Jobs are important, but aren't YOU more important? Quality of life and our sense of self is so much more than just our job, yet one of the first questions we ask someone is, "what do you do?" In fact, one of the first questions we ask of our kiddos is, "what do you want to be when you grow up?". These questions only reinforce the cultural ways that work becomes a huge part of our identity. But what if we could make small tweaks to focus on what kind of person we want to be rather than what we do, these small shifts can begin to bring back more quality in our lives. As a professor of communication, I discuss the importance of changing the way we talk about work and give several steps to help you begin thinking of yourself (and others) differently starting today. Eric James has had many jobs. From counting five-cent aluminum can deposits in Vermont, to convincing people to keep their overpriced America Online dial-up internet access, to balancing dan-dan noodles and chicken dumpling soups as a PF Chang’s food runner. The way those jobs have defined Eric, and the significance of work more generally in our lives, has always seemed curious to him. That’s why he now studies organizational communication as an associate professor at Metropolitan State University of Denver with a Ph.D. in communication studies from Texas A&M in 2014. He researches issues relating to workplace wellness, organizational identity and control. He has been published in a variety of outlets including the Journal of Applied Communication Research, Management Communication Quarterly and Communication & Sport. When he’s not working, Eric is chasing around his two boys with partner Kathryn, or enjoying the outdoors, on the slopes or on the trails. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx