Finding Purpose: How to give your work meaning (w/ the New York Times Jodi Kantor)

In uncertain times, purposeful work can feel impractical and out of reach. But award-winning investigative reporter Jodi Kantor argues that meaning is both essential and available to all of us. Anne and Frances dive into the lessons from Jodi’s latest book, “How to Start: Discovering Your Life's Work,” and explore practical strategies for anyone looking to chart a more purposeful career. The three also discuss two key principles for finding work that matters and challenge the idea that economic stability and purpose are mutually exclusive. Featured guestFollow Jodi Kantor on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at https://jodikantor.com/Buy How to Start: Discovering Your Life's WorkRead Jodi's NYT's articlesConnect with the teamFollow Anne on Instagram and LinkedIn Follow Frances on Instagram and LinkedInWatch Fixable videos on youtube.com/@TEDAudioCollectiveVisit Anne and Frances’ websiteHave a question you want Anne and Frances to solve? Email the team at [email protected] or leave a voicemail at 234-349-2253Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTokFor the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcripts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What this episode covers

In uncertain times, purposeful work can feel impractical and out of reach. But award-winning investigative reporter Jodi Kantor argues that meaning is both essential and available to all of us. Anne and Frances dive into the lessons from Jodi’s latest book, “How to Start: Discovering Your Life's Work,” and explore practical strategies for anyone looking to chart a more purposeful career. The three also discuss two key principles for finding work that matters and challenge the idea that economic stability and purpose are mutually exclusive. Featured guestFollow Jodi Kantor on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at https://jodikantor.com/Buy How to Start: Discovering Your Life's WorkRead Jodi's NYT's articlesConnect with the teamFollow Anne on Instagram and LinkedIn Follow Frances on Instagram and LinkedInWatch Fixable videos on youtube.com/@TEDAudioCollectiveVisit Anne and Frances’ websiteHave a question you want Anne and Frances to solve? Email the team at [email protected] or leave a voicemail at 234-349-2253Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTokFor the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/fixable-transcripts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

NOW PLAYING

0:00 43:16

1×

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Share this episode

Similar Episodes

How Social Media Can Cause Your Binges

Jun 9, 2026 ·13m

38. Fixing... World Cup Fever

Jun 8, 2026 ·58m

Why You Push Through Pain When Something's Wrong

Jun 5, 2026 ·53m

37. Fixing... Tuchel's England Squad

May 28, 2026 ·46m

Things I Tell Myself on the Weekends to Keep Me Binge-Free

May 19, 2026 ·11m

36. Fixing... Penalty Box Chaos

May 18, 2026 ·49m

Similar Podcasts

Kelly Lyons Podcast Kelly Lyons Do you find yourself constantly thinking about food? Do you feel like you can't stop eating once you start? Have you ever woken up and thought 'I'm going to be good today' to eating an entire box of cookies (and more) a few hours later? Do you struggle with binge eating, overeating, and yo-yo dieting?I’m here to tell you that you aren't alone, it's 100% fixable, and this is the show for you.In the Kelly Lyons Podcast, you'll find science-backed strategies, intuitive coaching and the tools you need so you no longer have to 'start over' every Monday. Kelly Lyons, (MS, CPT) is a holistic nutrition & eating psychology coach that has helped thousands of women all over the world break free from food obsession and disordered eating habits. Kelly's mission is to help you find true food freedom and stop being a slave to the diet cycle. With some lighthearted fun, humor and a touch of sarcasm, Kelly helps you see that hea The Nutrition Grouch Todd Weber, PhD The weight loss industry is, has been, and always will be a dumpster fire. People like to say health & wellness (of which weight loss is a part of) is “broken” or full of “misinformation” but that is being too generous because it implies that some of it is good or that it is actually fixable. It is damaged beyond repair. If it were possible, I would burn it to the ground and start over. While it is impractical to try to summarize what’s wrong with the industry in one podcast description, my premise is this: there is a truly astronomical amount of information that neither our media nor our professionals are able to communicate to you in a meaningful way without losing all context, applicability to real life, and/or the ability to see how all of the pieces fit together. The media should just stop covering health & wellness because their soundbites explain nothing and are little more than headlines and talking points. They may raise awareness but not u Football Is Fixable, Alright?! Ces, Dan and James We’re here to fix football from the ground up, from bias to toxic football culture, and how to use stats correctly. Join us on our journey as we improve everything about the game of football that we love, but isn’t perfect… yet! Broke-in Vermont White River Natural Resources Conservation District and VT Professionals of Color Network This podcast deals with all things broken-yet-fixable in Vermont! We discuss policies and resources relating to agriculture, the environment, housing, transportation, food, and the local economy. Guests will include Vermont community members, farmers, law makers, educators, and business owners. On each podcast we will deep dive on a topic of interest, share relevant resources relating to funding and public participation opportunities, share little known facts about weird laws in Vermont, and discuss ideas on how to fix the broken-things! Brought to you by Jennifer Byrne from the White River Natural Resources Conservation District and Airon Shaw from the Vermont Professionals of Color Network. Learn more: www.whiterivernrcd.org & www.vtpoc.net

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Fixable?

This episode is 43 minutes long.

When was this Fixable episode published?

This episode was published on June 15, 2026.

What is this episode about?

Can I download this Fixable episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.

URL copied to clipboard!