Becoming You with Suzy Welch

You’re Fine. You’re Good. You’re…Trapped?

Feb 11, 2025

Explore the concept of the 'velvet coffin'—a stifling comfort zone where dreams go to pause. Hear personal stories of entrapment in unsuitable jobs and the courage to realign careers with true passions. Discover how navigating life choices can lead to authentic fulfillment amidst external pressures. Experience a journey of self-reflection, transitioning from emotional struggles to transformative connections. Plus, get excited about a new book release and a giveaway for a life-changing workshop!

32:08

Creator website

AI Summary

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

The concept of the 'velvet coffin' highlights how comfort can trap individuals in unfulfilling lives, sacrificing dreams for security.

Embracing self-reflection and confronting personal challenges can empower individuals to pursue their true passions and live authentically.

Deep dives

Understanding the Velvet Coffin

The concept of the 'velvet coffin' serves as a powerful metaphor for the comfort that can trap individuals in unfulfilling lives. It represents the way people often surrender their dreams and desires due to life's demands and expectations. Many stay in this metaphorical coffin because it provides a certain level of comfort, safety, and duty towards loved ones, leading to a gradual relinquishment of one’s aspirations. This phenomenon highlights the tension between personal fulfillment and societal or familial obligations that can keep individuals stagnant.

Intro

10min

Escaping the Velvet Coffin: Navigating Career Transitions

6min

Navigating Career Choices: Values, Aptitudes, and the Pursuit of Authenticity

12min

From Pity to Transformation: A Journey of Self-Reflection

4min

Excitement for a New Book and a Giveaway Announcement

2min

The Becoming You method of purpose-discovery is based on the premise that there’s one wild and precious life that we’re each meant to live. But it also acknowledges that there’s real life out there.

Real life is where we too often cede our hoped-for dreams of purpose and joy to the many seemingly inescapable demands, constraints, obstacles and challenges that come with work and family and well, everything.

Real life is why so many of us end up living in “The Velvet Coffin,” a term Suzy uses to describe the comfortable accommodation we can make with a life on pause. “It’s OK,” we tell ourselves when that happens. “Sure, I’m making some compromises. Sure, I’m postponing stuff. But this is how it has to be right now.”

Right now can last a long time, can’t it?

It doesn’t have to be that way.

Tune into Becoming You this week as Suzy talks about how and why we end up in the Velvet Coffin – sometimes without even noticing it – and best of all, how we can push our way out before it’s too late. (PS: It’s never too late.)

The Values Bridge digital assessment is available at thevaluesbridge.com
PIE360 Feedback tool is available at pie360feedback.com
Want more Becoming You? Pre-order the Becoming You book.
Learn about the Becoming You Certification Program.
You are always growing and evolving and so are we. Sign up for the Becoming You newsletter for fresh new content in one tidy package.

You can follow and tag Suzy on: