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Jeff Westphal

@realjeffwestphal.bsky.social
11 followers 13 following 75 posts

Experienced executive. Entrepreneur. Author. Philanthropist. Conservationist. Founded MeaningSphere to help people create worklives that aren’t just manageable, they’re meaningful.

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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Once you know your source of meaning, work starts to feel different. You notice where it's already present and build more of it in on purpose instead of waiting for the right role to offer it to you. So, what's yours?
forbes.com
How To Find Meaning At Work By Discovering What Gives You Purpose
As AI reshapes jobs, many people are rethinking what gives work meaning. Four pathways may explain why some roles feel fulfilling while others do not.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
P.S. If you’re looking for a new suggestion, my book “A Work Life Worth Living” makes a great beach read :-)
amazon.com
A Work Life Worth Living: Your Guide to Creating a Meaningful Career: Westphal, Jeffrey: 9798900520575: Amazon.com: Books
A Work Life Worth Living: Your Guide to Creating a Meaningful Career [Westphal, Jeffrey] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. A Work Life Worth Living: Your Guide to Creating a Meaning...
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Every summer, I re-read a few inspiring classics. And every time, I pick up something powerful that I missed before. Here’s my go-to list: Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey Drive by Daniel Pink What are you reading this summer?
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Every version of meaningful work I've experienced started with people. AI can do a lot. But it can't build human connection for you.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
New Workday research highlighted in @fastcompany.com found that 43% of employees are more worried about losing interactions with colleagues than losing their job to AI.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Shocker: data shows AI is making work easier. And lonelier.
fastcompany.com
New data: AI makes work easier. And lonelier
The greater risk isn't that AI replaces human relationships, but that it eliminates the moments that create them.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
I sat down with Amy Sabeh on The Strategic Planning Room podcast to talk about “A Work Life Worth Living”, why you can't fake caring about culture, and a story about a single screw in a radiation machine I still think about. Our full chat is on YouTube now. www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0fR...
youtube.com
Strategic Planning Meets Meaning: A Conversation with Jeff Westphal
YouTube video by The Strategic Planning Room
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
So grateful to John Wilson for this piece on my book. He took some of my ideas places I hadn't fully gone myself. John talks about the pain of doing work that should be meaningful but doesn't feel that way — and why that ache might mean you still care. Worth the read. @entreprofessor.bsky.social
entreprofessor.substack.com
When Good Work Stops Feeling Good
Reflections from the book launch of A Work Life Worth Living
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Reposted by Jeff Westphal
entreprofessor.bsky.social @entreprofessor.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
Congratulations to author, Jeff Westphal, @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social on the release of A Work Life Worth Living. This one feels personal - I spent more than two decades at Vertex, and it was part of a culture where work, leadership, growth, and meaning were deeply connected.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
Joined Doug Sandler on his “Nice Guys on Business” podcast to talk about my new book. We asked: What does success actually mean? What does meaningful work look like as AI reshapes everything? Give it a listen.
niceguysonbusiness.com
Jeff Westphal: Redefining Success and Building a Work Life Worth Living
What if success, promotions, and a great resume still left you feeling empty? In this episode, Jeff Westphal shares how unlearning old definitions of success and reconnecting with purpose can transfor...
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
This is so important. You can't do your best work (or discover much meaning in it) when you're running on fumes.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
So tell me, what is meaningful to you about YOUR work life?
amazon.com
A Work Life Worth Living: Your Guide to Creating a Meaningful Career
A Work Life Worth Living: Your Guide to Creating a Meaningful Career [Westphal, Jeffrey] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. A Work Life Worth Living: Your Guide to Creating a Meaningful Career
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
That question changed everything — my work, my life, and what I believed was possible.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
This was Jim Patton. My first mentor. When I was 28, he asked me what was personally meaningful about my work. I had never once thought about it.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
My new book is out today. And I need to celebrate the man who first suggested to me that there could be more to work than making money.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Today is the day!
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
When people you've admired for years read your book and share their honest reaction, it’s humbling. Deeply grateful to Daniel Pink, Isaac Getz, @thedanrather.bsky.social, and Stacy Feiner. Coming out on June 2.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
Not too long now...
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
“Meaning” is a word everyone uses and almost no one defines in real terms. I wrote this book to change that. Coming June 2.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
Sharing the cover of my new book for the first time is a big moment. So excited for the launch on June 2!
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
I didn't figure this out alone. I had mentors, researchers, and leaders who were generous with what they knew. I'm hoping this book pays some of that forward. And I can't wait for you to read it.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
I knew something was missing but had no idea how to find it. It took years to understand that meaning wasn't something I'd find. I had to create it.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
I've been waiting a long time to say this. My book — “A Work Life Worth Living” — comes out on June 2. I was 28 when someone first suggested to me that there could be more to work than working.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
Dr. Cree Scott finished this @fastcompany.com article weeks before she passed away in December. Her core message—that you can’t separate how you lead from how you live—is a powerful legacy. It’s my honor to share it.
fastcompany.com
You can't be disconnected at home and magically connected at work
The way you lead and the way you live are not two different things.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
New data: half of workers would give up a 10% raise for a real sense of belonging. People who get this are able to build something money can't buy. Tracy Bower’s latest is well worth your time.
forbes.com
People Want Belonging More Than Salary. Here’s Why It Matters So Much
Understand the new data about the critical nature of belonging and discover how to catalyze belonging in work and offices.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
My best “tool” or “process” for slowing down was shared by a mentor of mine. He made me sit with hard questions that challenged my paradigms...that’s also how I began to create meaning in my work!
