| Before you consider your next job change or | | | | ahead, be brave moderate some of the short |
| even career change, it's crucial that you look at | | | | story workshops yourself. You can telecommute |
| the kind of lifestyle you want today and in the | | | | to your company's headquarter's in Denver from |
| future. As you determine the course of your | | | | your ski chalet in Aspen. Really think |
| career path, you'll discover that other facets of | | | | 'outside-the-box', love Yosemite -go ahead and |
| your life will enter into the picture as well--where | | | | set up a regional theatre repertory program on |
| you life, how you spend your money, how you | | | | weekends and work as a forest ranger during the |
| spend your free time. This career-planning time is | | | | week. Who knows one of the highly-stressed |
| also time to think about life planning. When I meet | | | | tourist's you meet may be a Broadway talent |
| with my clients for the first time, before I ask | | | | agent. |
| them what they want to do, I ask them what | | | | 2. Yearn to be a travel tour leader or a river |
| kind of life they want to live. | | | | rafting guide? |
| Even in carefree Hawaii, there's an expression - | | | | Big city: You may choose to create 'arm-chair' |
| Pau Hana--meaning "after work," Until the last | | | | multimedia adventures for local travel firmsor get |
| decade, most of our lives were built around work | | | | a gig with your local cable station and start your |
| and after work. It always seemed upside-down to | | | | own travel show. |
| me that our society encourages us to work long | | | | Small town: Check out the scores of caverns, |
| hours at something we hate in order to get a | | | | caves or other natural resources nearby |
| few hours to do something we really love. When I | | | | andbecome a tour guide for adventure trips. |
| grew up in the Midwest, it was the highest of | | | | Organize a 21st Century travel blog online |
| compliments to be referred to as a 'good' worker | | | | linkinghandicapped travelers together for the |
| or 'hard' worker. | | | | adventures of their lifetime. |
| Our days are typically divided into getting ready | | | | 3. Want to own your own business? |
| for work, going to work, working, working | | | | Big city: Are you a great barbecue chef? Consider |
| lunches, working late, going home from work, | | | | setting up your own weekend barbecuecatering |
| dinner and doing the work we took home to do | | | | business as fund-raisers for schools and other |
| and then planning for the next day of work. | | | | non-profits. |
| And so day in and day out, 50 weeks a year with | | | | Small town: Open up a summer-time only open-air |
| two weeks off, we follow this cycle. And we | | | | barbecue pit near the largest campgroundin the |
| join--you guessed it--the "rat race" until we are so | | | | area. In the winter, find a major food |
| worn out that we have to be retired. | | | | conglomerate to buy your family secret |
| As we've already discussed, you'll probably have | | | | barbecuesauce recipe. |
| as many as seven careers (or more) in your | | | | 4. Want to sail around the world? |
| lifetime. As my mom said so succinctly when I | | | | Big city: head to the nearest marina and open up |
| told her the title of this book, "Yes, no more one | | | | a 'time-share' visit for other would-be sailors who |
| job." If you are value-driven and lifestyle-driven, | | | | can help finance the boat of your dreams. Borrow |
| you'll find it much easier to create a rewarding | | | | a pal's Digital Video camera and document |
| career, when it fits in with your lifestyle. | | | | wealthy yacht-owner's special occasions. You get |
| Integrate your life/work choice: not starting over | | | | to sail for free while you sharpen your film |
| -starting 'better'! | | | | prowess. |
| Just remember, this time, you're not starting | | | | Small town: Teach sailing to the scouting troupes |
| over--you're starting "better". In writing this | | | | in the area or design a senior's only class for |
| chapter, I wanted to include spectacular stories of | | | | everyone who shares your dream. |
| people who would inspire you to believe that you | | | | EXPERIMENT: |
| could trade your tie for a lasso and ride the open | | | | To challenge you creativity, consider small-town |
| range or sell your BMW and spend the next | | | | big city options for the following careers and |
| season of your life climbing Mt. Everest. But, when | | | | lifestyles: |
| I looked at the case histories, I found that some | | | | *Making a contribution to the world. |
| of them are indeed spectacular, but others may | | | | *Preserving local history. |
| appear more ordinary for "getting a life, not just a | | | | *Share a love of gardening and landscaping. |
| job" is a highly personal venture. | | | | As you consider your lifestyle choices and where |
| Here are three examples of how people not only | | | | you'd like to live, there are other factors you |
| changed their careers but integrated their choices | | | | may want to weigh: |
| into their lives: | | | | *Your family situation. Do you have a spouse? Do |
| I had the good fortune to work with international | | | | you want one? Children? Are you a single parent? |
| baseball hero Sadahara Oh, "the Japanese Babe | | | | Does an ex-spouse have visitation rights? Are |
| Ruth". Oh San, as he is called, retired from | | | | you single looking for a new partner? Do you |
