How to Design Your Career, Essentially

I was once talking with a capable individual who appeared to be doing well in his career. As I listened to his story in more depth we both realized he was living what we came to call "a parallel life." Parallel lines, as we recall from elementary school, are "Two lines that never meet." The challenge for him was not that he was totally wasting his time. He was following a good path but he was not pursuing the path he felt was his essential mission.