
SPARKED
We’re all in a moment. And, we’re asking the big questions. Especially about work. Should I join The Great Resignation? Should I stay and just keep on, keeping on. Or, reimagine, reinvent, maybe even start my own thing? Can I really expect more than just a paycheck and stability from work? How do I navigate the overwhelm, burnout, and work-life-bleed that’s turned work-from-home into never-stop-working? What about purpose, joy, excitement, time to breathe, and live? What about that nagging tension between money and meaning, the desire to feel secure and the quest to do something that makes you come alive - that sparks you?These are the questions we’ll be diving into on the SPARKED podcast. Every week, we invite a listener to share what’s going on in their work & life, then pose a specific question. Then, our host, award-winning author, advisor, and founder, Jonathan Fields, and a rotating lineup of wise mentors from the SPARKED Braintrust will share insights, ideas, strategies, resources and tips to help us all better align what we do with who we are, so we can find and do more of what makes us come alive.
Latest episodes

Nov 26, 2024 • 36min
From Nonprofit Leader to Wellbeing Consultant
Today you’ll meet Kim Fabian. Despite her early success and drive in the nonprofit sector, Kim found herself drained by the relentless demands of her role. Driven by a desire to escape the intense pressure and sense of misalignment she experienced, she made the decision to leave her role and embark on a journey of self-discovery, realigning her work with what lit her up, and let her reclaim a sense of ease and wellbeing along the way.And if you’d like to share your career transformation story on the Sparked podcast, to inspire others who may be feeling stuck or unsure about their own career paths, we encourage you to apply to be a guest and share your story. To apply, please check out this form. We can't wait to hear from you!Host: Jonathan Fields, creator of Good Life Project podcast and the Sparketype® Assessment,More on Sparketypes: Discover Your Sparketype | The Book | The WebsiteCoaches & Leaders: Tap a Game-Changing Credential - The Certified Sparketype® Advisor Training. Presented by LinkedIn.

Nov 19, 2024 • 39min
How (and Why) to Bring Play into Work
In today's episode of SPARKED, I'm joined by Shelly Adele Bliss, one of our fabulous Spark Endeavors team members. Together we're diving into this often-overlooked catalyst for unshackling your zest for work and life. Because you deserve more than just clock-punching - you deserve work that lets you play and thrive.We'll explore the core elements of playful work cultures and why courting more fun matters so much. You'll learn playful strategies to spark creativity, strengthen teams, and keep motivation soaring. We'll troubleshoot the barriers to bringing more levity into your work, so you can greenlight more smiles and laughter.Host: Jonathan Fields, creator of Good Life Project podcast and the Sparketype® Assessment,More on Sparketypes: Discover Your Sparketype | The Book | The WebsiteCoaches & Leaders: Tap a Game-Changing Credential - The Certified Sparketype® Advisor Training. Presented by LinkedIn.

Nov 12, 2024 • 34min
From Project Management Consultant to Career Transformation Specialist
Today's career transformation story features, Navid Ladha, who is now a thriving nonprofit consultant and career coach.As a Primary Sparketype, Advisor with an Essentialist shadow, Navid was drawn to roles allowing him to guide others through personal growth while creating systems that added clarity to his and his client’s pursuits.And if you’d like to share your career transformation story on the Sparked podcast, to inspire others who may be feeling stuck or unsure about their own career paths, we encourage you to apply to be a guest and share your story. To apply, please check out this form. We can't wait to hear from you!Host: Jonathan Fields, creator of Good Life Project podcast and the Sparketype® Assessment,More on Sparketypes: Discover Your Sparketype | The Book | The WebsiteCoaches & Leaders: Tap a Game-Changing Credential - The Certified Sparketype® Advisor Training. Presented by LinkedIn.

Nov 5, 2024 • 1h 3min
What to Do in the Next 2 Years to Set Up Your Next 20 | The 2×20 Project™
Feeling adrift? Discover how one person's deep reflection sparked a transformative journey towards a more fulfilling life. The speaker shares insights from their 'two by 20' experiment aimed at redefining work, joy, and connections. Learn about embracing new beginnings and the importance of self-discovery while navigating life’s transitions. Explore the innovative framework that encourages meaningful action and personal growth, setting the stage for an enlivened future.

Oct 29, 2024 • 35min
From Competitive Dancer to Learning and Development Leader
Today's career transformation story is an inspiring example of how to courageously pivot when the work you once loved no longer aligns with your deepest drives.Kayla Archer's journey began with an all-consuming obsession for competitive ballroom dancing. But the intense singular focus and lack of boundaries eventually led to a challenging environment that neglected her innate curiosities and zest for personal growth and, more or less, obliterated boundaries. Her renaissance journey overcame self-doubts from early academic struggles to ultimately find fulfillment as a learning and talent development leader. And if you’d like to share your career transformation story on the Sparked podcast, to inspire others who may be feeling stuck or unsure about their own career paths, we encourage you to apply to be a guest and share your story. To apply, please check out this form. We can't wait to hear from you!Host: Jonathan Fields, creator of Good Life Project podcast and the Sparketype® Assessment,More on Sparketypes: Discover Your Sparketype | The Book | The WebsiteCoaches & Leaders: Tap a Game-Changing Credential - The Certified Sparketype® Advisor Training. Presented by LinkedIn.

