It’s definitely worth a listen or read, especially if you are searching for your purpose in life or simply need encouragement to continue in your endeavors. You don’t need to be a business professional or Christian to appreciate the story or the lessons it imparts.

[Lauren]

The quick book is the perfect motivation for anyone’s life. “Finding purpose and happiness in life and work” – Jon Gordon has a great message for everyone on simple steps to create the best life for you.

This book reminded me of “The Secret” but I felt like I came away with more guidance and hope than before. It helped me look within myself to find out what worked best for me, what I really wanted out of life and how I could succeed for myself and not others.

Another favorite from this year!

[Precious Ogieva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recommend this book for anyone thinking about your purpose or who feel they have been in a position for too long.

Sometimes we might feel stagnated but maybe we are still there because there are lessons we need to learn that will be helpful where we are destined to be. This might be preparing you m.

Bottom line: plant your seeds where you are which means you should put in your all into whatever you are doing now because this will lead to growth. And then comes the bountiful harvest.

[Dzung Vuong · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you learn something, like in this book, via story telling, it is easier to read. This is a relatively short book. I was looking at a different book by the same author (The Carpenter) and I came across this.
This book has some elements of Stephen Covey (teaching) and Og Madino (story telling). All of us have our ups and downs, this book is relevant for many of us.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I get that this is a modern day fable. If you're feeling a bit lost or you're looking for something this book might help you. The message is good and it's very digestible... but don't open this book looking for a great piece of literature. The book is so heavy with purpose and message that the prose is thrown by the way side. Read it for purpose - it's not meant to be read for pleasure

[Nam Nguyen · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is an interesting book. It inspired to find my real purpose and happiness in life and work. I learned one thing from Dharma that I should love my passion for no reason and be willing to support people when they are in trouble. Importantly, if we pursue distinction, money will come to use automatically and naturally.

[Estevo Raposo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me compré el libro atraído por el subtítulo "Cómo darle sentido a la vida y el trabajo". Contiene una historia breve, que se pasa de mística, y que muestra cómo el protagonista consigue recuperar en su trabajo la ilusión del principio. Supongo que es una historia inspiradora, pero por momentos parece demasiado etérea (o poco concreta) y cercana a la peor autoayuda.

[Anna Nikolova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Страхотна книга! Чудесен мотиватор! Бях я купила "на сляпо". Благодарна съм, че точно тази бе избрана. Препоръчвам я на всеки, дори и на тези, които са наясно с това какво се случва с тях и техният живот. Вътре има много ценни неща, които ми бяха от полза. Вярвам, че всеки има нужда от малко мъдрост да навлиза в живота му от време на време. :)

[Jessica Sellers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everyone has a purpose
It might not be what makes you the happiest
Be genuine, be still and listen
Don’t focus on numbers, focus on purpose, that will bring up the numbers
Your desire to make a difference has to be greater than your desire to make money
Changes beliefs leads to changes behaviors. The driving force is the power of purpose
It’s about you doing the work and sticking it out

[Meg Smith · Rating 1 out of 5]

Religious verbiage aside, this book sounded like a YA personal narrative. The main character in this extremely poorly put together parable leaves his dog in the car while he goes off to find his purpose in a cornfield and that’s really all you need to know.

TL;DR: If you are Christian, you might like this book. If not, don’t bother.

[Jeremy Alan Graves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an amazing story

Another great story with an incredible underlying messing. John Gordon again delights the reader with his amazing ability to light up the imagination of his readers and help put them into the shoes of the characters.