| baseball and yearned to give back to the people | | | | have any family commitments that might keep |
| some of the joy of the game he had so loved. It | | | | you in a certain area? |
| was my honor to work with him to set up the | | | | *Your bank account. Do you have at least |
| World Children's Baseball Foundation, a camp | | | | six-month's living expenses to get you started in |
| where kids around the world meet to play ball for | | | | your new community? Keep in mind that the cost |
| a few weeks each year. By sharing what he | | | | of living varies from community to city. Six |
| loved, he created a new career for himself in the | | | | months bed and board in a small town might total |
| process. But he didn't do it alone. I worked with | | | | only $10,000 or less, while in a big metropolitan |
| him to create a board of advisors ranging from | | | | city that might not even cover moving expenses |
| Hollywood celebrities to business leaders to other | | | | for a family of four. |
| athletes to help make his dream come true. Now | | | | *Your hobbies and leisure life. Can't live without a |
| he can travel around the world each summer | | | | quiet walk in the country each weekend? Do you |
| visiting his baseball camps in foreign lands. | | | | thrive on theatre and nightlife? Whether it's rock |
| Another extraordinary man was already | | | | climbing or rodeo wrangling, make sure you |
| integrating his career with his lifestyles while he | | | | choose a locale that's compatible with you |
| was still in his 20's. I met Douglas Heir while | | | | recreational interests or be prepared to start your |
| working with Olympians Mary Lou Retton and | | | | own rodeo. |
| Bob Richards on the Wheaties Search for | | | | *Your social life. True, you can meet terrific |
| Champions - a national quest for outstanding | | | | people just about everywhere you go. But you |
| amateur athletes. Heir was a member of the U.S. | | | | may find that your social life revolves around |
| Olympic team wheelchair division. He won four | | | | your church or synagogue. All too often many of |
| medals at the World Olympic Wheelchair games in | | | | my clients depend on work to spark their social |
| the javelin and discus competitions. At the time I | | | | activities, and when they change jobs they feel |
| met him, Heir was also a law student and teaching | | | | left out. Plan to hook up with local community |
| assistant at Rutger's University. He would not | | | | organizations or your alumni chapters in the new |
| settle for just one career but rather combined his | | | | location. |
| athletic prowess with his quest for the law. | | | | But what if you can't afford to move? |
| Gina, another client, discovered that her true | | | | Like many of my clients, you may feel limited by |
| calling was in social work. "There is nothing more | | | | lack of resources - the green kind! But don't |
| fulfilling than helping build a community center brick | | | | worry, there are ways to beat the bank. |
| by brick, board by board with your own hands," | | | | Consider house-swapping, There are lots of online |
| she explains. A stint as a volunteer on a local crisis | | | | websites that offer to formally swap homes in |
| line led her to go back to school at 35 to get her | | | | the country for skyscraper condos in the city. Be |
| master's degree in social work. After she lost her | | | | sure to check them out carefully to make sure |
| job Enron, she thought the world was over but | | | | the one you choose is legit. I've found that it's |
| volunteered at the local YWCA. It was there, | | | | often easier to just tell someone you'd like to |
| working with their 'displaced homemaker' program, | | | | swap your apartment for a mountain cabin |
| she realized that just getting another corporate | | | | -professional organizations like Women in Film or |
| job in Human Resources would not be enough. | | | | the manager of your gym may have a pal or |
| Too old to change your life? | | | | relative yearning for just such an opportunity. |
| Many people worry that they are too old to start | | | | Investigate house-sitting in the city of your choice. |
| over. Yet, I've found that my clients successfully | | | | If you're handy, the absentee owner may even |
| recareer at all ages. San Francisco actor and | | | | pay you a fee for your assistance in fixing that |
| writer Dean Goodman dreamed his whole life of | | | | broken porch or mending the roof. |
| doing films, and in his 70's broke in as a co-star on | | | | How about going international? |
| a Francis Ford Copppola movie. | | | | What if you'd love to live in Switzerland or deep |
| In doing research for this book, I came across an | | | | sea fish on an island in Micronesia? It's possible |
| interesting fact about illustrator H.A. Rey, noted | | | | even on a budget. Before you jump off the |
| for his charming drawings of Curious George, the | | | | deep-end, consider these options: |
| nosey little monkey who is always getting himself | | | | 1) You may want to take a leave of absence |
| in and out of trouble. Rey, who lived from 1898 | | | | from your teaching gig and live in Barbados for a |
| to 1977, sold bathtubs up and down the Amazon | | | | month before you make the final commitment. |
| River from the age of 26 to 38 until he married | | | | 2) You may want to see if you can get a regular |
| his wife, Margaret. Then he embarked on an | | | | gig in the new locale, even if you yearn to buy a |
