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Welcome to I Am On The Road

WHERE AM I NOW? Rochester, NY from the golf US Open at Bethpage Black

Current Video Clip: Overview of "84,000 Hours at Work"

For more clips: Andrew on YouTube

Welcome to I am On the Road. This website chronicles what has happened to me since I resigned from a sales job that would have paid me over $100,000 a year while typically working less than 40 hours per week. After not being inspired by what seemed like the perfect career, I had to find out how others came to find passion in their life and in work. I decided I could not have or try 100 jobs, but I could meet and talk with 100 people about their own journey.

Grandfather Mountain Lake

Long story short, I left my job, cashed in my savings, moved most of my life into a storage shed, and packed my remaining things into my SUV. I am On the Road was born on April 6, 2004 as I set out from Charlotte, NC to meet America armed with business cards listing my title as “Seeker.” Things have progressed far beyond my imagination.

I started off traveling the country interviewing passionate people from all walks of life about what they do, why they do it, and how they came to find their success. People have passed my journey and website on to family, friends and media. Surreally, I’ve been on TV news, in national magazines, the front page of newspapers and on radio shows. Because of the buzz, I’ve been able to meet people I never dreamed of. To name a few, I’ve interviewed an astronaut at NASA, rode a 24-hour shift with a fire and rescue unit that responded to the 9/11 Pentagon attacks, sat in on a day of Arkansas’ State Supreme Court with the first ever female chief justice, talked politics with the former mayor of Key West, FL, learned about motivation from a retired Navy Captain, and talked finances with the father of the 401k program.

The amazing experiences told me I had to pay the interview stories forward. This led to my first book, “84,000 Hours at Work: Lessons On the Road from People with Purpose and Passion.” I am now asked to pass on the advice I’ve been given via talks at colleges, high schools, businesses, churches and communities around the country regarding careers, purpose and passion.

Book #1 Website - 84,000 Hours at Work - Description: How you can become someone who loves their job and life

In the process of doing my career based interviews, I concluded a second aspect to loving your job and life is working for a company that spurs on your passion. That realization led to travels and interviews with companies that people enjoy working for. Some of the people I’ve been able to speak with include executives from Southwest Airlines, Wegmans, Bank of America, Inc. magazine, SHRM, KeySpan Energy, JetBlue and Paychex.

I asked these leaders and executives for their advice about the importance of passionate people and how they do it within their organization. Their experiences and words of wisdom led to book #2, “The Road to a Passionate Workforce: How to Harness the Power of Your People.”

This book is geared toward executives, leaders, managers and small business owners. This book is still in the interview stage. Yet, I am asked to give talks on what I’ve learned at businesses and organizations around the country and have even been asked to come to Malaysia to speak.

Book #2 Website - The Road to a Passionate Workforce - Description: How your organization can become a place people enjoy working for and why that leads to increased productivity and profitability

Finally, during the course of interviews for book #2, I met a guru in the field of innovation. Our value systems were in alignment and over time he asked me to write his second book (my third), “The Human Dynamics for a Culture of Innovation: Making the Invisible Visible.” The first draft of book #3 is done. We are in editing mode. This relationship and work has brought me into contact with a new group of incredible organizations, places and people.

Book #3 Website - The Human Dynamics for a Culture of Innovation - Description: A how-to book for organizations that want to create and sustain innovation

In summary, going On the Road was a risky proposition. I put a lot on the line to leave the “good life.” I am pleased to say I found a better one. The journey has shown me my path: To research, write, and speak about books that deal with passionate people, jobs and organizations. I continue to marvel at the amazing interviews, friends and cities. The road now spans over 75,000 miles and 145 interviews. This has been a life altering experience and it continues...

Thanks for joining me. Enjoy. I’ll see you On the Road, in books, and in talks around the country… - Andrew

Words that make you think:

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you’ve imagined." - Thoreau

"Not all those who wander are lost." - Tolkien

"All animals except man know that the ultimate of life is to enjoy it." - Samuel Butler

"I know I was born and I know that I'll die, the in-between is mine." - Pearl Jam

"A person should so live that their happiness shall depend as little as possible on external things." - Epictetus

CONTENT:

This website focuses on my travels and experiences. My book websites focus on what I've learned from my interviews and how others can apply that knowledge to their work and life.

If you are new to this site, I recommend checking out the inspiring people I’ve met in the Interview section. Their powerful stories make up the majority of what became my book. A lot of fellow travelers on the road enjoy the Journal section and learning how the three plus years has unfolded. To get the full scope, start from the bottom of the Journal page and work your way up. The Cities page shows where I've been and where I plan on going. And the Photo Gallery is where, you guessed it, the pictures are.