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How To Build A Purpose-Driven Life (That Also Pays The Bills)


What if the secret to living a more meaningful life isn’t about chasing happiness, but about uncovering your purpose? That’s the central question Suzy Welch set out to answer with her latest work—and she has the research, tools, and lived experience to back it up.
A bestselling author, professor at NYU Stern School of Business, and founder and CEO of Becoming You Labs, Welch joined us on the mindbodygreen podcast to talk about her science-backed framework for helping people design lives that feel aligned, fulfilling, and fully authentic.
The approach is not about making radical overnight changes, but about collecting key data about yourself so you can make more informed and purposeful decisions. The result? A life that feels not just productive or successful, but deeply alive.
Here’s how it works.
What is the Becoming You framework?
Welch describes her Becoming You framework as a data-driven methodology for finding your "area of transcendence"—that elusive intersection where your values, aptitudes, and economically viable interests all align.
It’s designed for anyone who suspects there might be something more out there for them. Maybe life feels "good enough" on paper, but not fully satisfying. Welch calls that the B+ life. Her framework is about helping you move toward an A+ life.
The Becoming You process gathers three key data sets:
- Your core values
- Your innate aptitudes (both cognitive and personality-based)
- Your economically viable interests
When you understand the interplay between these elements, you can begin to craft a life and career that fits who you truly are.
Most people don’t actually know their values
Values are the first piece of the Becoming You puzzle and one of the most misunderstood. According to Welch, only 17% of people can define what a value is, and only 7% can clearly articulate their own. That’s because many of us confuse values with virtues.
Kindness, fairness, and honesty? Those are virtues. Values, on the other hand, are deeply held beliefs that drive our decisions and priorities.
Take "scope," for example. Some people value a life of scale and ambition; others prefer calm, predictable environments. Neither is right or wrong, but knowing which one matters to you is essential for crafting a life that feels good on the inside.
To help people uncover their true values, Welch created The Values Bridge, a 100-question tool that ranks your 15 core values in order. It also reveals your “authenticity gap”—how closely you’re currently living in alignment with those values today.
Know your aptitudes & stop second-guessing yourself
The next step is identifying your aptitudes. Welch breaks this down into two categories: cognitive aptitudes (how your brain is wired) and personality traits (how others experience you).
There are eight major cognitive aptitudes, like whether you’re a generalist or a specialist. But most of us don’t get this information from within; we inherit it from parents, school systems, or cultural norms.
"Our personality isn’t just the story we tell ourselves," Welch says. "It’s how the world experiences us."
When you get clear on what you're actually good at, not just what you’ve been told you’re good at, you stop wasting energy on misaligned goals and start building momentum toward something that fits.
Why economically viable interests are key to sustainable change
The third piece of the puzzle is understanding what kind of work you enjoy that can also support your lifestyle. Welch calls this your "economically viable interest."
This is where realism meets aspiration. Maybe you have a deep passion for art or environmental science, but financial security matters to you, too. That’s not something to ignore; it’s part of the equation.
Welch gives the example of a woman who was a climate scientist but dreamed of being a Broadway producer. Instead of quitting her job, she took night classes, tested the waters, and slowly built a path toward that new future. "Sometimes the change is so big, baby steps aren’t enough. But other times, they’re exactly what you need."
Why purpose matters more than happiness
Chasing happiness can feel like running on a treadmill. Purpose, on the other hand, is sustainable. It’s what keeps you going when life gets hard.
"Happiness is fleeting," Welch says. "But when your life has meaning, when you feel useful and fulfilled, the byproduct is often not just happiness, but joy."
Purpose has also been shown to be one of the strongest predictors of healthspan, which is why Welch sees this work as not just emotional or psychological, but deeply physical. A purpose-driven life supports your well-being on every level.
The takeaway
You don’t have to quit your job or move across the country to start living a more authentic life. Welch says it starts with getting curious. Her tips:
- Take the Values Bridge to uncover your true values and how closely you're living them
- Ask others how they experience you to get honest feedback about your strengths
- Look for clues in what energizes you intellectually and emotionally
- Start small if a big shift feels overwhelming, but don’t ignore the data
- Watch for conflicting values, especially in your relationships and career choices
The goal isn’t perfection. It’s alignment. And the more you align with who you truly are, the more vibrant and fulfilling life becomes.
As Welch puts it, "The arc of life is long, and it bends toward authenticity. You can’t hold your breath forever. Eventually, you yearn to live your values."
For anyone who feels like their life looks great on the outside but doesn’t quite feel right on the inside, this is your invitation to begin.
For anyone quietly craving more meaning, Welch’s framework might just offer the clarity you’ve been missing.