| artistic career that produced the wonderful | | | | franchise in the region or set up your own small |
| "Curious George" book series. From bathtub | | | | biz. Having a job will give you time to check out |
| salesman on the Amazon to children's book | | | | the region without touching your own capital. |
| illustrator with books now on Quite a lifestyle | | | | 3) You may want to work for an American |
| change! | | | | company internationally that has offices or |
| Life changes brought on by crisis | | | | worksites in the locals you yearn to travel to in |
| Not all career changes are planned, many start by | | | | the future. Or explore the area first with shorter |
| accident or when people like you and me go | | | | trips before packing your trunks for a permanent |
| through tough times--divorce, down-sizing and | | | | move. |
| even financial crisis.Actor Ed O'Neil, probably best | | | | 4) You may want to keep a safety net back |
| known as Al Bundy on the classic television show | | | | home--sublet your house, get a housemate for |
| "Married with Children" was a professional football | | | | your home, keep an emergency nest egg in the |
| player at one time. After being cut from the pro | | | | bank where you come from. |
| team, he decided to take a break (like many of | | | | Before you leap to foreign lands, prep for the |
| my clients do) and stay in Florida where he had | | | | trek: |
| been in spring training. He supported himself as a | | | | Most of my clients spend more time planning a |
| bellboy coincidentally at the same hotel he had | | | | summer vacation than mapping out their life-plans. |
| stayed at as a ballplayer. | | | | Even if you're checking account is minimal, you |
| He needed what I call a "station break" in life. This | | | | can get a head-start on your dream for little or |
| is not an easy time for most of my clients. And in | | | | no cost by: |
| fact, making a transition is often filled with a | | | | 1) Studying the language in your spare time (most |
| potpourri of emotions--confusion, anger, regret | | | | high schools offer low-cost evening classes). |
| and hope. And challenges. As a bellboy, O'Neil was | | | | 2) Stopping by the consulate for the country of |
| called to the front desk one day to carry the | | | | your choice, make friends with the office staff |
| bags of some of his former team members who | | | | and see what suggestions they have for you. |
| were back in town to play football. Can you | | | | 3) Check out international trade associations such |
| imagine what kind of razzing he must have taken? | | | | as the Australian Trade Commission which will be |
| He reports that he kidded them right back - using | | | | glad to meet with you while you're still living in the |
| that sarcastic brand of humor that would become | | | | U.S. and help you prep for your relocation. |
| his trademark on TV in the future. And he also | | | | 4) Place an inexpensive ad in the English-speaking |
| accepted the tips. Of all the qualities that help | | | | newspaper in the Mexico City where you're |
| during a transition, I've found that the ability to | | | | yearning to open a sailing school. You may be able |
| 'lighten up' is one of the best. And to realize like | | | | to get students to sign up in advance. At least |
| O'Neil did then, that this limbo period is not | | | | start a subscription or read the paper in online or |
| permanent. Someday, you, like O'Neil will move | | | | at your local library to see what the business |
| onto the next episode and maybe even a | | | | climate is like in advance. |
| 'starring' role. | | | | They did it, so can you! |
| Where will you live? | | | | Here are some lifestyle choices my clients and |
| Where you live need not be driven by career | | | | students have made: |
| choice, but by "personal" decision. With a plan of | | | | 1. From maid service owner in Los Angeles to |
| action, the right technology, a bit of capital and | | | | diner operator in small Northwest town. |
| lots of ingenui9ty, you can choose to live in the | | | | 2. From high-pressure traveling sales executive to |
| mountains, in the city, on both coasts or | | | | telephone sales J.O.B. (Just only a bridge) and |
| abroad--no matter what profession you want to | | | | musician at night at a beach resort town. |
| practice. In fact, you may want to choose where | | | | 3. From manufacturing plant manager in the |
| you live before you consider what you want to | | | | Midwest to handyman at a North Shore hotel in |
| do. | | | | Hawaii so he could surf all day. |
| BEST PLACES TO LIVE AND WORK? | | | | 4. From real estate investor in Texas to dating |
| Just what are the best places in America to live? | | | | service owner in Los Angeles so she could be |
| MONEY magazine publishes it's new list each | | | | near her own "sweetie". |
| summer, comparing about 300 different areas | | | | 5. From musician traveling with big celebrity bands |
| across the country. | | | | to New Age psychic healing advisor in |
| Check your library for other reference books or | | | | Sedona, Arizona. |
| do a search on the Internet. According to the U.S. | | | | 6. From astrologer to therapist in a university |
| Office of Management and Budget, the best cities | | | | town in Nebraska (after going back to school). |
| for jobs were (in alphabetical order) Atlanta, | | | | 7. From university administrator at a college law |
