The Inventurers: Excursions In Life And Career Renewal, Third Edition [Paperback]

Janet Hagberg (Author), Richard J. Leider (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 22, 1988

Over the past ten years, The Inventurers has helped thousands of people discover what they truly want to do in their lives and careers. Whatever your lifestyle or career stage, Hagberg and Leider will lead you through a process called “inventuring”—an excursion into self-discovery that will help you clarify your inner values and achieve personal success.Through exercises, checklists, and reflection questions you’ll learn how to: map out an individual plan for your life and career, discover your skills and abilities, create options for your key interests, match your goals with your values, renew your career. Reading this book can be the first step of an exciting life adventure.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Janet Hagberg is president of The Hagberg Company, a firm specializing in career management services for business, higher education and government, She has consulted for many Fortune 500 companies, including Alcoa, General Mills and Honeywell. Richard Leider is a career counselor, consultant, and director of Leider Inc., a Minneapolis, Minnesota, career development firm. He consults worldwide on career issues such as career/life planning, mid-career reevaluation, executive development, and preretirement planning, and his clients include Aetna Life and Casualty, AT&T, and 3M. Janet Hagberg is president of The Hagberg Company, a firm specializing in career management services for business, higher education and government, She has consulted for many Fortune 500 companies, including Alcoa, General Mills and Honeywell. Richard Leider is a career counselor, consultant, and director of Leider Inc., a Minneapolis, Minnesota, career development firm. He consults worldwide on career issues such as career/life planning, mid-career reevaluation, executive development, and preretirement planning, and his clients include Aetna Life and Casualty, AT&T, and 3M.

Product Details

• Paperback: 252 pages
• Publisher: Basic Books; 3 edition (January 22, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201095033
• ISBN-13: 978-0201095036
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #692,705 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars better than 'parachute', June 20, 2000

By 

John Kerrigan (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Inventurers: Excursions In Life And Career Renewal, Third Edition (Paperback)

this book is great for anyone in any type of career/life change. The book gives you items to reflect upon, and workbook excercises that allow you to evaluate where you are in life/career. It enables you to see clearly your past, your present, and direction for your future.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read!...if you are serious about making a major career or life change!, July 19, 2006

By 

Lee Say Keng "KNOWLEDGE ADVENTURER/TECHNOLOGY... (Ho Chi Minh City/Singapore) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Inventurers: Excursions In Life And Career Renewal, Third Edition (Paperback)

This is one of the most pivotal books in my mid-life transition during the early 90's. I was then a corporate rat. I was working in quiet desperation.
I also knew that I would still continue as a rat even if I have succeeded in the corporate world. I was 43 years old then...looking damned good but actually going nowhere!

Together with the Richard Leider's other books (as well as Frederic Hudson's, plus Richard Bolles' books), it dramatically
changed my life for better as I am now doing what I love & loving what I do.

This book introduced me to the authors' Inventurer process model - an excursion into self discovery, during which it
helped me to clarify my inner values, through a series of structured exercises, checklists & reflective questions. Many of the questions were soul searching for me.

Trained as a mechanical engineer, I naturally found some minor parts of the book somewhat esoteric, but on hindsight
I think they are relevant if one is seeking deeper understanding of oneself.

Here are the relevant chapters of the book:

Section 1: The Life Inventure
1 The Inventurers
2 The Postponed Life
3 The Inventurous Life

Section 2: Life Extensions
4 Adult Life Stages
5 Life Cycle Review
6 Alone Toegther

Section 3: ifestyles
7 The Balancing Act
8 Body
9 Mind
10 Spirit
11 Dreams & Goals

Section 4 Work Styles
12 Making a Living Work
13 The Scorecard
14 Skills, the Root of All
15 Survival Skills
16 What Species...?
17 You only Go Round Once
18 Step 1 Your Excursion Map
19 Step 2 Conclusions
20 Step 3 Getting Feedback & Ideas
21 Step 4 Reality Testing

For the uninitiated, an inventurer is just one who is willing to take a fresh, hard look at oneself & consider new options,
venture inward & explore. An inventurer sees life as a series of changes, changes as growth experiences, & growth as positive.

At the onset, what struck me most about this book are the important assumptions which the book is based upon
& the Inventurer process reflects these assumptions. Let me share them with readers as follows by paraphasing the authors:

1 Coping with change: We all have different styles of coping...you need to learn what your style is & how to use it effectively;
2 Untapped abilities: ...you possess much untapped potential that could change your life considerably;
3 Self-direction: The basic ingredient in life & career renewal is choice - the choice of taking responsibility for yourself.
In any situation, you have basically two options: change the situation or change the mindset that is perceiving the situation. The choice is yours alone...
4 Organised planning: Effectively assessing life & career renewal options requires more than new insights...Your reflections must be organised & focused into an action plan...& self discipline is a virtue...
5 Risk taking: Choices involve risks. Risk is the element in career or life...

This is one particular book you have to read it carefully & work with it systematically if you really want to evaluate your life & make it better.

To conclude my review, I strongly recommend this wonderful book to anyone who is thinking about making a major career or life change or anyone seeking just to understand themselves better!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My most recommended book...., January 3, 2005

By 

MoSigler - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Inventurers: Excursions In Life And Career Renewal, Third Edition (Paperback)

I recommend this book more than any other! I've owned one or more copies since the late 1970s. Each time I go through a life or career transition, I reach for this book and rework the exercises inside. This is a wonderful place to start analyzing what you want to do with your life and/or your career. Each time I work through the book, I am astounded by the results.