If you’ve listened to the podcast lately, you’ve probably heard us mention What to Make of a Life by Jim Collins.
We’ve talked about this book A LOT. Or, more accurately, Greg has talked about this book a lot. So we figured it was finally time to dedicate an episode to it.
In this conversation, we unpack three of the biggest ideas from the book: cliffs, fog, and encodings.
We start with cliffs. The moments in life that change the direction you were heading. A career change, a loss, retirement, a move, or something completely unexpected. Some cliffs we see coming and others we don’t, but they create a before and after in our lives.
Then comes fog. That uncertain period after a cliff when the life you knew has changed, but you haven’t quite figured out what comes next. We talk about why fog is a natural part of change and why some periods of it last much longer than others.
But the idea we spend the most time on is encodings.
Collins describes encodings as the unique combination of natural gifts, capabilities, and attributes we’re each born with. When the way we’re living allows us to use those encodings, we’re “in frame.” We feel energized, engaged, and more like ourselves. When we spend too much of our lives outside of them, we can start to languish.
We also get into:
- why being good at something doesn’t necessarily mean you’re encoded for it
- why your encodings can only really be discovered through action and trying new things
- what it means to be “in frame” versus “out of frame”
- how the frame around our lives changes, even when our encodings don’t
- the idea of “flipping the arrow of money”
- and how understanding what energizes you can help you build a life with more of it
This isn’t about quitting your job, blowing up your life, or turning everything you love into a career. It’s about understanding yourself a little better and asking whether the life you’re building gives you enough opportunities to use the things that are already inside you.
There’s a reason this book keeps finding its way into our conversations.
We hope you enjoy this one.
EPISODE LINKS & REFERENCES
What to Make of a Life by Jim Collins
Jim Collins — Official Website
Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans
“There’s a Name for the Blah You’re Feeling: It’s Called Languishing” by Adam Grant
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On this podcast, we explore what it means to get UNBLOCKED.
You’ll hear stories about finding clarity, navigating career pivots, and choosing to live with intention. Sometimes that’s through conversations with guests who made bold moves and changed direction. Other times it’s just the two of us unpacking the books, ideas, and lessons shaping our own journey.
We’re not experts looking down from a stage. We’re in it too. Building, questioning, adjusting, and trying to create lives that feel more aligned, more alive, and more intentional.