| Boston, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, | | | | school, to lawyer on Wall Street. |
| Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco and Washington | | | | 8. From copy editor to environmental analyst in |
| C. No wonder so many 'dot-com' alumni moved to | | | | New Mexico. |
| the Sunbelt cities. | | | | 9. From television anchor to speech therapist in |
| | | | Alaska. |
| SMALL TOWN OR BIG CITY: TECH TAKES | | | | 10. From beauty queen in North Dakota, to fitness |
| WORK ANYWHERE.... | | | | counselor at a country club in Puerto Rico. |
| If you're raising kids, you'll want to choose a | | | | 11. From barrio teacher to education writer in |
| family-oriented community. The organization Zero | | | | Washington, DC |
| Population Growth considers 10 factors including | | | | 12. From geologist to character actor at a Florida |
| population stability, crowding, child health, crime, | | | | theme park. |
| education, air quality and water resources in | | | | 13. From lawyer to off-Broadway play producer. |
| determining their top cities. But you may want to | | | | 14. From computer salesperson in Alaska to |
| find out where the best hiking trails are our where | | | | interactive television engineer in San Francisco. |
| the best fishing ponds are located so that you | | | | 15. From soap opera actress to costume designer |
| can enjoy your favorite hobbies together with | | | | for regional theatre in New Mexico. |
| your family. | | | | What advice do others offer? |
| Remember, "bigger isn't always better". A Zero | | | | "What you own is not as important as how you |
| Population growth spokesperson says, "We found | | | | feel inside." --salesman-turned-musician |
| a strong correlation between the size of a city or | | | | "Allow plenty of spare time to do your own |
| metropolitan area and the overall stress on | | | | thing," --banker-turned kindergarten teacher |
| children". | | | | "Learn how to use a computer--no matter how |
| To find out more about other areas of the | | | | old you are. It will change the way you work, the |
| country and even job opportunities in Europe or | | | | way you communicate and even who you meet. |
| Asia, check with chambers of commerce and | | | | Be sure to buy a laptop so you can take it |
| online. Many will send you sophisticated packages | | | | anywhere." --real-estate entrepreneur-turned inner |
| including fancy DVD's of their town. In fact, some | | | | city teacher |
| chambers and Economic Development groups will | | | | "Do your own thing until the money runs out, then |
| refer you to local recruiters for their area, if you | | | | keep doing it!" --stockbroker-turned-old-house |
| have a skill they need. Or just head to the area | | | | renovator |
| you're interested in for a quick weekend. | | | | "Don't compromise - go for it even if it means |
| Recently, while staying at a bed and breakfast in | | | | making some sacrifices in how you live for awhile" |
| a small rural town, the owner tried to get one of | | | | --ad executive-turned-film-writer. |
| my career clients to change her life and help start | | | | You deserve a break! |
| a local museum with her. All my client had | | | | Many of my clients find that they only rediscover |
| intended to do was visit the area where her | | | | their values and their lifestyle choices by taking |
| grandparents had owned a farm, but the | | | | some time off. Refreshed, renewed and |
| weekend trip turned quickly into a career and life | | | | revitalized, they start again. |
| opportunity. | | | | Sometimes clients come to me after taking an |
| Matching what you want to do with where you | | | | 'enforced" time out--because of family illness, an |
| want to live can be a creative process. Think | | | | accident that immobilized them for months or a |
| about "your" career and life choices. How could | | | | life-or-death crisis. They're sure they don't want |
| you make them happen in a big city? In a small | | | | to go back to their old jobs - and many times |
| town? Let's look at these two options with a few | | | | they don't even have that option. But they're |
| different career choices. | | | | afraid to go for their dreams because they've |
| 1. Want to be a writer/novelist or screenwriter? | | | | been out of the job market. This is the same |
| Big city: You may choose to be a tech writer at a | | | | challenge many women who have been raising |
| major computer firm by day and write science | | | | children face when they want to return to the |
| fiction tomes by night. You may want to hit New | | | | workplace. |
| York and get an old collegeroommate who lives | | | | I encourage these people to realize that they can |
| there to underwrite your off-off Broadway play. | | | | life out their dreams. That they do have the |
| Or look up that college celebrity you went to | | | | "right" to dream. Life is not punishment. It is here |
| grade school with and head to Hollywood to see if | | | | to be enjoyed. Go for it. GET A LIFE! |
| you can get a gig writing for her new reality | | | | "In the long run," said Eleanor Roosevelt, "when |
| show. | | | | we shape our lives, we shape ourselves." |
| Small town: Consider turning your family's | | | | The process never ends until we die. And the |
| Mountain cabin into a writer's retreat and bring in | | | | choices we make, are ultimately our own |
| some old professors to lead some seminars - go | | | | responsibility. |