Key Takeaways
1. Define Your Own Success: Create Your Unique Path
This above all: to thine own self be true.
Unique potential over success. The key to achieving your aspirations lies not in "being a success" but rather in working to reach your unique potential. This requires creating your own definition of success rather than accepting one created by others. It involves developing a different mind-set and new work habits.
Personalized approach. Each person has unique skills, qualities, life stories, strengths, weaknesses, passions, anxieties, and idiosyncrasies. Recognizing this, it's logical that the ideal path would be somewhat different for each individual. Instead of mimicking others or conforming to societal definitions of success, focus on understanding yourself and creating a path that aligns with your unique attributes.
Long-term perspective. Reaching your potential is not a destination but a lifelong journey. It involves continuous self-discovery, skill development, and adaptation to changing circumstances. Embrace this process as an ongoing opportunity for growth and fulfillment, rather than a race to a predetermined finish line.
2. Assess Your Strengths and Weaknesses Accurately
Reaching your potential is not a journey you can take all by yourself.
Self-awareness is crucial. Accurately assessing your strengths and weaknesses is fundamental to reaching your potential. Many people struggle with this, either overestimating their abilities or failing to recognize their true strengths. Regular self-assessment and seeking feedback from others are essential for developing this awareness.
Seek diverse feedback. To gain a comprehensive understanding of your skills:
- Solicit input from supervisors, peers, and subordinates
- Consider feedback from both professional and personal contexts
- Look for patterns in the feedback you receive
- Be open to constructive criticism and willing to address areas for improvement
Continuous improvement. Use your understanding of your strengths and weaknesses to:
- Focus on developing your strengths further
- Address weaknesses that may hinder your progress
- Align your career choices with your skill set
- Seek out opportunities that allow you to leverage your strengths while challenging you to grow
3. Find Your Passions to Fuel Your Career
Passion is the essential fuel that allows us to find a professional home, to hang in there, and to work through our weaknesses.
Passion drives performance. Highly effective people almost always say they love what they do. Passion is critical because reaching your full potential requires a combination of your heart and your head. It provides the motivation to overcome challenges, persist through difficulties, and continually improve your skills.
Discover your passions. To identify what truly excites you:
- Reflect on times when you were at your best and most engaged
- Consider what activities make you lose track of time
- Think about what topics or causes you naturally gravitate towards
- Experiment with different roles and responsibilities to see what resonates
Align passions with career. Once you've identified your passions:
- Look for ways to incorporate them into your current role
- Seek out career opportunities that align with your interests
- Consider how you can use your passions to add value in your field
- Be open to unconventional career paths that allow you to pursue your passions
4. Understand Your Life Story and Its Impact
You are the product of your past but the author of your future.
Life story shapes behavior. Your unique life experiences have a powerful impact on your emotions, perceptions, idiosyncrasies, assumptions, vulnerabilities, and mind-set. Understanding your life story is critical to managing yourself and employing techniques to reach your potential.
Analyze your narrative. To gain insight from your life story:
- Write down your basic life story chronologically
- Identify key events and experiences that have shaped you
- Recognize patterns in your behavior and decision-making
- Consider both your "success narrative" and "failure narrative"
Use insights for growth. Once you understand your life story:
- Identify how past experiences may be influencing current behaviors
- Recognize and challenge limiting beliefs stemming from your narrative
- Use your understanding to make more intentional choices aligned with your goals
- Leverage your unique experiences as strengths in your personal and professional life
5. Make the Most of Your Opportunities Through Communication
Communicating what you're doing and who you are is part of the job.
Proactive communication is key. Many professionals fail to realize their potential because they don't effectively communicate their aspirations, achievements, and challenges. Taking ownership of your career development requires clear and proactive communication with supervisors, colleagues, and mentors.
Strategies for effective communication:
- Regularly update your boss on your progress and goals
- Seek feedback on your performance and areas for improvement
- Clearly articulate your career aspirations to those who can help you achieve them
- Share your successes and challenges in a constructive manner
- Ask questions and seek clarification when needed
Focus on key tasks. Identify the top three tasks critical to success in your current role and ensure you're dedicating sufficient time and energy to them. Regularly reassess these priorities as your job evolves and communicate any changes in focus to your superiors.
