What You're Really Meant to Do: A Roadmap for Meeting Your Unique Potential

by Robert Steven Kaplan

Robert Kaplan, Senior Associate Dean and Professor of Management Practice at Harvard Business School, describes a specific and actionable roadmap for helping you define your own success and reach your unique potential. This effort requires several key steps in an integrated process, as well as a high level of motivation and hard work.

Kaplan proposes specific steps and exercises to help you understand yourself more deeply, take control of your career, and build your capabilities in a way that fits your passions and aspirations. In What You’re Really Meant to Do, he draws on numerous years of experience and real life experiences in helping people achieve their aspirations and re-think their approach to their personal and career development.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction, Business, Psychology, Personal Development, Leadership, Personal Growth

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Robert Steven Kaplan served as the President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas from 2015 until 2021. In this role he managed the 1,300 employees of the Dallas Fed and represented the Eleventh Federal Reserve District on the Federal Open Market Committee in the formulation of U.S. monetary policy.

Kaplan was previously the Martin Marshall Professor of Management Practice and a Senior Associate Dean at Harvard Business School. Prior to joining Harvard, Kaplan was Vice Chairman of the Goldman Sachs Group with global responsibility for the firm's investment banking and investment management divisions.

He serves as Chairman of Project A.L.S. and Co-Chairman of the Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation. He is a board member of Harvard Medical School, St. Mark’s School of Texas and is a member of the Advisory Council of the George W. Bush Institute. Kaplan is an Advisory Board Member of the Baker Institute and a Member of the Board of Directors of the SMU Tate Lecture Series. Previously he served as Chairman of the Investment Advisory Committee at Google and a trustee of the Ford Foundation. He was appointed by the Governor of Kansas as a member of the Kansas Health Policy Authority Board.

Kaplan has authored three books, titled What You Really Need to Lead: The Power of Thinking and Acting Like an Owner; What You're Really Meant To Do: A Road Map for Reaching Your Unique Potential; and What to Ask the Person in the Mirror: Critical Questions for Becoming a More Effective Leader and Reaching Your Potential.

He received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Kansas and a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard Business School. He lives in Dallas, Texas.

Reviews

[Marie Angell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I heard about this book and thought, Hmmm, sounds interesting, I'll get it some time because I spend a good deal of my time thinking about what I'm really meant to do. Of course, then I didn't bother to get it. So I'm in the library, glancing at the new books section and there it is. Easy, so I check it out.

At first glance I figure it's a typical, "Get to know your strengths, find your passion, conquer the world" type book, but what the heck.

And, yes, when you first crack it open, sure, he talks about finding your strengths and all that. But what kept me reading was that he asks the reader to ask some really interesting questions about that. Some of them are kind of hard questions that hurt your brain to think about. Homework! Gah!

Then, a little more than halfway through the book (and it's not a fat book, btw), he says that's fine, all very well good. But here's how you kick it up a notch, here's how you find a fulfilling career. Not necessarily a career that rakes in the big bucks. Not necessarily a career that makes the world swoon at your feet. And not just a career, but a life. Here's how to make a good life.

And, darn it, if he doesn't seem right about that. And, no, I'm not going to sum it up here because it's really important to read it in the context of the way he lays it out.

Maybe "What You're Really Meant To Do" won't resonate with you the way it did with me. Maybe if I'd read this at another point in my life it wouldn't have resonated so much with me. Maybe if I hadn't seen the ways I've gone wrong and what I've observed in others that's gone right it wouldn't resonate. Maybe you'll think he's glib or full of crap or not specific enough or too specific--I have no way of knowing about you.

What I do know is there's an insight and a perspective I haven't seen in any other book of this kind.

Highly recommended.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the title creates an unrealistic expectation -- that after reading this book, you'll know what you're meant to do. It doesn't. The answer doesn't come from someone else. You have to do some soul searching and identify what makes you happy. That's not new, nor any of the other concepts in this book. The book is useful in that it contains stories that readers can relate to... and maybe one of these stories will spark an insight or motivate a person to take actions for a career move.

