Since 2014 I have studied, researched, and written about the concepts of meaning and purpose. In 2016, I published a book entitledThe Purpose Effect dedicated solely to the topic. In Work-Life Bloom, two of the key work-life factors that make up the accompanying model focus on meaning and purpose. I am known for urging people to declare their purpose, writing it down, and sharing it far and wide. My declaration is as follows: “We’re not here to see through each other; we’re here to see each other through.”
I wrote
Work-Life Bloom: How to Nurture a Team that Flourishes
Ranjay Gulati delves—dare I say—deeply into the significance of purpose-driven organizations in today's business landscape.
The book emphasizes how cultivating a strong, authentic purpose can lead to exceptional performance and long-term success.
What I loved is that Gulati highlights that purpose is not just a tagline but rather a dynamic, guiding force that drives innovation, collaboration, and resilience. He shows how it can help decision-making.
Gulati shares several compelling case studies and practical tools that helped me affirm my position on the concept of organizational purpose. If you’re passionate about transformative leadership,Deep Purpose will inspire you to create meaningful impact in your organization.
'If you want to be inspired to build more sustainable organizations, Deep Purpose should be your next read' Arianna Huffington, Founder & CEO, Thrive Global
'Insightful, practical, and timely' Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Again and host of the TED podcast WorkLife
'Deep Purpose points to the conversations we must have right now about how to redefine the role of business in society, restore trust, and enhance our license to operate ... Highly recommended' Paul Polman, former CEO, Unilever
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Distinguished Harvard Business School professor Ranjay Gulati takes readers inside some of the world's most…
This is a poignant memoir by Paul Kalanithi, a neurosurgeon confronted with terminal lung cancer.
The book offers a profound, intimate look at how Kalanithi grapples with his own mortality and the fragility of life, something I needed at a particular low point in my life.
His eloquent prose reveals his personal journey to understand what truly matters, ultimately finding purpose in his work, relationships, and the pursuit of knowledge. By sharing his unique perspective on life, love, and death, When Breath Becomes Airserved as a powerful reminder to me to cherish every moment and prioritize what truly gives life (and work) meaning.
'Rattling. Heartbreaking. Beautiful.' Atul Gawande, bestselling author of Being Mortal
What makes life worth living in the face of death?
At the age of thirty-six, on the verge of completing a decade's training as a neurosurgeon, Paul Kalanithi was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. One day he was a doctor treating the dying, the next he was a patient struggling to live.
When Breath Becomes Air chronicles Kalanithi's transformation from a medical student asking what makes a virtuous and meaningful life into a neurosurgeon working in the core of human identity - the brain - and…
Daniel Pink provides a unique perspective on finding meaning and purpose in life by embracing the transformative potential of regret.
As you explore your sense of meaning and purpose, this book offers valuable insights into how reflecting on past experiences and learning from mistakes can enrich your life's journey. It made me rethink past so-called regrets, and whether they might have positively or negatively influenced my sense of meaning.
Through thorough primary research and compelling stories, Pink demonstrates how regret can inspire personal growth, self-improvement, and a clearer understanding of your life's direction. The book encourages you to use regret as a powerful resource, which only can help your sense of meaning and purpose.
“The world needs this book.” —Brené Brown, Ph.D., New York Times bestselling author of Dare to Lead and Atlas of the Heart
An instant New York Times bestseller
As featured in The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post
Named a Best Book of 2022 by NPR and Financial Times
From the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of When and Drive, a new book about the transforming power of our most misunderstood yet potentially most valuable emotion: regret.
Everybody has regrets, Daniel H. Pink explains in The Power of Regret. They’re a universal and healthy part of being human. And…
This book is a profound exploration of the human quest for meaning and purpose. I read it once every year or two.
I am continually seeking insights into work and life so this book continues to offer invaluable lessons derived from Frankl's experiences as a Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist. Frankl posits that life's meaning is not given but rather must be discovered through our choices and actions. That message hits me every time.
Frankl emphasizes the importance of finding purpose even in the face of immense adversity. I find it to be a timeless piece of work that continues to help me lead myself to greater fulfillment and resilience.
One of the outstanding classics to emerge from the Holocaust, Man's Search for Meaning is Viktor Frankl's story of his struggle for survival in Auschwitz and other Nazi concentration camps. Today, this remarkable tribute to hope offers us an avenue to finding greater meaning and purpose in our own lives.
Randy Pausch demonstrates the power of determination and resilience in finding meaning and purpose in work and life.
Through Pausch's journey of becoming a Disney Imagineer—despite his initial setbacks—he showcases the importance of pursuing one's passions and living with intention. Pausch taught me to be dissatisfied with the status quo when it comes to building on your purpose. We must push for our purpose in both work and life.
His experiences serve as a vivid example of how to align personal values with one's professional life, thus helping to foster a sense of purpose. Pausch offers a concrete roadmap to overcome obstacles and pursue their passions, ultimately leading to more fulfilling and purposeful lives.
A lot of professors give talks titled The Last Lecture. Professors are asked to consider their demise and to ruminate on what matters most to them: What wisdom would we impart to the world if we knew it was our last chance? If we had to vanish tomorrow, what would we want as our legacy?
When Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon, was asked to give such a lecture, he didnt have to imagine it as his last, since he had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer. But the lecture he gave, Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams,…
Just as a flower needs the right mix of sunlight, water, and nutrients to grow and thrive, team members need the right mix of work-life factors to create a fulfilling and harmonious existence.
Dan Pontefract argues that there really is no such thing as work-life balance: our rigid attempts to achieve it don't reflect current realities and are leading us to further burnout, stress, and unhappiness. Pontefract introduces six key work-factors – trust, belonging, feeling valued, purpose, strategy, and norms – and six life-factors – relationships, skills, well-being, meaning, agency, and respect – essential for creating an integrated work-life ecosystem. Discover if you are blooming, budding, stunted, or needing renewal through the book's simple yet practical Work-Life Bloom model.
From the time I was a girl, I’ve loved stories that put a lump in my throat even as I’m laughing. As a fiction writer, that funny-sad tone is the one I go for in my own work. I gravitate toward female protagonists of all ages who break the mold—women who are intelligent and strong but who also have unconventional, quirky personalities. Women who can be hilarious, infuriating, and heartbreaking—sometimes all at once. Because they are complex and unique, these women tend to struggle with life’s challenges more than their contemporaries. That’s what makes their stories so interesting, and why I have chosen the books on this list.
When Mar’s husband divorces her, she reacts by abandoning everything in her past: her home, her friends, even her name. Though it's not easy starting over, she’s ready for new adventures—as long as she can keep things casual. Each month, Mar goes from one acquaintance to the next: a fellow gym member down on her luck, a flirty hip-hop instructor, a bossy but comical consultant. . . and a handsome novelist who wants more than she can give. Mar learns from each encounter. But can she open herself up to true connection?
Surrounded by quirky, endearing characters, Mar navigates her…
"A fun, entertaining novel! I can't imagine anyone who wouldn't enjoy this book as much as I did." -Leslie A. Rasmussen, award-winning author
When Mar Meyer's husband divorces her for another woman, she reacts by abandoning everything in her past: her home, her friends, even her name. Though it's not easy to start over, Mar is young-looking, fit, and ready for new adventures-as long as she can keep things casual.
With each passing month, Mar goes from one acquaintance to the next. Among them: a fellow gym member down on her luck, a flirty hip-hop instructor, a bossy but comical…
