Two-thirds of Americans say they’re unhappy with their work (70%), and three-quarters say they plan to look for new work over the next year—that’s 100 million Americans. Today’s guest breaks down what’s behind these workquakes; why they are happening more frequently; how he navigated a major “pile-up” in his 40s of death, disease, and financial disaster; ghost jobs; and the most powerful question you can ask yourself about what’s next.
More About Bruce: Bruce Feiler is the author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including Life Is in the Transitions, The Secrets of Happy Families, and The Council of Dads, and his newest book, The Search: Finding Meaningful Work in a Post-Career World. His three TED talks have been viewed more than four million times, and he teaches the TED course How to Master Life Transitions. A native of Savannah, Georgia, Bruce lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Linda Rottenberg, and their twin daughters.

? 3 Key Takeaways



Workquakes happen every 2.5 years; 55% begin outside of the workplace; the average person goes through 20 in the course of their lives


One of his favorite questions to ask work story subjects is, “Did you get a piece of advice from someone?” Three-fourths of people were given a variation of: listen to yourself. Do what you’re already thinking about doing, the answer is already within you. Give yourself permission to follow that.


Conduct a personal archeology: “The happiest people don’t just climb, they dig.” Look at lessons you learned about work from your family (upsides and downsides), what you loved as a child, role models you had growing up, what your parents and grandparents did for work and the values they held around family, work, and money.


✅ Try This Next

Write the rough draft of of the next chapter of your work story with Bruce’s template:

In this transition, I’ve realized that I want to be the kind of person who _________.

I want to do work that _________.

I’m at a moment in my life when _________.

I want to be in a place that _________.

My purpose right now is _________.

The best advice I have for myself right now is _________.


? Resources Mentioned



Bruce on the web, IG: @brucefeiler, Twitter, Facebook



Newsletter: The Nonlinear Life



Articles: ‘The Search’ Review: Rethinking the Rules of Success, The Stories That Bind Us Anything on narrative psychology, New York Magazine—Gail Sheehy (from the archives)



TED talks: The Council of Dads, Agile Programming — for Your Family, The Secret to Mastering Life’s Biggest Transitions



Service: Our Story Bridge



? Books Mentioned

The Search: Finding Meaningful Work in a Post-Career World

Life Is in the Transitions: Mastering Change at Any Age


Passages: Predictable Crises of Adult Life by Gail Sheehy

Free Time: Lose the Busywork, Love Your Business

Pivot: The Only Move That Matters Is Your Next One

Life After College


? Related Episodes


goop: Gwyneth Paltrow x Bruce Feiler: Are You in a Workquake?



Pivot: 168: Penney on Pandemic Opening Our Collective Pandora's Box (Part 1), 169: Penney on Pandemic Opening Our Collective Pandora's Box (Part 2), Penney & Jenny 8: Embracing Liminal Space (check out the full Penney & Jenny Show on Spotify)


Free Time: 138: ⛵️Stop Sailing the Sea of Shiny Shoulds



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