Mark: The worst career advice you've ever received is probably 'follow your passion.' Michelle: Oh, I know that one. It’s the motivational poster that haunts my dreams. Mark: Exactly. It's vague, it's paralyzing, and for most people, it leads absolutely nowhere. But what if there's a better way? A kind of source code for the work that actually makes you feel alive? Michelle: Okay, I'm intrigued. That 'follow your passion' line has definitely sent me down some very expensive and time-consuming rabbit holes. What's this source code you're talking about? Mark: It's the central idea in the book 'Sparked' by Jonathan Fields. And what's fascinating is that Fields didn't just dream this up on a whim. He developed this framework after years of interviews on his highly-rated podcast, the Good Life Project, and then validated it by analyzing data from over half a million people who took his assessment. He was looking for universal patterns of fulfilling work. Michelle: Half a million people? That’s a serious sample size. So this isn't just one guy's theory. He's got the receipts. So, what exactly is a Sparketype? Is this just another four-letter personality code I have to memorize? Mark: That's the perfect question, because it’s fundamentally different. Most personality tests, like the Myers-Briggs, tell you about who you are. The Sparketype framework is about what you do. It’s not about your personality traits; it’s about the specific nature of the work itself that energizes you versus the work that drains you. Michelle: I like that distinction. It feels more actionable. It’s not about changing who I am, but changing what I’m doing. So, break it down for me. What are the components of this… Spark-e-ology?

Mark: I love that, Spark-e-ology. Well, it’s built on three core elements. First, you have your Primary Sparketype. This is your main driver. The book describes it as the impulse to exert effort for no other reason than the fact that it makes you feel alive. It's the work that puts you in a state of flow, where time just disappears. Michelle: Okay, that feeling is the holy grail. I think we’ve all had moments like that, even if they’re rare. What’s the second element? Mark: The second is your Shadow Sparketype. This is a secondary impulse, but it’s a crucial one. It’s work you often enjoy and might even be highly skilled at, but you primarily do it in service of your Primary Sparketype. Michelle: Hold on, how is a Shadow different from just a skill you've learned? I'm good at spreadsheets, but they don't exactly make me feel alive. Mark: That's a great point. A skill can be draining. The Shadow Sparketype is still a source of genuine energy and engagement for you. Jonathan Fields uses himself as an example. His Primary is the Maker—he’s driven to create things. But his Shadow is the Scientist—the impulse to solve problems. He doesn't love problem-solving for its own sake, but he gets a huge amount of energy from figuring out a puzzle that allows him to make something better. The Scientist in him serves the Maker. Michelle: Ah, I see. The Shadow is the trusty sidekick to the Primary's superhero. It helps the main mission. So what’s the third part? There has to be a villain in this story. Mark: There is! And it's called the Anti-Sparketype. This is your work "lead weight." It's the type of work that is the absolute heaviest lift for you, the one that drains you the most, even if you’re technically good at it. Michelle: So it’s like professional kryptonite. You can do it, maybe you even get paid well for it, but it just sucks the life out of you. I think we all have a role or a task that feels exactly like that. Mark: Precisely. And identifying it is just as important as identifying what sparks you. Because a job that forces you to live in your Anti-Sparketype is a recipe for burnout, which is a huge topic in our culture right now. Michelle: That makes so much sense. But this is where it gets tricky in the real world. Most of us can't just quit our jobs because our boss asks us to do something that feels like our Anti-Sparketype. Mark: You've hit on one of the most important points in the book. Jonathan Fields is very clear about this. He actually warns people, "Please, do not blow everything up and start fresh!" after they discover their Sparketype. He says the first step isn't a dramatic exit, but a gentle, internal shift. Michelle: That’s refreshing to hear. So many of these kinds of books advocate for a 'burn it all down' approach, which is completely unrealistic for 99% of people. So what does he suggest instead? Mark: He suggests you start by just observing. Notice where you feel energized and where you feel drained in your current life. He calls it creating a Sparketype Expression Inventory. You look back at your life—jobs, hobbies, volunteer work—and identify the specific activities that lit you up. It’s about gathering personal data before you make any big decisions. Michelle: I love that. It’s less about a revolution and more about a revelation. You’re becoming a scientist of your own life. Okay, so once you have this blueprint—your Primary, Shadow, and Anti-type—how do you actually use it? It feels a bit abstract. Mark: This is where the book really shines. It brings the concepts to life through ten distinct archetypes, each with incredibly vivid stories. This is how you go from the abstract blueprint to seeing yourself in the picture.

