Jonathan Fields is a favorite author and podcaster of mine. I was also lucky enough to book him as a keynote speaker at a Leadership summit I was hosting. This book builds on his proprietary concept of "Sparkatypes" - A concept I use in my people development department at work. He encourages the reader to discover what lights them up - What are they deeply passionate and curious about - and then bring that into all that you do. This is a great book to read with teammates at work or in a book club.

#netgalley

Jonathan Fields is a deep thinker who makes his readers think. With SPARKED, I validated my path and feel I now understand myself better.

Thank you Netgalley for my free copy!

I've listened to Jonathan Fields' podcast so I'm familiar with his work. I loved the Sparketype test and it described me accurately. I now understand myself more and what makes me ''spark''. Really liked the examples he gave of the different types, Very interesting read!

I really liked this book, the free test, and how detailed the book goes. I could have used this many years ago to figure out my life, so hopefully it can help others in their work fulfillments.

I do wish there was more info about types of work for each archetype (how can anyone make money as a maven LOL. If I could get paid to learn something I actually enjoyed, that would be great!). But it does a great job of having you dig deep by asking questions and ideas. And because I'm a maven, this learning is right up my alley.

The book also gives stories of others with examples of their sparketype and discoveries. It discusses the "shadow" which is somewhat of a compliment to your spark, and the "anti" which drains you. I would have liked more detail on the anti-type, but it does give a description of that and, as the book says read the spark side and that's pretty much what would drain you.

I also liked how the book showed prevalence percentages on where your sparketype and pairings rank. I enjoyed the book, and even reading about sparketypes that weren't my own, and definitely recommend.

We’re all born with a certain “imprint” for work that makes us come alive. This is your "Sparketype®," your DNA-level driver of work that lets you know, deep down, you’re doing what you’re here to do. Work that motivates you, fills you with purpose and, fully-expressed in a healthy way, becomes a main-line to meaning, flow, performance, and joy. Put another way, work that “sparks” you.

Drawing upon years of research, experimentation, more than 25-million data-points generated by over half-a-million people, hundreds of deep-dive conversations with luminaries from science to art to industry and wellbeing. Award-winning author, serial wellness-industry founder, and host of the top-ranked Good Life Project®, Jonathan Fields, and his team at Spark Endeavors, developed the Sparketype imprints and methodology that is the basis of this book.

This book was phenomenal. I love how Fields puts everything into easily understandable terms. It finally put words to the ways I function both at work and at home.

There was a time, not so long ago actually, that I began feeling empty and unsure if I was taking the most beneficial and rewarding path in my life. Sure, I have a great job, financial stability, ultimate flexibility and a great team that balances me out. But there was a feeling inside of me that, even with all of the benefits and perks, felt like I was just moving along without really running the race. That is when I discovered Jonathan and his book "Sparked", and I really began to learn more about who I was, what made me feel the way I do, what I do poorly. The details in this book are astounding and really make you look at yourself and your true purpose in life, and begin to shape them into the truest form. Once you discover your Sparketype, you will also discover your "Anti-Sparktype", or the type of person/influencer/leader that you least resonate with. This was incredibly helpful for me to realize the things I shouldn't be focused on, which many of them I was spending way too much time on. Since reading this book and applying its principles to my life, I have found a much greater sense of self-worth and purpose. If you are looking for renewed purpose and want to focus on your true calling in life, this is the book for you. Btw, my Sparketype is "The Essentialist" What's yours?

Your richest worklife begins with YOU.

I developed psychological tests for many years, and I thought I’d seen it all when it comes to work-related self-report assessments. But the Sparketypes framework created by Jonathan Fields has influenced--in ways no other tool or other resource has--how I think about spending my time.

His approach feels fresh because Fields keeps our individuality and humanness at the center of the conversation. Some of us expect work satisfaction to come from service to an industry, or the intersection of skills and interests. I think this is rarely true. What happens when we acknowledge that the rewards of doing our true work, in the broadest sense, are deeply personal? Those results are more often a feeling than an outcome. And while it’s true that we need to pay the bills, at the end of the day, life feels satisfying when we’re honest about the activities that generate a spark of aliveness in us and act on them as regularly and as often as possible.