6. Develop Character and Leadership for Greater Impact
Leadership is the ability to figure out what you believe and then summon the courage to appropriately act on those beliefs.
Character drives success. Developing strong character and leadership qualities can elevate your performance from good to great. This involves figuring out what you believe, having the courage to act on those beliefs, and focusing on adding value to your organization and positively impacting others.
Key leadership behaviors:
- Act like an owner of your organization, thinking beyond your immediate role
- Develop and articulate your convictions, even when they may be unpopular
- Help others without expecting immediate personal gain
- Give credit to others and focus on team success
- Maintain ethical boundaries and act with integrity
Cultivate an ownership mindset. Approach your work as if you own the company, considering the broader impact of your decisions and actions. This perspective can help you make more meaningful contributions and stand out as a leader, regardless of your formal position.
7. Build Strong Relationships to Support Your Journey
One of the biggest impediments to reaching your potential is isolation.
Relationships are crucial. Developing strong, mutually beneficial relationships is essential for reaching your potential. These connections provide support, feedback, and diverse perspectives that can help you navigate challenges and make better decisions.
Build a support network. Cultivate relationships with:
- Mentors who can provide guidance and wisdom
- Peers who can offer support and collaboration
- Subordinates who can provide valuable feedback and perspective
- Experts in various fields who can offer specialized knowledge
- Friends and family who can provide emotional support
Nurture relationships effectively:
- Practice self-disclosure to help others understand you better
- Show genuine interest in others through active listening and inquiry
- Be willing to ask for and offer advice
- Maintain regular contact and invest time in building trust
- Choose appropriate communication modes for different situations
Overcome isolation. Recognize that isolation can hinder your growth and decision-making. Actively work to build and maintain relationships, even when it feels uncomfortable or time-consuming. The perspectives and support gained from these connections are invaluable for reaching your full potential.
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FAQ
What's "What You're Really Meant to Do" about?
- Personal Roadmap: The book provides a roadmap for individuals to reach their unique potential by creating their own definition of success rather than following societal norms.
- Self-Discovery Focus: It emphasizes self-discovery, helping readers understand their strengths, weaknesses, passions, and life narratives.
- Practical Steps: Kaplan offers practical advice and disciplined steps to help readers pursue a fulfilling professional life.
- Lifelong Journey: The book frames reaching one's potential as a lifelong, multistage effort that requires courage and hard work.
Why should I read "What You're Really Meant to Do"?
- Unique Potential: It guides you in realizing your unique potential, which is crucial for a fulfilling professional life.
- Self-Understanding: The book helps you understand yourself better, which is essential for making informed career choices.
- Actionable Advice: Kaplan provides actionable steps and exercises to help you develop new skills and habits.
- Inspiration and Motivation: It offers inspiration and motivation to pursue a career path that aligns with your intrinsic motivations.
What are the key takeaways of "What You're Really Meant to Do"?
- Define Success Personally: Create your own definition of success rather than accepting one imposed by others.
- Self-Assessment: Regularly assess your strengths, weaknesses, and passions to align them with your career.
- Leadership and Character: Develop leadership qualities and act with integrity to reach your full potential.
- Lifelong Learning: Embrace lifelong learning and adaptability as essential components of personal and professional growth.
How does Robert Steven Kaplan define success in the book?
- Personal Definition: Success is defined by creating your own personal definition rather than adhering to societal or external expectations.
- Intrinsic Motivations: It involves pursuing intrinsic motivations such as intellectual challenges, meaningful relationships, and making a positive impact.
- Unique Potential: Success is about reaching your unique potential, which requires self-awareness and personal growth.
- Sustainable Path: It is about creating a sustainable path to personal growth and fulfillment, not just achieving specific outcomes.
What is the importance of self-assessment in "What You're Really Meant to Do"?
