Crossing the Unknown Sea: Work as a Pilgrimage of Identity

Crossing the Unknown Sea: Work as a Pilgrimage of Identity
by David Whyte

Crossing the Unknown Sea: Work as a Pilgrimage of Identity
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Book Summary Information

Author: David Whyte
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2002-04-02
ISBN: 1573229148
Number of pages: 272
Publisher: Riverhead Trade

Book Reviews of Crossing the Unknown Sea: Work as a Pilgrimage of Identity

Book Review: Insight into who you are and who you wanna be
Summary: 5 Stars

I read this book a couple of months back when it was handed out at the end of a leadership seminar I attended. It is really an exceptional piece of literature. Some of the basic principles of life and work have been explained through simple art of story telling.
I work in a hostile environment. The management believes that employees are there to work for them and to tolerate their whims and fancies. For example, at the beginning of every new project our director asks for 10 different documents none of which is actually ever used. He insults people by belittling their contribution and makes life miserable for anybody who dares to stand up to him.
After reading this book I realized why I am working, who I represent everyday, what are my duties as an employee and what will happen if I quit. David's wisdom gave me strength to reassess my life and priorities and I realized that we had been dealing with work in a wrong way. Our work is really a way for us to express ourselves to the world. It is a window to our character and creativity. If someone insults me, he is insulting my parents, my family, all that I am.
I found the ideas revealing, the prose lucid and thought strong. I decided to act. Next time when the confrontation occurred, instead of running away, I stood up to my manager and told him that company policy forbids him from saying and doing things he had been doing. I further told him that I have worked honestly and if he couldn't respect that, he could hire someone who can do a better job.
From that day, he has stopped raising his voice and has become a very rational person with me. He knows I work hard and I don't listen to unreasonable demands and behavior.
I have been having a great time at work. My coworkers think I am great because the director listens to me and respects me. What they need to learn is that he respects my strenght and clarity of thought, 2 things that I aquired from this book.

Summary of Crossing the Unknown Sea: Work as a Pilgrimage of Identity

Crossing the Unknown Sea is about reuniting the imagination with our day to day lives. It shows how poetry and practicality, far from being mutually exclusive, reinforce each other to give every aspect of our lives meaning and direction. For anyone who wants to deepen their connection to their life?s work?or find out what their life?s work is?this book can help navigate the way.

Whyte encourages readers to take risks at work that will enhance their personal growth, and shows how burnout can actually be beneficial and used to renew professional interest. He asserts that too many people blindly trudge through a mediocre work life because so many ?busy? tasks prevent significant reflection and analysis of job satisfaction. People often turn to spiritual practice or religion to nurture their souls, but overlook how work can actually be our greatest opportunity for discovery and growth. Crossing the Unknown Sea combines poetry, gifted storytelling and Whyte?s personal experience to reveal work?s potential to fulfill us and bring us closer to ultimate freedom and happiness.

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