Bruce Feiler on Finding Meaningful Work in a Post-Career World

The people who are happiest don’t chase someone else’s dreams; they chase their own. That’s according to our guest, one of our favorite authors, thinkers, and people, Bruce Feiler. On this episode of Christopher Lochhead: Follow Your Different, we look back to our dialogue with him on how to find meaningful work in a post-career world.

Bruce is the author of the landmark book, Life Is in the Transitions. He also addresses one of the seminal questions of our time: “How do we find or create meaningful work?” It’s a subject he’s lived over and over again, and it’s the focus of his book, The Search: Finding Meaningful Work in a Post-Career World.

You’re listening to Christopher Lochhead: Follow Your Different. We are the real dialogue podcast for people with a different mind. So get your mind in a different place, and hey ho, let’s go.

Bruce Feiler and His Book’s Effect

One of Bruce’s books, Life Is in the Transitions, explores the idea that nearly half of our lives are spent in various transitions. The book delves into personal experiences, including Bruce’s own life upheavals, such as battling cancer, facing financial troubles, and dealing with family crises. He explains how society tends to undervalue and stigmatize these transitional periods while glorifying stability.

Bruce’s mission is to normalize these unsettled phases and help people see their potential for growth, embracing them as opportunities for renewal and transformation. The book has resonated with readers who recognize and appreciate the validation it provides for the complex emotions they encounter during life’s transitions.

Bruce Feiler on the Notable Lack of Life Transition Books

When asked why there aren’t more books like his on the shelves, Bruce says it’s mainly because society has traditionally undervalued and stigmatized these periods. The focus has been on achieving stability and success, neglecting the importance of understanding and embracing life’s transitions.

However, Bruce says recent societal changes, including the decline of organized religion and shifts in the workforce, have led to a growing interest in searching for meaning in life and work. People are no longer content to view work as a mere source of income; they want work with purpose and significance.

This shift in perspective has sparked renewed interest in exploring life transitions and finding meaning in these transformative phases, especially for professionals still pursuing their careers in their 40s an