A Map for Finding Direction and Purpose in Life (Again and Again)

While we often think of life as linear, my guest’s own life, along with a decade of research, has taught him that it’s anything but. In his latest book, What to Make of a Life, Jim Collins unpacks the cyclical pattern life actually unfolds in, and how to navigate it. He explains how we all go through periods of “fog” — times of disorientation and uncertainty — at least three times: in youth, after a life-changing “cliff” event, and as we move through midlife into older age. We find our way out of these fogs by what Jim calls coming into “frame” — aligning what you're built to do with what you actually do in a way that feels enlivening and meaningful. And Jim unpacks the three elements that help you find, and re-find, this frame over the course of your life.Along the way, Jim shares case studies of these principles at work, and we explore the role of luck, the inevitability of drudgery (even in work you love), and how to keep your inner fire lit over the long haul.Resources Related to the PodcastGood to Great by Jim CollinsAll Rise: The Remarkable Journey of Alan Page by Bill McGraneSelf-Renewal: The Individual and the Innovative Society by John W. GardnerSunday Firesides: You Never Know How Many Chapters Are Still to ComeSunday Firesides: Do the Right Thing, for Right NowAoM Article: The 5 Best AoM Podcast Episodes on Finding Meaning and PurposeAoM series on finding your life's vocationConnect With Jim CollinsJim's website0:00 - Introduction & Guest Overview0:41 - What Is "What to Make of a Life"?2:17 - The Three Seeds That Started the Research7:26 - What Are "Encodings"? Finding What You're Built For8:58 - John Glenn & Gordon Cooper: Encodings in Action14:32 - It's Never Too Late to Find Your Frame (Eisenhower & Franklin)19:34 - Multiple Frames: Alan Page's Second Life in Law25:56 - Navigating Cliffs: Expected vs. Shocking Life Changes31:09 - The Fog: Why Feeling Lost Is Normal40:58 - Simplex Stepping: How to Navigate the Fog49:32 - Flipping the Arrow of Money & Building a Flywheel57:34 - Thriving in the Second Half of Life See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.