A graduate of Stanford University, Megan Hellerer climbed the ranks at Google in Silicon Valley and New York City for years before quitting to train as a career and life coach. Her global list of clients have included leading journalists, lawyers, a Nobel Prize-winning scientist, a Fortune 30 Under 30 tech founder, the editor-in-chief of a major lifestyle magazine, and Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Directional Living is her first book.
The big decisions in life don’t come with a map. Think of this book as a compass to help you navigate toward success without sacrificing happiness. Drawing on her extensive experience as a coach, Megan Hellerer offers an unusually relatable and practical guide to the pursuit of excellence, meaning, and joy -- Adam Grant * #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Potential and Think Again, and host of the podcast Re:Thinking * Extrinsic motivation screams so much louder than intrinsic motivation. Capitalism is so good at rewarding what we can measure, terrible at rewarding what we value. As a result we often work really hard to build careers that we don't really want. Directional Living will help you avoid that fate! -- Kim Scott * Author of Radical Respect and Radical Candor * I wish I had been given this book when I was 18 years old. If you’re burned out or wondering “Is this all that there is?” Megan Hellerer’s book is brimming with practical and actionable guidance to take you from feeling without a compass to finding direction -- Dr. Samantha Boardman * Author of Everyday Vitality * I’m blown away. This book only looks like a well-behaved self-help book. In fact, it’s radical—nearly anarchic. Lucid, practical, effective, and beautiful, Directional Living upends all the common wisdom about ambition, struggle, and building a good life. Try it, and transform -- Virginia Heffernan * author of Magic and Loss * Hellerer debunks myths that undergird a success-driven society, including that difficulty has inherent moral value (“There’s no gold star or fulfillment bonus for extra struggle”), while outlining a positive, individual-focused approach that prioritizes happiness over certainty. It’s a smart, refreshing look at what it means to build a satisfying life * Publishers Weekly *