Quick note: To find our podcast, “A Life Worth Working,” you can click here to get easy access to most every podcast platform out there:
https://alifeworthworking.transistor.fm/subscribe
I’m really excited for you to listen to this first guest episode of “A Life Worth Working” with Simone Stolzoff, author of The Good Enough Job: Reclaiming Life from Work.
In this 20-minute interview, “Is Your Job Taking over Your Life?" Stolzoff shares how work can often take center stage and overshadow other dimensions of our lives. Many of us strive for the mythical “dream job,” hoping it will be some sort of key to fulfillment and happiness. But what happens when we shift our focus away from finding the perfect job and instead seek balance and meaning beyond our professional lives?
Simone encourages individuals to re-conceptualize work, not as the central axis of their lives, but as one way among many to support the life they wish to lead. Simone reflects on the pervasive cultural narrative that equates professional identity with personal worth — warning of the dangers this brings when jobs disappoint us. And let’s be clear: jobs rarely fulfill our incredibly high expectations.
As we redefine what work means, setting boundaries becomes crucial. Simone emphasizes the importance of ensuring that our jobs don't consume all aspects of our existence. He invites us to view work as just one of many containers that supports our hopes for a well-rounded life.
Simone reminds us that life is about growing, healing, serving, playing, and connecting. In recognizing the value of a "good enough job," we are empowered to reclaim the more intricate tapestry of our lives, allowing our existence to be defined by more than just our professional endeavors.
Simone also recently gave a great TED talk in Atlanta, which I was able to see live. I highly recommend that you watch his talk, especially if you enjoy this interview!
What is this podcast about?
“A Life Worth Working” is a podcast hosted by Michelle Weise and
. Michelle is an education and workforce strategist and author of Long Life Learning: Preparing for Jobs that Don't Even Exist Yet, and Dana is a senior pastor at a progressive church. This isn't a religious podcast.“A Life Worth Working” celebrates the scraps, screw-ups, and detours of our work lives because we believe that nothing is wasted. The hardest moments we endure, from epic failures to employment gaps and crushing disappointments, all become fertile ground for new growth and endless possibilities.
Forget linear paths! We’re all navigating spaghetti-shaped journeys. And even those who appear to have it all figured out are fumbling their way through. Our guests talk about the pitfalls, the whispers they couldn’t ignore, or the moments of release that enabled them to jump to something unexpected. And perhaps most importantly, they talk about the messiest, hardest, and most painful parts of their journeys that created the conditions for new life and growth.
If you’re interested in dwelling in that messy middle, you’ll love this podcast. And best of all, you’ll hear each of these guests in quick, punchy 20-minute episodes. Make sure you subscribe, and here’s an easy link to most podcast platforms.
https://alifeworthworking.transistor.fm/subscribe