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Welcome to I Am On The Road

WHERE AM I NOW? Rochester, NY from Philadelphia, PA

Next Stops: September - Las Vegas, NV and Phoenix, AZ

Updated Photo Gallery: 7/2008 South Dakota and Wyoming (two parts), 6/2008 Washington state pics (three parts) and 5/2008 Memphis-Arkansas

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

For more clips: Andrew on YouTube

Welcome to I am On the Road. This website chronicles my experiences as I travel 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.

I set out on my life journey after resigning from a sales job that would have paid me over $100,000 while typically working less than 40 hours per week. I resigned due to lack of inspiration. After not being motivated 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 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. Things have progressed far beyond my imagination.

People have passed my journey and website on to friends, family, and media. Because of the word of mouth, 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. And that’s just the people.

The places I’ve seen have been amazing. I’ve spent 5 days on a sailboat in Boston, camped at Acadia National Park in Maine, basked in the sun of the Turks and Caicos Islands, went on the basketball floor at the University of North Carolina, fished the rivers of Mountain View, AR, took in a sunset in Key West, saw games at Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park, attended a wedding in Las Vegas, spent the weekend at the Jersey Shore with a new extended family, and slept in a shack with no running water at Martha’s Vineyard. The journey has been the most incredible thing I’ve ever been a part of.

This has been a life altering experience and it continues... The road now spans over three years, 60,000 miles and 140 interviews. The best parts have been the people I’ve met and the experiences I’ve lived. My journey started with a lot of questions and unknown. I’m glad to say the road has shown me my purpose and right career: to meet passionate people and share their stories with others.

I have written a book about what I learned from my interviewees, 84,000 Hours at Work: On the road lessons from people with purpose and passion. Other books have followed (see below). I am also asked to talk with various audiences around the country about what I’ve learned from my interview experiences regarding careers, purpose, passion, and life.

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.

Enjoy. I’ll see you On the Road... - 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

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

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

Book #3 Website - Making the Invisible Visible, Part Two - Description: A how-to book for organizations that want to create and sustain innovation

CONTENT:

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.