Oct 22, 2024 • 39min
From Toy Designer to Writing Educator and Founder
In today's career transformation story, you’ll meet Gabriela Pereira, who transitioned from her dream job as a toy designer to founding DIY MFA, an educational company for writers, after leaving her initial career due to health concerns, ultimately realizing she could fulfill her maker passion in a new field.Gabriela Pereira, is the founder of DIY MFA - an online education platform empowering writers to hone their craft outside the traditional MFA system. But Gabriela's journey began with an unexpected detour.After achieving her childhood dream of becoming a toy designer, a personal health crisis forced Gabriela to pivot from the corporate world. Through deep introspection, she realized her true callings were creating new offerings while constantly acquiring knowledge - the essence of her Primary Maker and Shadow Maven Sparketypes. Host: Jonathan Fields, creator of Good Life Project podcast and the Sparketype® Assessment,More on Sparketypes: Discover Your Sparketype | The Book | The WebsiteCoaches & Leaders: Tap a Game-Changing Credential - The Certified Sparketype® Advisor Training. Presented by LinkedIn.

Oct 15, 2024 • 46min
How To Be Resilient At Work
Ever feel like the rug got pulled out from under you at work? A project imploded, a promotion evaporated, or your role did a 180 you never saw coming? If those punches to the gut sound familiar, you know how quickly setbacks can shake your confidence and derail your drive. But what if you could bounce back stronger from those inevitable career curveballs?That's the power of resilience - the ability to adapt, grow, and thrive through adversity. With resilience, you don't just survive challenges, you use them as fuel to soar higher.In today’s episode of SPARKED, I’m joined by Shelly Adele Bliss, one of our fabulous Spark Endeavors team members. Together we unpack the essence of career resilience. We'll explore the core mindsets and habits that allow you to stay grounded yet flexible when things go sideways.Host: Jonathan Fields, creator of Good Life Project podcast and the Sparketype® Assessment,More on Sparketypes: Discover Your Sparketype | The Book | The WebsiteCoaches & Leaders: Tap a Game-Changing Credential - The Certified Sparketype® Advisor Training. Presented by LinkedIn.

Oct 8, 2024 • 32min
How to Finish More of the Projects That You Start
"How do you finish more of the projects that you start or do you need to complete everything?"This week on the SPARKED podcast, we invited a listener to share what’s going on in their work & life, then pose a specific question to Jonathan Fields and a rotating lineup of wise and kind mentors - the SPARKED Braintrust. In today’s episode we’re in conversation with:SPARKED BRAINTRUST ADVISOR: Charlie Gilkey | WebsiteCharlie is a strategic advisor and executive coach, founder of the Productive Flourishing consultancy, and author of the multi-award-winning book, Start Finishing.LISTENER: Jade - Sparketype: Maker/MavenQUESTION: Listener Jade poses a question that I’m sure a lot of our Makers and creators have also wondered, what can you do to see more ideas through to completion. Jade shares her experience of feeling tied down in the ‘busy-work’ of her daily job while being called to diversify her income and embrace a ‘side hustle’. So the essence of the question is how do you make the most of the small amount of time you have in the ‘in-between’ moments and how do you follow through more often to generate the outcomes and feelings that you really want to have. And underneath that is the question, do we need to in the first place do any of this or is there magic in the mess of the maker and not centering some of these impulses as the fundamental way we earn our living.YOUR HOST: Jonathan FieldsJonathan is a dad, husband, award-winning author, multi-time founder, executive producer and host of the Good Life Project podcast, and co-host of SPARKED, too! He’s also the creator of an unusual tool that’s helped more than 950,000 people discover what kind of work makes them come alive - the Sparketype® Assessment, and author of the bestselling book, SPARKED.So what is your Sparketype? Turns out, we all have a unique imprint for work that makes us come alive, this is your Sparketype. When you discover yours, everything, your entire work-life- and even parts of your personal life and relationships - begins to make sense. Until you know yours, you’re kind of fumbling in the dark. How to submit your question for the SPARKED Braintrust: Wisdom-seeker submissionsMore on Sparketypes at: Discover You Sparketype | The Book | The Workshop | The WebsitePresented by LinkedIn.Please note this episode originally aired in 2022 which accounts for some of the timeline references.

Oct 1, 2024 • 35min
From overworked attorney to personal finance consultant
Today, we're exploring one woman's journey from being a lawyer to a personal finance consultant.My guest today is Hannah Bell, who stepped off the conventional law career track despite external pressures to stay the course. While practicing law, a profound internal shift occurred listening to personal finance podcasts during long commutes. It was a wake-up call that reconnected her to a deep interest. Hannah realized she could help others align money with their deepest values.Rather than staying stuck, Hannah leaned into her Sparketype profile - her Primary, the Sage, sparked to illuminate insights, her Shadow, the Advisor, guiding growth of others, and her Anti, the Performer, which accounts for the sense of ‘energy drain’ in the courtroom. Host: Jonathan Fields, creator of Good Life Project podcast and the Sparketype® Assessment,More on Sparketypes: Discover Your Sparketype | The Book | The WebsiteCoaches & Leaders: Tap a Game-Changing Credential - The Certified Sparketype® Advisor Training. Presented by LinkedIn.

Sep 24, 2024 • 36min
From Corporate HR Manager to Career Discovery Coach
Discover the inspiring journey of a woman leaving the corporate grind for a fulfilling career. Explore the contrast between passion and corporate realities, and the emotional challenges of misaligned workplace values. Delve into personal growth through sparketype insights and the transformative decision to become a career coach. Reflect on the importance of work-life balance and self-advocacy during uncertain times. Finally, embrace your own spark to find joy and energy in your career and life.