Jobs have clear boundaries. They’re something we apply for and get. They have defining characteristics and the goal is to meet quota, do just enough to get by, not get into trouble, stay within the lines, and meet spec.

Projects, on the other hand, are open-ended. They are chosen and initiated by us, full of possibility, and in the vein of making things better. Projects are about discovery, pushing boundaries, and following our curiosity.

Some people spend their whole lives working at jobs. If all you’ve known is how to follow the rules, meet deadlines and facilitate meetings, it’s challenging to see the possibility of turning your work into a project.

What if we approached everything like a project? Where experimentation is encouraged, ideas are currency, and breaking old paradigms is expected, not reprimanded?

The most interesting, forward-thinking and service-minded individuals I know approach life as a series of projects and experiments. Retirement doesn’t scares them because they’ve adopted a mindset where the possibilities are endless, even when there is no longer a 9-5 schedule to follow.

Those are my people.