How “What You’re Really Meant to Do” can transform your career
In my mentoring sessions and discussions with colleagues and friends, one recurring theme I notice is the struggle to find work that feels truly fulfilling. So many of us are working hard but feel disconnected from the idea of loving our jobs or knowing exactly what we want from our careers. It’s a challenge I’ve faced too, and it’s why I turned to Robert Steven Kaplan’s book “What You’re Really Meant to Do” for answers. Before diving into what I learned, I want to share a framework I use for reading books with purpose—this approach will help you get more out of your reading and, more importantly, apply what you learn.
- Have a purpose: Before reading any book, ask yourself, what am I trying to achieve? Choose books that can help you overcome your current challenges. For example, I picked up “What You’re Really Meant to Do” to explore the gap between frustration and fulfillment in career development.
- Share knowledge: Start talking about the book with others. Share insights with friends, coworkers, or on social media. This deepens your understanding and exposes you to new perspectives.
- Highlighting: Make notes during reading and start making connections with different knowledge you already have.
- Apply what you’ve learned: Knowledge alone is useless until you put it into practice. What’s the one thing you’re going to apply after reading?
All right, let’s dive into Robert Steven Kaplan’s book. If you’re feeling stuck, undervalued, or overwhelmed in your corporate career, especially in a male-dominated environment, it’s easy to think that the problem lies outside of you. Lack of recognition, slow career progression, and constant self-doubt can make it seem like your efforts are going unnoticed. But what if the key to unlocking your career potential was not about changing external circumstances, but about shifting your own perspective?
Stop looking outward: Why it’s about self-narratives, not self-improvement
One of the most powerful lessons Kaplan teaches is that the stories we tell ourselves matter more than the skills we develop. Most of us are caught up in the narrative of frustration—stories of injustice, being overlooked, or not being good enough. And these stories unconsciously drive our decisions, actions, and even our confidence levels. Instead of simply finding strengths or practicing self-leadership (things you may have read in my articles before), Kaplan asks us to look inward and rewrite the narratives that define our actions.
The Injustice Story: Think back to a time when you felt you were unfairly passed over for a promotion, not appreciated for your efforts, or dismissed in a meeting. Kaplan challenges us to go back to these moments and ask, “How did I frame this injustice?” Most of us craft a story that places the blame outside ourselves. But Kaplan encourages you to reframe the experience, not as something done to you, but as an event that can shape how you move forward. What did you learn? How can this story empower you instead of holding you back?
Practical steps you can take right now:: Write your “Injustice Story”
Reflect on a career moment where you felt slighted, misunderstood, or undervalued. Write it down, but don’t stop there. Ask yourself: How have I been framing this experience? Now, reframe it. What lesson can you extract, and how will you use it moving forward?
The Failure Story: We all have a narrative of failure—perhaps the fear of being perceived as inadequate or the fear of not measuring up to your peers. Kaplan urges us to write this story down. What are the fears that hold you back from asserting yourself? This simple act of writing can bring clarity, helping you understand how these hidden stories have shaped your behavior, often in ways you didn’t even realize. By confronting your failure story, you take away its power over you.
Practical steps you can take right now: Craft your “Failure Narrative”
Write about your self-doubts and fears. Get them out on paper, then ask yourself: When do these fears show up in my daily actions? Are they stopping me from speaking up or pushing forward on opportunities? Use this awareness to change your behavior.
What I found to be very compelling about Kaplan’s approach is the shift from victimhood to ownership. Instead of letting your career frustrations fester, Kaplan encourages you to turn them into lessons. When you’ve experienced what you perceive as unfair treatment or a missed opportunity, he advises you to reflect deeply: “How did this happen? What did I learn? How can I grow from this?”
In essence, the frustration you feel isn’t just a reflection of your external environment—it’s a mirror that shows you the areas of your career where you have untapped potential to grow. When you stop focusing on external validation and start rewriting your own story, you shift from being reactive to proactive in your career.
Write your career story to rewrite your future
Here’s something radical: Kaplan doesn’t just suggest that you reflect on the past—he asks you to author your career’s future. This isn’t about setting goals or creating a vision board. It’s about literally writing the story of your life as you want to tell it ten or twenty years from now. This exercise forces you to think about your long-term narrative, not just in terms of success or status, but in the kind of impact you want to have.
Here’s how to do it
- Describe your ideal job in detail. Don’t just think about titles or salary. What kinds of tasks would you be doing? What kind of environment would make you thrive? What would people say about your contributions?
- Describe how you want to be perceived as a leader. If you’re stepping into a leadership role, how do you want to handle team dynamics? How do you want to make decisions? This isn’t about mimicking male leadership norms; it’s about defining what authentic leadership looks like for you.
- Imagine the personal impact you want to create. Beyond your career, how do you want to integrate your values with your professional success? Write about the legacy you want to leave behind, not just in your workplace but in your broader community and family life.
Now is the moment to stop letting those old narratives hold you back and apply what you just learned. Reflect on your “Injustice” and “Failure” stories, and consider how they can fuel your progress rather than stifle it. From there, craft the vision of your future self—the career, the leader, and the legacy you truly want.
If you’re ready to turn those frustrations into actionable steps but aren’t sure where to start, I’m here to help. Let’s take this journey together with a free 30-minute clarity call. In this session, we’ll talk about your specific challenges and explore whether my 1:1 mentoring can help you gain the clarity, confidence, and direction you need to move forward.