What if “loving your job” wasn’t a perk for the lucky few—but a practical requirement for doing excellent, sustainable work? That’s the premise of Marcus Buckingham’s Love + Work, and it sparked a rich conversation with my friend (and fellow strengths nerd) Tessa Kampen.
Below is a crisp recap you can skim, share with your team, and—most importantly—use.
Why “love” at work isn’t fluff
“In any job, sustained excellence without love is impossible.”
- Loving some of your work isn’t indulgent—it’s protective. People who don’t love even a slice of their job are more prone to burnout, errors, and disengagement.
- “Love” doesn’t mean you adore every task. It means you reliably get to do work that gives you energy and meaning.
The 20% Rule
Aim for at least 20% of your week to be spent on work you genuinely enjoy. Don’t have 20% yet? Use the tools below to build toward it.
Red Threads: Small strands that change your day
Buckingham calls the energizing activities you love red threads. They’re the moments when you lose track of time, feel “in your element,” and finish with more energy than you started.
- Find them: What were you doing the last time an hour flew by? When do people say your eyes light up?
- Weave them daily: Tiny insertions count—5 minutes to connect with a customer, 10 minutes to outline a new idea, a quick data dive if analysis excites you.
Think micro-moments. It’s not about a new role; it’s about stitching in what you love right where you are.
Find your “Weird” (and use it)
Buckingham borrows the Norse idea of wyrd—your distinct, innate bent. Everyone’s wyrd looks different: ideating, organizing, teaching, fixing, empathizing, persuading, pattern-spotting.
- Don’t sand it down to fit a mold. Name it, then aim it at real work.
- Invite your team’s wyrd to the surface—because sameness kills creativity and energy.
For leaders: Make love + work a system, not a slogan
You don’t need a reorg to do this. Start small and make it normal.
1) Ask better one-on-one questions
- “What part of last week gave you energy?”
- “What’s one task we could trade or tweak to add 10% more energy to your day?”
- “When did you lose track of time at work lately?”
2) Trade and tailor tasks
Shift ownership where it makes sense. Someone’s dread is another person’s delight. Treat job descriptions as living documents.
3) Normalize micro-experiments
Pilot a new responsibility for two weeks. Measure energy + outcomes. Keep what works.
4) Track the red-thread ratio
Have team members estimate their weekly % of energizing work. Review monthly. Celebrate upward trends.
For individuals: What if you can’t change jobs (right now)?
- Weave tiny threads: Add 10–15 minutes of what you love each day—mentoring, data, design, troubleshooting, connection, writing.
- Locate joy in people: If the tasks aren’t lovable, the relationships might be. Invest in the coworker community that makes hard work lighter.
- Borrow contexts: Volunteer, coach, teach, or create after hours to keep your spark alive while you negotiate changes at work.
- Name your non-negotiables: What must be present in your next step? Autonomy? Making? Teaching? Variety? Clarity helps you move.
Parents & educators: Start the love + work muscle early
Ask kids, “When do you lose track of time?” Teachers and mentors can often spot this faster than students can. Help them notice and nurture what lights them up—don’t only reward what’s easily measured.
10 quick prompts to map your red threads
Grab a notepad and answer fast—first instincts win.
- The last time an hour vanished at work, I was…
- If my manager removed one task forever, I’d pick…
- Colleagues come to me for help with…
- Three verbs that describe work that energizes me are…
- I feel most useful when I’m…
- One small thing I could add to next week that would give me energy is…
- A task I dread that someone else might love is…
- One person I enjoy collaborating with (and why)…
- A strength I underuse in my current role is…
- My current red-thread % estimate is ____. My next target is ____.
If you’re a manager, try this with your team next week
- Open your staff meeting with Q1 and Q10 above (2 minutes each).
- Collect one task trade idea. Pilot for 14 days.
- End with “What’s one thread you’ll weave in before Friday?”
Small stitches. Big shift.
If this resonated, listen to the full episode with Tessa Kampen for more on red threads, “wyrd,” and practical ways to reduce burnout while elevating performance. And tell us: What’s one red thread you’re weaving in this week?