- Identify Strengths and Weaknesses: Self-assessment helps you identify your core strengths and weaknesses, which is crucial for personal development.
- Skill Development: Understanding your skills allows you to focus on developing areas that need improvement and leveraging your strengths.
- Career Alignment: It ensures that your career choices align with your skills and passions, leading to greater job satisfaction.
- Continuous Process: Self-assessment is a continuous process that should be updated regularly as your career and life circumstances change.
How does the book suggest finding your passions?
- Reflect on Enjoyment: Reflect on tasks and activities you truly enjoy and find fulfilling.
- Mental Models: Use mental models and exercises to explore hypothetical scenarios that reveal your true interests.
- Past Experiences: Consider past experiences where you felt at your best and analyze what made those moments special.
- Overcome Impediments: Address any fears or societal pressures that may hinder you from pursuing your passions.
What role do relationships play according to "What You're Really Meant to Do"?
- Support System: Relationships provide a support system that helps you break through isolation and gain perspective.
- Mutual Understanding: Building relationships based on mutual understanding, trust, and respect is crucial for personal and professional growth.
- Feedback and Advice: Strong relationships offer valuable feedback and advice, helping you make informed decisions.
- Evolving Needs: Your relationship needs evolve over time, and maintaining a diverse support network is essential.
What is the significance of leadership and character in the book?
- Act Like an Owner: Leadership involves acting like an owner, taking responsibility, and making decisions based on your beliefs.
- Courage and Conviction: It requires the courage to act on your convictions and make a positive impact on others.
- Ethical Boundaries: Understanding your values and ethical boundaries is crucial for making decisions you won't regret.
- Beyond Skills: Leadership and character traits elevate your performance beyond just skills and knowledge.
How does the book address dealing with setbacks and injustice?
- Keep Your Cool: It emphasizes the importance of keeping your cool and not reacting rashly to setbacks.
- Reflect and Learn: Take time to reflect on setbacks and learn from them to avoid repeating mistakes.
- Justice Will Prevail: Maintain the belief that justice will ultimately prevail, which helps you stay motivated and focused.
- Long-Term Perspective: View your career as a marathon, not a sprint, and understand that setbacks are part of the journey.
What are the best quotes from "What You're Really Meant to Do" and what do they mean?
- "This above all: to thine own self be true." - Emphasizes the importance of authenticity and self-awareness in achieving success.
- "You are the product of your past but the author of your future." - Highlights the power of self-awareness and personal growth in shaping your future.
- "Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts." - Reminds readers that true success is often intangible and cannot be measured by conventional metrics.
- "Worry less about being a success, and worry more about reaching your potential." - Encourages focusing on personal growth and fulfillment rather than external validation.
How does "What You're Really Meant to Do" suggest managing your career?
- Communicate Aspirations: Clearly communicate your career aspirations to your superiors to align opportunities with your goals.
- Focus on Key Tasks: Identify and focus on the top three tasks critical to success in your current job.
- Adapt to Change: Regularly update your understanding of job requirements and adapt to changes in your industry and company.
- Long-Term View: Maintain a long-term perspective and give yourself time to adapt and excel in new roles.
What exercises and mental models does the book recommend for self-discovery?
- Best Self Exercise: Reflect on a time when you were at your best to identify tasks and environments you enjoy.
- Mental Models: Use hypothetical scenarios to explore your true interests and passions.
- Life Story Writing: Write down your life story to gain insights into your behaviors and decision-making patterns.
- Injustice Reflection: Reflect on past injustices to understand how they impact your current behavior and mindset.
Review Summary
What You're Really Meant to Do receives mixed reviews, with an average rating of 3.83 out of 5. Some readers find it insightful and practical, praising its framework for self-discovery and career development. Others criticize it for not fully delivering on its title's promise, feeling it focuses more on excelling in current jobs than finding one's true calling. The book's corporate focus and reliance on business-oriented examples are points of contention. While some consider it a valuable guide for self-reflection, others find the advice commonplace and lacking in novel insights.
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