[Roya · Rating 1 out of 5]

This does not tell you what you're meant to do. It tells you how to improve upon your current job. Alas, I have no clue as to what I'm really meant to do. I'm enlightened with...ignorance. Also, the stories (there are enough to induce a migraine) are unnecessary and dull. Thanks for nothing. It was so boring that I had to skim the last 50p to make it here.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you're looking for a quick read on how to maximize your potential at work, this book may be for you. On the positive side, the author provides an introspective road map that I agree is essential for recognizing, understanding, and using your traits and values to reach your definition of success. However, there was very little discussion on how to handle factors that are, indeed, completely out of your control, such as business failures and office politics. The text, though, was well-written and concise -- I got through it in one day -- yet I would not recommend it to those who want more depth on this important topic.

[John Mcgeorge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although, at the time of reading, this book is 10 years old, I think that this can be considered a book for all seasons. While it describes itself as a road map, it doesn't so much say "do steps a, b, and c for success," as it does provide a general framework, supported by stories, to help every individual determine the path meant for them.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is useful for people who work in the corporate world and want to figure out how to improve. I don't think it will help people figure out what they are really meant to do. I still liked the book but it took me a couple of tries to finish it.

[BegumIrdawati · Rating 5 out of 5]

Find yourself, and understand your passion, never sacrifice your values ^_^

[Ariane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Focused. Very substantial. I wish I'd read it decades ago.

[Said AlMaskery · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually this book wasnt bad ... it was good and hopefully will encourage me to change some habits.

I read the book during a holiday trip. I promised myself that during this holiday I will pause and reflect back on my achievements and failures, and decide what really I want to do with my life. Kaplans book gave me a framework to start that process.

The book was logical in its approach to asking yourself the right questions. It also gives a "clinical" definition of certain traits and skills that are useful to know in order to understand yourself. Although the book was mainly targeted to your professional career, it is also useful for your personal aspirations.

The book is much better than "What to ask the man in the mirror". I found it more fulfilling and practical. I highly recommend it if you want to start a more intentional and structured journey in understanding yourself. For practical purposes I used Ever-note application to list the summary and activities suggested. I also started writing my personal story and see what trends I might discover.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts." (the internet says this quote is often mis-attributed to Albert Einstein, as does Kaplan).

This wanderlust book I liked. The exercises and the ideas in it differ not a lot from the other books I've read the past few weeks. However, the tone, the stories, and the frames clicked for me.

Kaplan shares lots of anonymized stories from people who talked with him about their career growth. Given these meetings happen at Harvard Business School, there's quite a bit of elitism baked into the professional situations. Kaplan's tone though, and the telling of his own story, makes more universal the situation of assessing one's skills and designing a personalized journey to maximize contributing them to society.

One big take-away: ask yourself: "Do I have enough passion for what I do to sustain my worth ethic?"

[عاطف عثمان · Rating 3 out of 5]

النقطة المحورية في الكتاب هي "اعرف نفسك": تأمل خبراتك الماضية وكيفية تأثيرها على تصرفاتك واختياراتك الحالية، حدد مواطن القوة لديك وكذا مواطن الضعف، حدد ميولك.

في الخطوة الثانية في الخريطة، ركز على استغلال الفرص. حدد أهم ثلاث مهام في عملك ووفر لها الجزء الأكبر من وقتك وجهدك. لا تتوقف عن السعي وراء الوظيفة/ العمل الذي تحلم به. والمواءمة بين المهارات ومتطلبات المهام.

[Charles · Rating 2 out of 5]

This felt like a corporate improvement tool rather than a plan on the pursuit of your passion. His advice isn’t bad, just banal. Things like, “know yourself,” and “develop relationships.” It would be good for those just starting out, but it doesn’t live up to the promise of the title. Very forgettable.

[Mr. Andy · Rating 1 out of 5]

All I remember about this book was that it was highly forgettable. What you're really meant to do... is read something else.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

"If you follow your own path, I don't know how much money you will accumulate, how much stature you will achieve, or how many titles you will garner. But if you're true to convictions and principles, I know you're far more likely to feel like a big success. In the end, that feeling will make all the difference."

'What You're Really Meant To Do' is a book designed to help the reader find their unique career path. This is accomplished through questions, insights, activities, and leadership and business principles all combined together with the intention that we, the reader, will slowly and intentionally work through the material presented to us.

