New Delhi, June 29 -- If you browse the bookshelves of CEOs, chances are you will come across the name Jim Collins. The management thinker commands an almost cult-like following in the business world, having authored bestselling classics such as Good to Great, Built to Last and Great by Choice, all of which grapple with a central question-what does it take for a company to become truly great?

After decades spent studying why some companies endure and flourish while others fade away, Collins has turned his piercing gaze to a far more personal question: What to Make of a Life, which is the title of his new book.

Built on a decade-long research project examining the lives of acclaimed writers, musicians, athletes, activists, scientists, po...