This book will help you identify your true sources of personal energy, understand them, and give you the language to explain your motivation to the people you engage with--in any kind of pursuit (e.g., family, career, leisure, school). It’s a perfect balance of “heartfelt” and “pragmatic.”

And you couldn’t be in kinder or more generous hands. Fields’ intimate voice assures you on every page that this is about YOU. YOUR life. You trust him as he nudges you to take advantage of this remarkable point in history to rethink work and what you want for yourself. Fields is the guide who’ll lead you down a better path: discovering, or reconnecting with, an alive-feeling part of yourself that may have been dormant for too long. It’s time.

Reading Sparked and learning more about the Sparketypes, was a very emotional experience. I was not expecting to be so moved, after all, I had already taken the Sparketype assessment and knew a little bit about the types.

We often hear quotes such as, "everyone' is different," and "just be yourself." Knowing these truths and living them, fully expressed, are two very different things. This book may just bring us closer to aligning our outward expressions of self with the amazing person who exists within.

Reviewed by a Maven/Performer.

I found the test (which is online and free) to be reflective of my personal values, so nothing new was really revealed except for affirmation. The chapter about my primary sparketype was helpful into gaining more insight. However, there wasn't much to guide you about your shadow sparketype and a measly paragraph about the specific anti-sparketypes. I wish there had been some guidance in terms of careers based on each sparketype, but I think it's up to you to see if you current path fits.

At the beginning, there was a bit too much talking about how great the method was and how much people who used it really loved it but, once the author finally got going, I really enjoyed this book. I loved reading about my own spark type and about others, and it was fun to try and connect my friends and family to their own. The actual advice part didn’t feel all that useful, maybe because it’s less specific? Or maybe I’ve just read too many self help books at this point.

Exploring your Sparketype gives a whole new outlook on why and how you thrive when doing certain activities. The related test helps you to pinpoint your 2 most prevalent types, and also the one that drains you most. An eye-opener, especially when done with a partner or friends.

I found the book a very useful tool, especially when it comes to the warning zones for each type. Up to now, most of these of realizations came only via hard personal experience, and subsequent reflection. Now I have a better understanding of why I am likely to fall into these traps, and work at balancing the good and bad of each of my Sparketypes to lead a more fulfilling life.

This is the book I WISH I’D HAD YEARS AGO when I was laid off by my company after 15 years. I took a break—didn’t go job hunting—because I couldn’t go back to the same soul-sucking career I’d just been fired from. 

This book would have helped me fast-track a lot of the "discovery" process I had to go through.

Why do I love SPARKED?
1. You can take the Sparketype assessment online. For FREE. There’s not some expensive upsell to get the test like other books/companies I won’t call out.

2. I found my results to be super accurate. I’m a MAKER (yes, I absolutely love to create). But I didn’t realize this was part of my life purpose “DNA” until I read Sparked. It’s life-changing.

3. You also get your SHADOW sparketype which is the sort of underlying type that also influences you. Mine is MAVEN and I can see why I can go down rabbit holes of learning and information. (Also it’s why I’m a self-help book and course junkie). I want to learn, learn, learn all the time.

4. With the free test you get your ANTI Sparketype which is your kryptonite—the thing that drains you. Mine is NURTURER and this makes a lot of sense in my life….

You really have to take the test to get the most benefit from this book. I started off reading about my own 3 types, but I also made my husband take it and now I better understand where he’s coming from.



If you lead a team of people or are a parent of teens/college students, this book is hugely important to understanding what drives people. For example, if someone’s ANTI is an essentialist, they hate details and organization. There are ways to cope with the various types. 



All in all, an OUTSTANDING book that everyone would benefit from.

Sparked :Discover Your Unique Imprint for Work that Makes You Come Alive is a self help book that attempts to catagorise people based on personality and how their spark is most likely to be ignited. To be honest I don't find books like these very useful. you can see yourself in most of the definitions and by the time you have tried to find the best match your spark is definitely dwindling. A bit overworked for me, and quite laborious. Although I am sure that a lot of people will find it very useful, just not the 'spark' book for me.

One of the best 'trait' books I've ever read- comparable to 'Unrepeatable' but using metaphor to describe your primary mindset, and it's supporting mindset.

This was a great eye-opener and confirmation that I don't have to choose just one interest.

The evaluation question is free too! I truly recommend this as a tool for understanding yourself and others.

However, it's not a be all and end all just a tool for the road.