This book is not one that a person can just read and absorb mentally to find the answers and direction needed. This book requires reflection, an interaction with the material and the questions, a sense of self-knowledge and awareness (which may need work in some of us) to come to conclusions and find direction.

I found this book to be incredibly insightful and practical. This should be helpful reading for anyone who is wondering what is next for them in terms of career and vocation, whether they currently have a job but just don't feel it's quite right or if they are in between careers at the point of reading. There are wisdom and clarity to be found here. I am grateful for the author's humility and experience.

[Simple · Rating 3 out of 5]

#5 أفكار من كتاب What You’re Really Meant To Do

# فكرة الكتاب :

عليك أن تشق طريقك الخاص في حياتك، وأن تعرف النجاح
وتقيسه بما يناسبك أنت شخصيا.. عليك أن تكون صادقا مع
نفسك، مؤمنا برسالتك، واثقا من قناعاتك، وملتزما بمبادئك.
فالنجاح مسألة إنجاز وتأثير إيجابي فيما تضيفه لهذا العالم بما
تلعبه من أدوار فريدة في الحياة.

# أفكار من الكتاب :

- قيمة كل واحد منا تستمد من أدائه وعطائه وإبداعه.
- من المستحيل أن تحقق التميز في وظيفة تكرهها.
- لكي تكون في أفضل حالاتك في وظيفتك يجب أن يكون هناك
حد أدنى من الميل والشغف.
- أنت ثمرة أعمالك.
- ساعد الآخرين دون التفكير في أي عائد مباشر وبدون أي شروط.
- من العقبات التي تبقيك في الظل وتحول بينك وبين إطلاق
قدراتك وإمكاناتك هي أن تبني حولك أسوارا وتعيش في عزلة.
- أحط نفسك بعلاقات قوية تتمتع بسمات؛ التفاهم، الثقة، والإحترام.
- عش حياة بسيطة خالية من التزامات لا ضرورة لها، ليتسنى لك التركيز
على أهدافك وأن تستثمر في مهاراتك وقدراتك.
- ابتعد قليلا عن روتين العمل.. خصص أوقاتا للسفر والرحلات لتحقق
التوازن في حياتك.
- استثمر في علاقات إنسانية مثمرة، وحافظ على توهجها ودفئها.

لتحميل ملخص الكتاب :
https://muslim-library.com/books/2018...

[Clay Robson · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the first book I’ve read in a long time that I just didn’t care for. To me, the book felt like more of a guide for how to excel at your current job, rather than how to find what you’re passionate about. The author argues that you need to get to know yourself first through the exercises he lays out, which I don’t disagree with. But there was very little for help in the way of finding out what to do next. Much of the advice he gives are common sense to me at this point because I’ve been hearing them for years. It’s always nice to hear those little nuggets about how you have to live life for yourself and can’t follow someone else’s plan and expect to be happy, but I came looking for novel insight. The worst part for me were the examples or case studies he gives. They were so vague and most were finance or business related. Pair that with the audio version read by Wes Talbot’s predictable cadence and tone and you’ve got something stronger than NyQuil. This may help some people, but it definitely wasn’t for me.

[Aaron · Rating 1 out of 5]

Look, this isn't a terrible book. It's clearly written, has tonnes of persuasive examples, and the advice in the book is not bad advice. For many people, it's probably great advice.

But it was a waste of time for me. I'm reading it at 38 years old with a decent level of self-awareness and life-perspective, and with a successful and fulfilling career. I've read and benefited from more personal development literature than I care to think about.

I bought the book because someone I know who is a senior executive recommended it. She said it really opened her eyes to herself and helped her see things more clearly. She is older, more experienced, and more successful than me, so I thought, if it has something to teach her, perhaps it's worth a read.

But this book felt like a "personal development 101" type book. Nothing new or insightful. Maybe if I read the book 20 years ago, I would have got something out of it.

[Jens · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very short self-help book, but useful nevertheless. Not so much about passion, but more on a day-to-day fit of your skills to the job.

