Reflections On Work 2.0

I’m delighted to announce—more than 8 years after I began thinking about “total work” (a brief overview can be read on Aeon)—that I’ve just self-published a book entitled Chop Wood, Carry Water: The Yoga Of Work. It’s a practical way of reflecting on the role of work in one’s everyday life.

My Existential Puzzle

My challenger in this book is none other than Camus, whose Myth of Sisyphus I’ve come back to time and again over the years. In essence, Camus accepts that life is a burden, yet he believes that a certain stoical–indeed, heroic–courage makes it possible for one to bear the meaninglessness of existence. It’s noteworthy that Camus says of Siphysus (for whom the boulder has now fallen to the bottom of the hill): “One always finds one’s burden again.”

I beg to differ. In this book, I wanted to explore what it’s like to go from the accepted view that life is a burden to the wise and loving view that life is a supreme gift.

What’s The Book About?

Chop Wood, Carry Water: The Yoga Of Work is part-adventure and part-love story. The adventure? We’ll confront burdens, misadventures, immense dislikes, monstrous desires, ugly pride, and more along the way. And the love story? We’ll get the chance to “work with work” in order to discover that life is, in the end, a supreme gift.

My starting point is with two sober, often overlooked facts about modern work: work is nearly everywhere, and the basic unit of modern work is not the epic project but the mundane task. I go on to show how these two facts often give rise to viewing life as an ordeal and to trying to find happiness elsewhere. Both attitudes, he helps us see, need to be dissolved through careful attention.

Most chapters include practical pointers whose aim is to invite us to observe our confusions surrounding work very closely. When we observe closely, we begin to experience freedom.

And how does the story end? What is felt by the one who truly grasps the essence of the yoga of work is a quiet beauty, an energy that’s unfolding through seamless activity. For such a one, there is not just ease but also love.

How To Order A Copy

Praise For My Approach

Andrew is Drano for the soul. — Khe Hy, Founder, Latour AI

Andrew is one of the biggest influences on how I’ve thought about work over the past eight years. — Paul Millerd, Writer, The Pathless Path

Andrew is the real deal: a rare mix of accessible wisdom and actionable insights. He’s a major part of my own development, my pursuit of wisdom, and my mental well-being. I’m honoured to work with him and, more importantly, to call him a friend. — Daniel Eberhard, CEO, KOHO

Andrew describes himself as a “practical philosopher.” The label might seem a gimmick, but it actually hits the nail on the head. He’s a guide who will help you — if you’re sincere — discover those elusive answers to fundamental questions for the practical purpose of leading a life well-lived. Amazingly, he delivers. — Daniel Doyon, Founder, Readwise