In a moment when young people are navigating economic uncertainty, technological disruption, and global instability, the question isn't just "What do I want to be?"—it's "How do I even start?"
That's the question that stopped Jodi Kantor in her tracks.
Last spring, the Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist was invited to deliver the commencement address at Columbia University. The campus was in turmoil: protests, arrests, political pressure, and a threatened funding freeze had left students reeling. Kantor, a Columbia alumna, agreed to speak—but only if she could first listen.
She sat down with students who weren't eager to debate policy or protest strategy. What they wanted to talk about was simpler, and harder: *When everything feels broken, how do you begin? How do you find work that matters—in a world that feels increasingly hostile to meaning?*
Those conversations became the seed for Kantor's new book, *How to Start*: a compact, deeply human guide for anyone feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or uncertain about their next step. Written in early-morning sessions before her reporting shifts at The New York Times, the book distills hard-won wisdom from Kantor's own career—and from the people she's interviewed along the way.
Why This Book, Why Now?
Kantor didn't set out to write an advice manual. Her reputation was built on rigorous, high-stakes investigative work: exposing Harvey Weinstein's abuse alongside Megan Twohey, helping ignite the #MeToo movement, and, more recently, scrutinizing the U.S. Supreme Court's growing power.
But life intervened. Around the time of the Columbia invitation, Kantor turned 50, her eldest daughter left for college, and she received a breast cancer diagnosis (from which she has since recovered). "Tick-tock, do it now, don't wait," she recalls thinking. The convergence of milestones shifted something.
"I felt called to connect with readers on a different level," she says. "The subtext of my journalism has always been: *We can find answers.* I wanted to make that the text."
She also saw a generation of young people—her own daughters included—grappling with unprecedented anxiety about work. "Even students at elite universities didn't feel equipped," she observes. "The optimism that used to accompany the start of a career has been replaced by dread."
Practical Wisdom for Uncertain Times
Kantor's advice is grounded, not glossy. She acknowledges the real barriers young people face: student debt, AI disruption, a housing crisis, and a labor market that often feels rigged. But she refuses to let those realities become an excuse for paralysis.
1. Start with observation, not pressure
Before you can figure out your path, you need data about yourself. Kantor suggests a simple practice: carry a notebook and notice.
- What tasks make you lose track of time?
- Which environments energize you—and which drain you?
- What kinds of people do you gravitate toward?
"Anxiety and negativity are deceptive guides," she writes. "How many times have you freaked out about something, only for it to end up fine?" Instead, she argues, pay attention to what brings you genuine curiosity or satisfaction. Positive emotions, she believes, are more reliable compasses than fear.
2. Redefine success on your own terms
Kantor is clear-eyed about financial reality. "One of the primary goals of working is to protect yourself financially," she says. But she challenges the assumption that maximizing income should be the sole metric of a successful career.
In her book, one of the most fulfilled people she profiles is a historian who earns modestly but finds deep purpose in his work. "I don't want young people to struggle unnecessarily," Kantor clarifies. "But I do want them to ask: What am I trading off when I optimize only for salary? Is there room for meaning, growth, or contribution?"
3. Build human connections—not just applications
In an era of AI-screened résumés and automated hiring, Kantor advocates for a counterintuitive strategy: go analog. Reach out to people. Ask questions. Seek mentors.
"Craft and need," she says, are timeless anchors. *Craft* refers to skills that belong to you, not your employer—abilities you can carry anywhere. *Need* is about identifying what others value or what problems you're uniquely positioned to solve. "Even in a bad environment," she argues, "focusing on those two things maximizes your chances of happiness and success."
4. Take calculated risks
Kantor understands why playing it safe feels rational—especially for a generation burdened by debt and uncertainty. "I would never judge anyone who feels they have to make every last dollar," she says.
But she gently pushes back: "You don't really get anywhere in life without taking on some risk." Her invitation isn't to recklessness, but to intentionality. Ask yourself: What's the upside of trying? What's the cost of waiting?
The Deeper Current: Legacy, Purpose, and Hope
Kantor's perspective is shaped by more than career strategy. As the first grandchild of Holocaust survivors, she grew up with what she calls "an almost crushing sense of responsibility—but also a lot of meaning."
Her grandmother, Hana, who spoke openly about her experiences in the camps, became a model of resilience. "I watched a genocide victim find her way back to life and really thrive into old age," Kantor reflects. "That made me a permanent optimist."
That optimism isn't naive. It's forged in the belief that agency matters—that even when systems feel broken, individuals can still choose how to respond.
A Final Invitation
Kantor isn't promising that finding fulfilling work will be easy. The landscape is tough. The path is rarely linear. But she offers a crucial reminder: *Don't give up before you start.*
"If you surrender your search for satisfaction at the outset," she writes, "you put happiness further out of reach."
For anyone feeling lost—whether you're 22 or 52—*How to Start* isn't a map with a single destination. It's a companion for the journey: practical, compassionate, and quietly defiant. In a world that often tells young people they're too late, too inexperienced, or too replaceable, Kantor's message is simple and radical:
You are not a statistic. You are still the author of your life. And it's never too late to begin.