Career angst seems to be a largely common malady of our times, which can be mystifying when it seems perhaps to be easier now than ever before to make a good living, yet harder than ever before to stay calm and be free of career anxiety.

The predominant form of snobbery in our world today, says Alain de Botton, is career snobbery, the number one question of “what do you do?” and your subsequent answer, can banish you to the shadows of a social gathering, or thrust you into the centre, depending on your answer.

The author, and creator of the School of Life examines our ideas of success and failure — and questions the assumptions underlying these two judgments. Is success always earned? And what about failure? In this Ted Talk he makes an eloquent and witty case to move beyond preconceived ideas about success so we can truly make our own way.