What David Brooks Teaches Us About Character, Connection, and a Meaningful Life

What makes a life meaningful? How do we build stronger relationships, become better people, and create a life that feels deeper than a list of accomplishments? On this episode of Second Wind, Joyce Buford explores the books and ideas of David Brooks, whose writing has examined everything from ambition and character to community, relationships, purpose, and the way we understand one another. Drawing from books such as The Road to Character, The Second Mountain, and How to Know a Person, Joyce looks at the questions Brooks returns to again and again: What happens when achievement is no longer enough? How do we move from success to significance? And what does it really mean to see, know, and connect with the people around us? This conversation is about more than books. It’s about the choices we make as we grow older, rethink our priorities, and decide what kind of person we want to become in the next chapter of our lives.