Customer Reviews

Now What?: 90 Days to a New Life Direction

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Fortgang begins with a straightforward premise. In ninety days, you can set goals and begin to move in a new direction. Unlike many books of this genre, Now What does not overpromise. Ninety days won't find you in a new job or a new life -- but you'll have a better sense of where to go and how to get there.

I gave Now What five stars for easy reading and originality. I must admit I expected to find tired advice and exercises, but Fortgang offers mostly fresh ideas. And I agree with much of what she says.

For example, "Your purpose in life is right under your nose." So true! I've seen versions of these life purpose exercises before but she presents them well.

Overall, true to her coaching background, some of the best exercises relate to identifying what you really want to do. "I want to be someone who..."

I applaud Fortgang's definitions of needs and values. Needs are not optional and non-negotiable, e.g., the need for honesty. Values are "the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow." Needs bring out the worst in us when they're not met; values bring out the best.

But Fortgang goes beyond self-awareness, encouraging readers to check reality. She offers good advice for investigating various career fields: Talk to 3 people in 3 fields. And she's not afraid to ask clients, "What would you have to give up..."

Perhaps the very best exercises involve scenario-writing. Describe how your life will be in a year, then six months from now, then three months from now. These steps clarify the need for actions along the way.

Anyone contemplating a life change can have fun with these exercises. They'll help you change your thinking and uncover ideas. My major reservation comes from a warning in Herminia Ibarra's book, Working Identity. Often self-discovery tends to be easier than implementing change. If you're in a comfort zone, you'll need another book -- or a coach -- to get moving, even if you know where you want to be.

And there's a downside of a book that appeals to many people for many kinds of change. You have to take practical, specific tips with a grain of salt. For instance, Fortgang alludes to moving to a place with a lower cost of living -- but this type of move often contains hidden pitfalls. A lower cost of living means fewer options to earn money and less access to resources.

Many of the examples the author used were of people who already had more than most people do (money, education, connections, high paying salaries that they are just tired of).

Check out Claire on page 11. She lives in London, wants a second home, is planning a weekend trip to the South of France, has a great job and benefits. Has a nice husband and home. What is her problem? Maybe she needs a shrink to figure out what her unhappiness really stems from but that's another book.

The author should have used cases concerning more ordinary folk. She seemed to be appealing to upper class, globe trotting, burnt out executives who are whining because they feel they are missing out on something. Maybe that cute little pony they didn't get as a child.

Claire...try yoga, buy a pony....get a grip.

I am a professional life coach and my primary focus is on life purpose and career. "Now What? 90 Days to a New Life Direction" is one the best tools out there for those seeking to find heart and meaning in their lives and work. I have been so impressed with the book that I have recommended it to clients ever since it first came out in hardback. This new paperback edition has even more valuable additions and I continue to recommend it highly.

I have been so impressed with the body of the author's work that I underwent specialized training with her to become an authorized Life Blueprint® Facilitator, coaching individuals and groups through the step-by-step NOW WHAT?(tm) program of intuitively guided questioning, exploration, and action designed to create the foundation for a more fulfilling life.

With or without a coach, this book will help guide you to finding your own "Life Blueprint" and a life of greater meaning, purpose and joy. This is a tremendous gift not only to you, but to the world!

Laura has written a great book. It is extremely well-written and interesting. The exercises are great tools for finding "IT," and they are also fun!

One of the most provocative exercises involves exploring the differences between needs and values. The point of the exercise is that when we can find a way to have our needs met while at the same time honoring our values, we will feel more fulfilled and enriched. This exercise really helps you to identify a greater purpose in every area of life.

In addition to helping you identify your "IT" and purpose, Laura also helps you to deal with practical issues in making life changes. The chapter on financing your dreams (Chapter 8: The Bottom Line is the Bottom Line) was very useful. It provided some very simple, straightforward tips and helps you to see that money doesn't need to be an obstacle for change.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking to make positive, healthy changes in their life.

Laura Berman Fortgang really gets it...and knows how to give it back. Having read all of her books, I love that Now What? guides us through the process of discovering how our own truths yield meaningful, productive results -- for ourselves and our clients. She reminds us, "It's not what you do, but who you are when you are doing it." To learn from Laura's years of experience as a Master Coach, industry pioneer, author, and mentor is the best gift I have ever given myself. Everyone will discover something valuable for themselves at the end of their 90 days. Thanks, Laura.

Living by an inner compass is easier said than done. Laura Berman Fortgang provides sound advice, homework, and a mixture of intellect and intuition in outlining how 90 days of focused intent towards a life direction can unfold. What impressed me most about this book was that Fortgang shared her own story of risk when changing her career from actress to life coach. If you want to read about someone who has done the groundwork she prescribes, this book is a great choice. The content is broken down in week-by-week and offers feedback so the reader can self-manage a transitional program on their own. Fortgang also provides a variety of resources the financial nuts and bolts of a career switch. The tone is very down-to-earth, humorous, and engaging. A fluid and insightful read for people who feel like a caterpillar in their careers and are ready to commit to a 90-day cocoon period. Caution: if you want to emerge a career butterfly with this program, you must have a self-discipline to do with full force and enthusiasm what Fortgang suggest. Her book is not a passive self-actualization process ... but a "get off your ass and go for it with measurable results" career planning workout.

This is one of the best and most enjoyable books I've read. It's straight forward, will get you thinking about what you love, and REALLY gives PLENTY of practical guidance on how to get there. It's a must-read for anyone serious about getting passion back into their lives.

If you've been trying to figure out what's next for your life, this book will help you discover the answers. This book is designed for anyone who is at a place in life where you know you want or need to make some changes, but you may not know where you want to go from here or how to get there.

With a practical, step-by-step program you can follow over a mere 12 week period (or at your own pace if you prefer), Laura skillfully guides her readers through the same coaching process she uses with her private clients, to help them achieve BIG results in 90 days. During the first 45 days, you gain clarity and give a name to what you truly want next for your life. Then, during the second 45 days, she helps you do the practical action work you need to do for your plan to become reality.

Laura's books just keep getting better! Give yourself (or someone you care about) the gift of this very special book, and create the next chapter in your life!

Now What is a no-nonsense coaching tutorial for facilitating major life changes. Business and life coach Laura Berman Fortgang gives a succinct introduction that is timely and relevant and then gets straight to the point: the first exercise toward finding clarity for a new life direction.

This book is an active hands-on workbook that offers key insights, practices, and client success stories to get you moving forward. As with anything worth doing well, "this work takes attention, focus and self-reflection," but boasts a ninety percent effectiveness rate. Although the author's expertise has revolved largely around career choices, any life circumstance can call for redirection. Fortgang points out what many of us are feeling within: a general (even if unconscious) movement by humans toward a magnified importance for meaning, and toward honoring "those parts of ourselves we have allowed to become dormant." Clear and practical, Now What makes a solid contribution to the self-help field.

This book is a down to earth approach to addressing what isn't working right in your life. It is a step by step process for disciplined positive change. The point is not simply to make A change, but to do the due diligence to ensure it is a RIGHT change for you. I especially liked the exercises to explore which of several alternatives is the best choice. The process adds a bit of science to a profoundly personal area.