Americans have the nasty habit of identifying with their careers at the expense of everything else. The first thing most of us ask each other when we meet is "what do you DO?" And how sad is it that our jobs are considered the best measure of who we really are? What we do "for a living" should be the thing that supports us and allows us to live our own versions of a rich, full life.

I prefer the European approach. Once long ago, while sharing tapas and wine with friends in Barcelona, I made the mistake of asking one person at the table what another – a lifelong friend of the first who'd walked into the bar late and wearing a suit – did for a living.

"I don't have a clue," she said. "Something to do with money, I think."

Perfect. Because what most of us do from nine to five we do for someone else.

It's how you spend the rest of your time that really defines you: Do you spend it dancing with friends? Alone in a studio, spattered with paint? Climbing mountains? What are you passionate about? If you're an American, bombarded by sophisticated advertising that steers and shapes you, temps you to buy, buy, buy with promises of happiness and freedom, do you even know anymore?

There is, of course, one more option: To be one of the lucky ones who blend their passions and their professions so seamlessly that it's impossible to distinguish between "work" and "fun." That's the Holy Grail, that's when life really Matters.

Most of us, right this minute, are probably not lucky enough to have found that opportunity to make a living from the things we love. But all of us can at least make sure we give some of our free time to taking care of the things in this world we count on to take care of us.

It's that old saw that giving is so much better than receiving: If you love hiking or mountain biking, why not volunteer for the group that maintains your favorite trails? If sailing in the tropics is your thing, protecting the Caribbean's mangrove trees or Australia's coral reefs could be the adventure of a lifetime, one that opens the doors into other cultures wider than they'd be for mere tourists. You'd probably meet some incredible, worthwhile people while you're at it, too.

If you're an artist or musician, why not give a little of your time by sharing your passion with children, the elderly or disabled? If you have more time and a larger sense of adventure, you might find opportunities to share your gifts with people around the world at Escape Artist. You may quickly find that, in doing so, you can get closer than you'd ever dreamed to that holy grail of doing what you love for a living, and living a life that Matters.