Book Excerpt

Clouds in My Coffee

Consider these questions as a starter set:

• Do you have the quiet mind and the time you need to undertake the challenging journey ahead? Or is there too much noise in your life to think clearly about important life choices?
• Are there major issues (money, status, age) that muddy your thinking and prevent you from even imagining your next act?
• Are you paralyzed by a seemingly endless array of choices and can’t seem to find the energy to sort them all out?
• Is your spouse/partner likely to want the same things at this stage of your lives together? If you’re single, are you prepared to strike out on your own without a helpmate to ease the way?
• Even if your destination is clearly in your line of sight, why haven’t you been able to summon the courage to release the brakes and move toward it? Are you hampered by real barriers or by ones your imagination has placed in your path?
• Do you find yourself immobilized by financial concerns? Or stuck in the groove formed by years of running the success track?
• Do you hesitate because you lack a process for change that suits your risk tolerance? Are you looking for a safety net to catch you if you fall?

With all this roiling around inside, it’s no wonder you feel stuck. But embracing risk is what changing lanes is all about. Like a turtle, you can only move ahead if you stick your head out from under your shell. Recognize the risks and do your best to mitigate them. Maybe you can’t help but worry about the prospect of failure, but we aim to help you understand that this time around, you are striving for your own joy and the old success measures don’t apply.