I'm Oprah Winfrey. Welcome to Super Soul Conversations, the podcast. I believe that one of

the most valuable gifts you can give yourself is time, taking time to be more fully present.

Your journey to become more inspired and connected to the deeper world around us starts right

now.

I'm talking with the author of the best-selling book The Road to Character, New York Times columnist

David Brooks. In his columns for The New York Times and as a political pundit on television,

David Brooks is known for his conservative opinions. The road to character is a surprisingly

candid look into David's personal journey, searching for his own set of values and the path

to deepening his soul. As I read his book, I knew I wanted to have a Super Soul conversation

with David about the essence and deep remaining of character.

I think it's so fascinating that you are considered one of the pre-imminent political pundits

literally in the country and respected and admired. And yet you opened the book in your

intro, right there on page 8, you write this. I wrote it this book to be honest to save

my own soul. I was born with a natural disposition toward shallowness. I now work as a pundit

and columnist. I'm paid to be a narcissistic blowhard. I thought that's so great that you

know that's what you were paid to do. To volley my opinions, to appear more confident

about them than I really am, to appear smarter than I really am, to appear better and more

authoritative than I really am. I have to work harder than most people to avoid a life of

smug, superficiality. Bravo to you for at least having that level of self-awareness. So

why did you write a book to save your own soul? I think all books you should try. Those

are the sentences my friends think are the true sentences in the book. And it wasn't

like I was having a midlife crisis, but I would have experiences where I'd meet people.

...