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
In my early career, I got a trust score of 3 out of 7 from my stakeholders. It was a gut punch. Getting honest with myself transformed how I show up for the people I work with. This piece from @hbr.org gets at exactly why that kind of vulnerability matters.
hbr.org
When to Open Up at Work—and When Not To
Leaders often worry that revealing doubts or personal details will undermine their credibility, so they err on the side of silence. But research shows that most leaders under-share, missing opportunit...
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 10/03/2026
We don't need more grind. We need a different relationship with work altogether. This thought-provoking piece from @fastcompany.com spells out why anyone can create meaning in their work, regardless of their role or title. This very insight is the essence of why we created MeaningSphere.
fastcompany.com
How to find meaning in your work
When our work has greater meaning, we change our relationship with it and, more importantly, with ourselves.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
Some of the most important shifts in my worklife started with me saying: “I might be wrong.” For me, humility and curiosity have opened more doors than certainty ever did.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
For me, paying attention to the alignment between who I am, what I do and why I do it has mattered more than any title when it comes to creating a worklife I actually care about.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
I’ve noticed that what counts as “meaningful work” has shifted for me over time. What felt right years ago doesn’t energize me like it once did.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 04/02/2026
This is a great reminder from @fastcompany.com. Sometimes, our inner voice moves us to create meaning in professional circumstances that aren’t ideal. In those types of scenarios, I’ve had to focus on how I show up, who I connect with, and what I decide to pay attention to.
fastcompany.com
How to get satisfaction from an unfulfilling job
In a tight labor market, finding a new job isn't always easy. Here's how to get the most from your current job.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 20/01/2026
Most people aren’t asking for less work. They’re asking for work that doesn’t drain them. What would make work feel more fulfilling for you this year?
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
This really lands for me. I’ve learned that without regular space to reflect, even meaningful work starts to feel hollow. No pause. No perspective. A little space goes a long way.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 23/12/2025
Thank you, @courtneyduchene.bsky.social and @thephilacitizen.bsky.social for the conversation.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 23/12/2025
People don’t just want to perform well, they want their work to mean something. So our goal with MeaningSphere is big: A future where “What do you do?” evolves into “Why do you do it?”
thephiladelphiacitizen.org
Business for Good: MeaningSphere
MeaningSphere, a new online coaching tool from former Vertex CEO Jeff Westphal promises professional mentorship without the mentor
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 23/12/2025
The teams I’ve led only found their stride when people felt safe enough to disagree with me—and I paid enough attention to really listen to what they had to say. The surprising thing is: when you listen well, people start hearing themselves more clearly. And that’s often how the best ideas are born!
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 15/12/2025
Keith Lewish calls this the “happiness paradox.” We’re wired to want happiness, but we NEED meaning. And that often requires discomfort, effort, or stretching into unfamiliar territory. I'm so grateful for the people in my life who keep expanding this conversation.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 15/12/2025
MeaningSphere’s new blog post names something most of us feel but rarely say out loud: meaningful work and pleasant work are rarely the same thing. Some of the most meaningful chapters of my career were also the most demanding.
meaningsphere.com
How the ‘happiness paradox’ shapes your work ⋆ MeaningSphere
We're hard-wired to create meaning and to seek happiness. But sometimes creating meaning involves...a certain amount of unhappiness! That's the happiness paradox.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 08/12/2025
If we focus on the “why” of our work rather than the “what,” we realize that we don’t have to love our job to have a meaningful relationship with it.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 08/12/2025
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to love what you do for a living. The problem is when it feels like a moral imperative.
fastcompany.com
The case for not loving your job
There’s potential danger in placing too much importance on your career, research shows.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
For me, that question became the spark for MeaningSphere. Turns out, it wasn’t about doing well—it was about doing work that mattered with people who mattered.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
I built a thriving company, won awards, and led a strong culture, but still felt like I didn’t deserve it. Success was thrilling and hollow at the same time. Ever felt your wins aren’t enough, or that there has to be more?
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 24/11/2025
If your first experience of work feels micromanaged and lonely, it can feel pointless if you let it. The trick is to detach our others treat you from how you treat yourself. MeaningSphere is here to help with that!
nytimes.com
Opinion | For Gen Z-ers, Work Is Now More Depressing Than Unemployment
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 24/11/2025
I don’t think Gen Z is “lost.” I think they’re naming what too many of us have put up with quietly. And maybe that honesty is the beginning of something healthier. Thank you @jessgrose.bsky.social for giving us a more nuanced and compassionate lens through which to view Gen Z’s work struggles.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 11/11/2025
It seems obvious, but it changes everything. What does it feel like when you walk into a meeting with total clarity —knowing the why, the what, and the how?
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 11/11/2025
Jim Patton, one of my mentors, gave us the remedy: Purpose + Products + Process = Progress that matters. So, BEFORE you show up, know why you’re meeting, what you want to achieve, and how you’ll get there.
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 11/11/2025
Have you seen the Abbott & Costello skit from the 50s “Who’s on First?” with the players: Who, What, and How? Ever sit in a business meeting that feels just as confusing and wonder, “Why am I even here?”
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 10/11/2025
Today I still don’t have all the answers. But I’ve learned that asking “why” again and again keeps my work alive. I share more of that journey in MeaningSphere’s new Founder Feature. I’d love to hear what you think.
meaningsphere.com
It’s not what you do, it’s why you do it: Meet MeaningSphere founder Jeff Westphal - meaningsphere
Thirty years ago, a thoughtful question from a mentor transformed the way Jeff Westphal thought about his work’s purpose. Now, he wants to give others the same opportunity. Now in its sixth year, Mean...
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Jeff Westphal @realjeffwestphal.bsky.social · 10/11/2025
Years later, that epiphany blossomed into MeaningSphere: I wanted to help others find their own “why” and build more purpose (and joy!) into their worklife.
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