It’s a simple question without an easy answer: “What should I do with my life?”
“Most of us struggle with this our whole lives,” writes Suzy Welch in the introduction to her recent book, “Becoming You: The Proven Method for Crafting Your Authentic Life and Career.” Her goal — as it is in the similarly named course she teaches at NYU Stern School of Business — is to help people answer this “pesky” question.
CNBC Make It tends to draw an audience of young professionals who want to be smarter, more successful, and happier with their work, money, and lives. That’s why we, with input from our community, chose “Becoming You” as our July book club pick.
“It’s about self-discovery and career development,” says Welch, who will be joining us to discuss the book and answer your questions at the end of this month.
The book “presents you with a methodology where you excavate your values, your deeply held beliefs. [You] identify your aptitudes, what you’re really really good at. And you narrow in on what kind of work calls you emotionally and intellectually,” she says. “You put it together and you pretty much land at your purpose. That’s what ‘Becoming You’ is all about.”
Welch, a graduate of Harvard University and Harvard Business School, has spent over 15 years developing the Becoming You methodology, and more than 10,000 people have used it.
Watching so many people grapple with that eternal question, “What should I do with my life?” she’s found that “discovering your purpose is a journey. Hard, messy, joyful, exhausting, exhilarating, bumpy, scary, life-giving, and — did I mention — hard,” she writes.
But it’s worth the work, because “what a relief it can be to finally figure out the answer! And then, over time, to actually do the thing you’re meant to do!” she writes. “It’s about you waking up, opening your eyes, and thinking, I. Am. So. Excited. About. Today.“
Ready to dive in? Start reading, request to join our LinkedIn group, and come chat with us and Welch on Wednesday, July 30, at 10 a.m. ET, at our next CNBC Make It Book Club discussion.
In the meantime, you can also read Welch’s recent articles, including on signs you’re living a “B+ life” and the No. 1 question you should ask in a job interview that “cuts through the BS.”
Any questions for the author? Email them to us in advance at askmakeit@cnbc.com, using the subject line “Question for Suzy Welch.”
Hoping to get ahead on the next book? Our August pick is “Rich AF: The Money Mindset That Will Change Your Life” by Vivian Tu.
Have suggestions for future picks? Send them to us at askmakeit@cnbc.com, using the subject line “Make It book club suggestion.”
Are you ready to buy a house? Take Smarter by CNBC Make It’s new online course How to Buy Your First Home. Expert instructors will help you weigh the cost of renting vs. buying, financially prepare, and confidently navigate every step of the process—from mortgage basics to closing the deal. Sign up today and use coupon code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 30% off $97 (+taxes and fees) through July 15, 2025.