Michelle: Okay, let's get into them. Give me a few of the most interesting ones. Mark: Let's start with one of the most common ones, The Maven. The Maven's slogan is "I live to learn." They are driven by a primal need to acquire knowledge. They love learning for the sake of learning, whether it's diving deep into one topic or having a broad fascination with everything. Michelle: I know so many people like this. They're the ones who go down Wikipedia rabbit holes for hours. But isn't that just a nice way of saying they're a professional procrastinator? They learn a lot but never do anything with it. Mark: That's the exact pitfall the book identifies for the Maven! It's called the "black hole of obsession." They can get so lost in the learning that they feel shame for not producing something tangible. But for a Maven, the learning is the point. The fulfillment comes from the process of discovery itself. The key for them is to honor that, and perhaps pair up with a Maker or a Warrior who can help bring that knowledge into the world. Michelle: Okay, so it’s about accepting that drive instead of judging it. You mentioned the Maker. How are they different? Mark: They are almost a perfect counterpoint. The Maker's slogan is "I make ideas manifest." They are the ones who feel most alive when they are in the process of creation, turning an idea into something real—whether it's a physical object, a piece of software, a business, or an experience. Michelle: The doers, not just the thinkers. Mark: Exactly. And there's a beautiful story in the book about a Maker named Max Levi Frieder. He was a talented painter who went to a prestigious art school. He assumed his path was to be a solo artist in a studio. But he took a summer job facilitating collaborative art projects with teenagers and felt a level of aliveness he'd never experienced before. Michelle: So his spark wasn't just in making art, but in making it with people. Mark: Precisely. This led him to co-found an organization called Artolution. They go into refugee camps and under-resourced communities around the world and facilitate these massive, collaborative public art projects with children. He's still a Maker, but his Nurturer Shadow—the impulse to care for others—completely reshaped how he makes. He's not just building art; he's building community and healing. Michelle: Wow, that’s powerful. That story really illustrates how the Shadow Sparketype isn't just a helper, it can actually give the Primary its direction and purpose. It’s not just what you do, but why you do it. Mark: You've nailed it. And that brings us to another fascinating archetype: The Warrior. Michelle: The Warrior. That sounds intense. I'm picturing a hard-charging CEO or a military general. Mark: That's the stereotype, but the book offers a much more nuanced view. The Warrior's impulse is to gather and lead people on a meaningful quest. It's about organizing and mobilizing a group toward a common goal. But it's not about aggression or dominance. Michelle: A vulnerable Warrior? That feels like a contradiction. Mark: It does, but there's an incredible story that makes it click. The book tells the story of David Marquet, a U.S. Navy Captain who was given command of the USS Santa Fe, a nuclear submarine. The sub had the worst performance and retention rates in the fleet. Morale was at rock bottom. Michelle: That sounds like an impossible turnaround job. Mark: It was. And Marquet, a trained Warrior, initially tried the traditional top-down command-and-control approach. But it didn't work. One day, he gave an order that he knew was wrong, and his officer, conditioned to just follow orders, was about to execute it. In that moment, Marquet realized the system was broken. Michelle: So what did he do? Mark: He did something radical for a submarine commander. He stepped into vulnerability. He told his crew, "You know this ship better than I do. I'm not going to give any more orders. You tell me what you intend to do, and I will support you." He shifted from a model of "taking control" to "giving control." Michelle: On a nuclear submarine? That takes an incredible amount of trust. What happened? Mark: The results were stunning. Engagement and performance skyrocketed. The USS Santa Fe went from being the worst ship in the fleet to the best. His crew felt a sense of ownership and purpose they'd never had before. It shows that the Warrior's true power isn't in having all the answers, but in creating a team that feels empowered to find them together. It’s leadership as a service, not as an act of dominance. Michelle: That story gives me chills. It completely reframes what it means to be a leader. It’s not about being the strongest person in the room, but about making the entire room stronger.

Mark: Exactly. And that really gets to the heart of what this book is about. It’s a deep reframing of our relationship with work. Michelle: So when you put it all together, what's the big takeaway here? Is it just about finding the right job title that matches your Sparketype? Mark: I think it's less about the job title and more about the verb. It’s about identifying the actions that spark you. The book's real power, which is why it's resonated so well with readers and has such a strong following, is that it gives you permission. Permission to stop chasing a vague 'passion' and instead focus on weaving specific, energizing tasks into your life. Michelle: And it doesn't have to be all or nothing. Mark: Not at all. It could be in your main job, a side project, a volunteer role, or a hobby. The author calls it expanding your definition of work. A "good-enough" day job that pays the bills, combined with a "Sparked" side project, can create a deeply fulfilling life. It’s about coming home to yourself, wherever you are. Michelle: I love that phrase, "coming home to yourself." And the book makes it clear you don't have to blow up your life to do it. You can start by taking the free assessment online and then just looking for one small way to 'express' your Sparketype this week. Maybe a Maven decides to dedicate one hour to learning something new, no strings attached. Or a Maker decides to finally start that small project in the garage. Mark: Exactly. It's about small, intentional actions. We're curious to hear what sparks our listeners. After you've listened, head over to our social channels and tell us what you think your Sparketype might be. We'd love to hear your stories. Michelle: It’s a conversation that feels more important than ever. The world needs more people who are fully alive. Mark: When we show up Sparked, we come alive, and the world comes along with us. Michelle: This is Aibrary, signing off.