Podcast Summary: Making Space with Hoda Kotb – Episode: Suzy Welch on Finding Your Purpose

Episode Information:

• Title: Making Space with Hoda Kotb
• Host: Hoda Kotb, TODAY
• Guest: Suzy Welch
• Release Date: April 30, 2025
• Description: Hoda Kotb engages in a deep conversation with Suzy Welch, exploring Suzy's journey of self-discovery and her insights on finding one's purpose. Suzy shares personal anecdotes, professional experiences, and practical methodologies to help listeners uncover their true calling.

1. Introduction to Suzy Welch

Hoda Kotb introduces Suzy Welch as an esteemed NYU professor, three-time bestselling author, and an experienced entrepreneur with a rich 40-year career in journalism and academia. Suzy's approachable wisdom and warmth have made her a mentor to many, from students to CEOs.

Hoda Kotb [00:56]: "Susie combines the knowledge and insight she's gathered during her 40-year career as a journalist, professor, and seeker and created simple steps to help you and me identify our true purpose."

2. Suzy Welch’s Career Journey

Suzy reflects on her unplanned career path, emphasizing that her journey was more about survival and seizing opportunities than meticulous planning.

• Early Career and Miami Reporting: Suzy recounts her move to Miami in 1981, where she thrived as a crime reporter despite initial fears and challenges.

  Suzy Welch [05:37]: "I succeeded because I was tenacious. I never stopped working 24/7."

• Shift to Business Reporting and Education: Facing a challenging boss and a desire to escape invasive reporting, Suzy transitioned to business reporting, which later led her to pursue an MBA at Harvard Business School.

  Suzy Welch [08:35]: "I applied to Harvard Business School. And I got in."

3. Identifying Purpose: Values, Aptitudes, and Interests

Suzy outlines her methodology for finding purpose, centered around understanding one's values, aptitudes, and interests.

• Values: Suzy emphasizes the importance of recognizing deeply held beliefs that guide actions and decisions. She introduces 15 core values, such as Beholderism (aesthetic appreciation) and Eudaimonia (self-care and pleasure).

  Suzy Welch [18:50]: "There is a value of agency... it's about how much your life is organized around getting what you want."

• Aptitudes: She distinguishes between cognitive and emotional aptitudes, highlighting the significance of aligning one's skills and personality with their career path.

  Suzy Welch [21:30]: "Your aptitudes are linked to different jobs... It's the intersection of your values and aptitudes that lies your purpose."

• Interests: Suzy advises identifying what truly captivates you, whether it's pharmaceuticals, climate change, art, or any other field, to align with your purpose.

4. Overcoming Challenges and Personal Growth

Suzy shares personal stories illustrating how challenges have shaped her understanding of purpose.

• Loss of Her Husband: The passing of her husband, Jack, was a pivotal moment that led Suzy to realize her capacity to build something independently.

  Suzy Welch [27:09]: "I lost my best friend, I lost my mentor, I lost my boyfriend. I lost my co-parent."

• Parenting and Authenticity: Suzy discusses her parenting style, emphasizing honesty and authenticity, even when it meant not always being the conventional "perfect mom."

  Suzy Welch [33:53]: "I was the mother I was. I never tried to be the mother I wasn't."

5. The Role of Purpose vs. Happiness

Suzy delves into the distinction between purpose and happiness, advocating that purpose leads to meaningful and sustained fulfillment.

Suzy Welch [31:12]: "Happiness is an outcome of a meaningful, productive life... I think we're chasing the wrong goal. Chasing happiness."

6. Personal Stories and Lessons on Parenting and Authenticity

Through anecdotes, Suzy illustrates the importance of understanding and respecting individual values within family dynamics.

• Daughter’s Tattoos: Suzy explains her acceptance of her daughter's artistic expression through tattoos, reinforcing the principle of living one's values without imposing her own.

  Suzy Welch [34:10]: "If your values are not hurting anybody, live your values."

• Communication with Children: She highlights the transformative power of open communication in understanding and supporting her children's unique personalities and aptitudes.

  Suzy Welch [35:34]: "When I saw his aptitudes... I changed my behavior towards him. It was life-changing for us."

7. Practical Methodology for Finding Purpose

Suzy outlines a step-by-step approach to discovering one's purpose:

1. Identify Values: Understand what deeply matters to you beyond generic answers like family or health.
2. Assess Aptitudes: Recognize both cognitive and emotional strengths.
3. Determine Interests: Clarify what activities or fields genuinely excite you.
4. Find the Intersection: Align values, aptitudes, and interests to uncover your purpose.

Suzy Welch [15:26]: "The first thing you begin to understand is that life is a lot better with a purpose."

8. Suzy’s Upcoming Book and Teaching

Suzy reveals her forthcoming book, Becoming Youg, which encapsulates her methodology and offers practical exercises for readers to discover their purpose. She also discusses her intensive courses at NYU, designed to guide individuals through this transformative process.

Suzy Welch [36:49]: "It's called Becoming Youg, which is the name of the whole methodology. And it comes out May 5."

9. Living Authentically and Making Space for Purpose

In the final segments, Suzy emphasizes the importance of authenticity and making intentional space in one's life to pursue meaningful endeavors.

Suzy Welch [39:30]: "The arc of life is long and it bends towards authenticity. What agony not to become yourself."

10. Conclusion and Takeaways

The conversation concludes with a reaffirmation of living authentically and embracing one's unique purpose as the pathway to a fulfilling life. Suzy encourages listeners to actively engage in self-discovery, align their actions with their core values, and continuously strive towards authentic living.

Notable Quotes:

• Suzy Welch [17:05]: "I feel exquisitely alive. There's some energy going back and forth between the students."
• Suzy Welch [25:12]: "I am the hurricane. They don't think I'm the eye of the hurricane. They think I am the hurricane."
• Suzy Welch [39:22]: "The arc of life is long and it bends towards authenticity."

Final Thoughts: In this enriching episode, Suzy Welch provides both inspiration and practical guidance for anyone seeking to uncover their true purpose. Her candid storytelling and well-structured methodology offer listeners actionable steps to align their lives with their deepest values and strengths, fostering a path to genuine fulfillment and happiness.