Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All

In this chapter, the authors examine the tension between personal fulfillment and financial reward, encouraging readers to seek a balance between duty and passion. They introduce the heart/dollar seesaw as a visual metaphor: The heart symbolizes personal passion, well-being, and meaning, while the dollar represents financial gains and the pragmatic side of business. The chapter begins with a discussion of early career experiences where choices are often driven by money rather than intrinsic satisfaction. For instance, Tom recalls a time when, as a management consultant, he was offered a lucrative position that promised to triple his salary. However, after contemplating the seesaw of values, he chose instead to join IDEO, where he could work alongside his brother and pursue more engaging and meaningful work.

The narrative continues by contrasting traditional career paths with those that align more closely with personal passions. David’s career decisions further illustrate this conflict. Despite lucrative offers, he has consistently prioritized meaningful work over high pay by walking away from opportunities that, while financially rewarding, did not nourish his creative spirit. The authors then explore the “looks good, feels bad” trap (152)—a scenario in which prestigious positions or roles that seem ideal on the surface lead to unhappiness and burnout.