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I WAS THINKING: Does everyone need to be sparked?
To answer that, let me take you back to my time working at Mars.
Talk about a dream gig. I was doing work that touched people every day. Traveling. Building things. Learning things. Meeting fascinating people. Chasing ideas. I was buzzing.
And then there was my colleague Reggie. He had zero interest in adding more hustle to his bustle. No desire to travel for work. No appetite for extra projects or the next big challenge. He liked his 9-to-5 routine, took pride in doing his job well, and was perfectly happy letting work be over when the day ended.
And here's the important part: Reggie wasn't stuck. He wasn't unmotivated. He wasn't waiting for his life to begin. He liked his life. He knew what mattered to him. And he was genuinely fulfilled.
Over occasional lunches, I realized we'd both found what sparked us. His just looked nothing like mine.
Where I found energy in movement, he found it in rhythm.
Where I loved creating something new, he found satisfaction in doing something well.
Where I wanted to push, stretch, and explore, he found fulfillment in making the most of what was already in front of him. Two different approaches. Two genuinely fulfilling lives. And that's where the bigger lesson hit me.
We've been sold a remarkably narrow definition of a life well lived. Make more. Build more. Lead more. Get promoted. Start something. Disrupt something. Change the world.
More. More. More.
For some of us (me!), chasing what's next is exhilarating. But there's just as much richness in appreciating what's already here.
The thrill of a new challenge. The satisfaction of mastering your craft. The comfort of familiar rhythms. The joy of creating something from nothing — or enjoying something you've already created. The freedom to push when you're inspired and slow down when you're satisfied.
A life well lived can be full of bold leaps, quiet moments, familiar routines, and unexpected detours. Sometimes all in the same week. We don't have to choose between chasing more and enjoying enough. Our appetite for more can change. So can our definition of enough. Neither has to define us forever.
Because being sparked isn't about becoming more ambitious, collecting accomplishments, or expanding your influence. It's about becoming more intentional.
Knowing what energizes you. What brings you joy. What matters. What enough looks like for you. And pursuing those things with as much — or as little — zeal as the moment calls for.
So, does everyone need to be sparked? Absolutely.
Not because there's one right way to live, but because we only get one shot at this life. No rehearsals. No do-overs. How you choose to live it? I'll leave that to you.
But don't leave it to chance.
Maybe you're chasing something extraordinary. Maybe you've already found it in the life you have. Maybe what sparks you today will look completely different five years from now.
All of it counts.
Your spark doesn't need to look like mine. Or Reggie's. Or anyone else's.
It just needs to be yours.
Being sparked isn't about how brightly the world sees you burn. It's about finding what lights you up without burning yourself out — and living the best damn version of the life you choose.
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