Work has evolved.
But the way we work has not.
Explore a new philosophy of work for the 21st-century. And challenge your assumptions about achievement, productivity, and efficiency.
There is a critical mismatch in our work lives.
Outdated expectations of how we should work create obstacles to doing remarkable work in more humane ways.
If we want a more inclusive, sustainable, and life-affirming approach to work, we must rethink work from the ground up.
We must practice work in a way that empowers us to:
Respond to uncertainty, surprise, and new situations with patience
Learn to solve problems and make sense of complexity with intention
Embrace ambiguity and flexibility without sacrificing our needs
Adapt to changing information with care and compassion
A Radical New Approach to Goal-Setting
What Works: A Comprehensive Framework to Change the Way We Approach Goal-Setting
“Nuanced, rigorous exploration. What Works is a thought-provoking antidote to the overhyped productivity narratives keeping us stuck in shame and validation spirals. This book, and Tara’s oeuvre more broadly, serves as a brilliant guide for emphasizing presence and process over rigid metrics and external markers of success. A rich, hearty meal for the mind, I was only sad to put this book down when it ended.”
— Jenny Blake, podcaster & author of Free Time and Pivot
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Together, we can catalyze a more humane, accessible, and just approach to work. One that doesn’t define us by what we do or how much we achieve. Get the free newsletter that imagines a new paradigm for work.
Think Differently about Work, Culture, and the Economy
It’s easy to lose your way in the 21st-century economy. The world of work and business is changing so rapidly that you might be focusing more on how to keep up than how to live a meaningful life. What Works is a podcast for entrepreneurs, independent workers, and employees who don’t want to lose themselves to the whims of late-stage capitalism. Tara offers a distinctly interdisciplinary approach to the discourse around business, work, and personal growth.
Recent Newsletter Articles
- Morgan Harper Nichols realized that creating fictional worlds gave her a way to "imagine what a world could be like where I felt I belonged."
- Despite promises to save time and energy, most labor-saving innovations transfer work rather than eliminate it.
- The future of work doesn't have to be an extension of today's reality.
- Find out why I'm especially leery of jobs that require "highly motivated" candidates, offer "full-time contract positions," and employ doublespeak.
- The best way to think about how work could be better is to start from scratch—and defy all of our preconceived notions.
- Meritocracy sounds great when you're on the side of opportunity. But personal setbacks and systemic oppression can easily turn meritocracy into the voice of failure.
- Why are many people having their "slowest/hardest/most grueling year", asks Jenny Blake, when all the economic indicators are looking good?