Often you're told to take charge of your own "learning plan". Having a longterm "to-learn" list, instead of acting out of an urgent "to do"-list. Keeping your 3 "big tasks" in mind for productivity and adding value.

This book nicely combines the two: what skills are required (you need to learn?) to excell in the 3 big tasks of any job? That way you know what to develop or what job would be a good fit for you.

If you define your job to narrowly, with only 3 output-producing tasks, you will lose perspective, energy and motivation. Tap into the vision and the long-term consideractions of your job/unit/company. You should act like and wish to be the next owner.

[Garrett]

Brief Review
This book does a fantastic job of presenting ways that you can rethink where you are in your career and the steps you can take to move where you want to go. Beyond all of that, the stories he tells and the questions he ask of those in the stories have already made me think about my mentorship differently.

Why I Read this book
This book was recommended to me by my supervisor as we discussed how to plan long term in your career. The name of the book is legit a question that everyone asks.

Currently I am mid level career and I want to progress and make some honestly large changes to my focus area for work. Trying to figure out what I am supposed to do for the rest of my life still feels daunting even after 15 years in the same industry.

For more of the review, go to https://boydsbar.xyz/what-youre-reall...

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book would be about some round about way to understand what you like doing and how to pursue it- well, it did but even more profoundly than I anticipated! I really enjoyed this book and felt like it helped me understand myself and what I like doing in a new way. The real life examples and problems were great in understanding the root cause of work-life problems and why we sometimes run away from them. I recommend this book to everyone wanting to see their life in a new way and figure out their blindspots.

[DjS · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written over 10 years ago the book reads a bit dated. The business landscape and post Covid work environment and culture has changed materially since. Nevertheless, the book presents a quick read and enough relatable nuggets of wisdom and personal situations sufficient to help guide, motivate, and inspire those early in their careers who are always ready to improve and invest in themselves. On this basis, this short book is definitely worth the read.

The book as titled will not, however, provide you much if any tangible guidance in a quest to “do what you’re meant to do.”

[Ietrio · Rating 1 out of 5]

No, you are not ”meant” to do anything. Better yet, there is no ”must” of what you should do. You can make a rational choice and pick something. But Kaplan, with his bright bureaucratic career doesn't know that. Daddy always had a plan for sonny, and sonny never had to hold a honest job a day in his life: always there were the tax payers ready to pick up his bill. So yea, in Kaplan's world you are meant to do something: get a job, pay the taxes, his offspring have bills for you.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

In my experience, the category of business books is a very mixed bag - many are just extended articles or vanity projects - but I found this book to be thoughtful and useful. The author uses examples of providing guidance to people wrestling with career decisions, but it feels generally genuine and not an effort in chest thumping. The exercises and perspectives are well thought out and useful to working through the challenges of determining a career.
A nice, thought provoking, useful read.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

The blurb for this tells most of the story. Many people find themselves in unsatisfying careers because they set out to satisfy the expectations of others rather than themselves. I'm not quite sure that he lays out the clearest of paths for avoiding this, but a number of good arguments are made through which one can wander on the way to making up their own minds.

[Robyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some useful advice but it seemed more relevant to businesspeople working in big companies with opportunities for progression, rather than people thinking of a career change in a variety if industries. I just skimmed the case studies. I don't think it delivers on the promise made in the title of the book.

[Anna-Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this moreso for work purposes (I work with postsecondary students), but I find that a lot of the ideas apply to me as well as I progress in my career. I took this out from the university library, but it's worth getting a copy and taking the time to really work through all the activities.

[Thanh Tùng · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick yet great read. The author elaborates some unequivocal practices that do work in the journey of better understand yourself. Also, some impediments that one might face and gain upper hands over them.

[Angga Hadna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book helps the readers about defining their own success and making the roadmap to reach the success. There are explanations and examples in real life. Worth to read if you are still looking about the meaning of your life.

[Fatima · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are lots of books in the market discussing the same issues written in the book, regardless, this book gave me another perspective and helped me with things in my new job, it also helped clear my vision as to what my next step should be to reach my potential.

[Senopati · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book told us that we need to understand ourselves, because everyone is different. so we have to pursue different goal in life.
the writer also encourages us to avoid social standards and believe in our main principles.