The Fire Emergency Manufacturers & Services Association held its annual meeting last week in San Antonio. More than 150 FEMSA members participated in the updates on national issues, as well as on the health and safety initiatives for the fire and emergency industry. FEMSA's focus is to bring together concerned manufacturers and service providers with the intent of providing quality products and services that help first responders fulfill their challenging role.

The guest speaker for the FEMSA meeting was Jeri Sedlar, co-author (with her husband Rick Miners) of Don't Retire, Rewire! While the book sounds like it targets 60-year-olds facing retirement, it doesn't. Sedlar's book is about working at a job that fulfills you — or why you really work.

Sedlar said that rapid technology changes, being connected 24/7 and employee expectations have had an impact on careers. Globalization, competition and terrorism are part of our daily lives. She also stated that the need for job changes can come as the result of different types of stress: burned out, worn out or stressed out.

One of the examples Sedlar suggested was to think back to a favorite job. "What was the best job you ever had? What made it the best job?"

She related a survey that indicated as people age, they wanted work that was "meaningful." Firefighters and other emergency responders are in a unique position, as their work is meaningful — they save lives. Career firefighters also could have an off-duty job that they enjoy, as would volunteer firefighters with their full-time careers.

Most often people will ask if they have enough money to retire. Sedlar suggested instead, "Do you have enough money to do what fulfills you?"

While it's important to identify what motivates or drives you, as we did in one exercise led by Sedlar, perhaps the most startling revelation came in an exercise we did with a 24-hour chart. She instructed us to fill in exactly what we did each hour of the day — in detail. The idea was not to identify wasted time; rather, it was to identify what we really enjoyed and what we would miss if we left our current job. What we would miss is part of what drives or motivates us.

Many books have been written with the same theme: do what you love and the money will follow; follow your dreams; pursue your passions. Don't Retire, Rewire! is one more reminder that life is indeed too short and our health is too precious not to do what we enjoy.