
How to Create Your Calling
From Office Hours with Arthur Brooks by Arthur Brooks
April 6, 2026 · 37 min
About this episode
Arthur Brooks discusses how to create a professional calling based on personal interests rather than societal expectations.
Your professional calling is a mysterious idea. It’s the ineffable sense that you are meant to do something . Many people get tripped up in their pursuit of their calling, because they conceive of it like buried treasure—something hidden that they must find. In truth, your calling can be built no matter your present circumstances. So, how do you do it? In this episode, I explain how to move from chasing an objective career—titles, status, money—to building a more subjective one based on what you care about and what genuinely interests you. I also share three simple steps to help you evaluate and shape your calling. If you stick with them, you’ll be more likely to end up doing work that feels meaningful—and, in turn, you’ll get happier. If you want to go deeper, check out my book, The Meaning of Your Life . — Where to find Arthur Brooks: • Website: https://arthurbrooks.com/ • Newsletter: https://www.arthurbrooks.com/newsletter • X: https://x.com/arthurbrooks • Instagram…
People in this episode
Host: Arthur Brooks
Topics covered
- professional calling
- career development
- personal fulfillment
- meaningful work
- happiness
Keywords
- calling
- career
- happiness
- meaning
- personal interests
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: The Meaning of Your Life
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