Vital Signs: Discovering and Sustaining Your Passion for Life

by Gregg Levoy

Rediscover—or discover for the first time—the things that make you passionate in life

Vital Signs is about what inspires passion and what defeats it. How we lose it and how we get it back. And ultimately it’s about the endless yet endlessly fruitful tug-of-war between freedom and domestication, the wild in us and the tame, our natural selves and our conditioned selves. Each chapter in Vital Signs will contain a core sample, an intimate biography of one of the strategies we employ to gain or regain our passion. The book also affirms the importance of courageous inquiry into dis passion—where we’re numb, depressed, stuck, bored—so the reader can recognize and change these tendencies in themselves.

Genres: Nonfiction, Personal Development, Audiobook, Self Help

512 pages, Paperback

First published December 26, 2014

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book brims over with juicy observations. I'm already a passionate person, but this book ramped up my passion for life.

It's so fun to be in Gregg Levoy's brain!

[Jennifer Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book interesting and relatable! Gregg Levoy really hits all the notes for me.

[Len Edgerly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and plan to return to it frequently, keeping it in my Inspiration collection on my Kindles. Gregg Levoy took 10 years to research and write a generous, wise, entertaining exhortation to live life as if it matters. He mixes his own life experiences with graceful allusions to the writing of others on this big topic. It's not a preachy, didactic book. Part of Gregg's power as a writer is that he is so generous with his own vulnerabilities and mistakes.

In last week's interview for my Kindle Chronicles podcast , Gregg and I talked about Vital Signs, and how it expands the insights of his previous book, Callings: Finding and Following an Authentic Life, published in 1998. He will be traveling the country giving talks and workshops about Vital Signs. Don't miss the chance to hear him if he comes to your town!

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

The matches on the cover promise a fire about to be lit - true of this wonderful book! Gregg is wonderful teller of tales. Each important point in this essay on living a vital, dynamic life is punctuated with an appealing anecdote or story. Punchy, heartfelt, vulnerable - this is a book that inspires!

[Serena · Rating 3 out of 5]

In compliance with FTC guidelines, I have won this book through the Goodreads Giveaways.

My Rating System:
* couldn't finish, ** wouldn't recommend, *** would recommend, **** would read again, ***** have read again.

[Wellington · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall a pretty good book. There were many stories that got the point across in each chapter. My biggest criticism of the book is that there isn't a paragraph or section of each chapter that brings his thoughts together.

[Dr. Sabrina Molden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Its so difficult to describe my feelings about this book. Its miraculous how it specifically validates many beliefs and perfectly answers many “vital” questions that I have been struggling with over the past few years. I could go on and on but to name just a few issues, he tackles the need for “self-acceptance”, “deep gratitude for life”, “passionate living” & “deep communion with people we love”. Its been life-changing.

[Ravi Raman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book on the art of discovering a meaningful purpose for life and living it to the best of one's capacity. It's all about living a fully engaged and vital life. This book is very well written...every few pages I marvel at the way a sentence is constructed or the vivid manner in which stories and metaphors are used. It's a thick book, but one worth reading. Took me almost two months to complete, interspersed with reading a few other books.

[Louis · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good. A bit lengthy. My biggest criticism is that while it began and ended with great ideas for improving my life, sandwiched in between were an endless set of stories on how the author, and others, improved their lives. While examples can be meaningful, I longed for more ideas for me to try on for size.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written and he certainly lives a fascinating life. Lost 1 star bc it felt a little unfocused or maybe it's that it felt like too many examples and details were given for different topics. Like a collection of essays rather than a focused book. Worth reading for sure though.

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful in depth delving into the nature of passion for life. Fun, exuberant, fascinating, not-put-downable!

[Jill Bakke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, many layers...a read once and go back and read again book.

[Julienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect follow up to Gregg's astounding bestselling book Callings. Highly recommended for anyone with a pulse. This book is rich in insights and examples that I found both a great read front to back as well as a resource to dip into 'as needed' for some inspiration and kick starting of my own passions. Well done Gregg and I'm so happy to have Vital Signs on my shelf to peruse over and over again.

[Dina London · Rating 2 out of 5]

I"m so sorry, but after months and months, I had to give up. Callings is the most dog eared book on my shelf and I consider it one of my top 5 books of all time. But, Vital Signs just did not capture me in the same way. Sigh.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a must read!

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

It leaned a little to the airy side but I still enjoyed the ideas and the writing.