We are in Sonoma this week, celebrating my partner’s 50th birthday. It has been a week of amazing weather, great wine tasting, slowing things down (just a bit) and appreciating a section of the country that has everything in bloom at this very moment. I see why so many people live here.

Sonoma and Napa are world renowned for their wineries, restaurants and overall good living.  And despite a regional rivalry (people in Sonoma say “Sonoma is for wine, Napa is for auto parts”) both are home to many people who passionately appreciate and treasure this area. There is a special connection to the land and the gardens as everyone here has fruit trees, their own grape vines and an extreme appreciation for a holistic approach to living. Very inspirational.

We met a man named Bob who was one of the wine pourers when we toured Sterling Vineyards. A full-bearded and friendly man, Bob explained how his family has been in the area for four generations, and now retired, he loves to work at the vineyard to meet people and share his stories of the valley. He talked about which years had great grape harvests and why. He talked about why some grapes are planted on west-facing slopes at higher altitudes and why some others are planted in the valley. This is his place – his land – his home. He talked about choices of moving away for larger jobs and greater careers but chose to stay close to something that matter more to him – his town.

Here was someone else in his Greatness Zone. Sometimes our zone may be doing work we love; sometimes our zone may be in inspiring others. In Bob’s case it was living in an area that inspired him. Being in Napa was a “gotta have” in life, not just a “nice to have.” And he shared how he had built an amazing life for his family over the years, loving his views of the mountains and connecting with the vineyards. This area inspired him.

That is the way finding our zone hits us – we find ourselves compelled to be something, do something or be somewhere. We don’t know why but we know it is a “gotta have” in life – it makes life better, more significant and happier.

What are the “gotta haves” (versus the “nice to haves”) in your life? What gets and keeps you in your Zone?