Both Pati Jinich and Ina Garten inspire me with how they ditched their pursuit of heavy policy careers in Washington, D.C. and went for the joy of cooking. It sounds like neither has looked back. In her new book Be Ready When the Luck Happens, Garten describes how she ran across an opportunity to take over a catering business while looking through the newspaper. Jinich started researching and cooking Mexican cuisine because she was homesick for Mexico City.

Over the years I run into others who have chosen a lighter, more joyful career that the one they thought they wanted in the Nation’s Capital. Not that there was any less work involved; to the contrary. But the trade-off was almost always worth it - spending time doing something you love to do rather than something you think you should do. In many cases it’s a tough sell to the parents or partners, but affirming the vision leads to new possibilities.

In my own case I’ve been in and out of bureaucracies. I’ve had and still have my own consulting practice. I’ve drawn inspiration from Ben & Jerry’s (“If it’s not fun, why do it?) and read Fast Company Magazine. I’ve enjoyed working with students, staff and faculty at universities. At this phase in my career, I’m able to recapture some of the joy of my creative ventures along the way. In the cases of Jinich and Garten, they took big leaps of faith. In my case, I took little jumps out, and jumps back in - like on a metaphorical trampoline! Finding what works for you can be one of the greatest joys of your career.