Customer Reviews

What the Heck Am I Going to Do with My Life? (Twentys)

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I tried to give this book, and the author, the benefit of the doubt by continuing to read through at least the first 80 pages. I was really looking for help on how to shape my future, find my passion, etc. and thought maybe if I kept reading I would be inspired and find my way on a surprising path. Instead, the message I got from the book, and the author, was that if I prayed and waited, someday God would let me know what to do. That was all I essentially got from the book. It was hard to find anything substantial (to me) between the comparisons to Christ, quotes from the bible, and attempts to sound hip by randomly referencing reality television shows.

I understand how Christians or those that have a religious background might find this book inspiring, however I was put off on two fronts. First, nowhere on the amazon site, or in the explanation about the book, or on the book itself, was it made clear this was a religious based book. Judge me how you'd like, but I would never have bought this book had I known that so I feel tricked. Second, the content of the book was so weak that the only advice the author could give, as I stated earlier, was to pray about it and someday you'll get your answer. Suffice it to say I was disappointed in the lack of real advice or guidance and was also disappointed in the overall quality of the book.

This gentle, introspective, and thought-provoking book doesn't shirk the hard questions or seek to wrap things up neatly for you, as many career guides try to with their tests and checklists. Instead, Feinberg trusts that if you are willing to take the time and energy to ask yourself the hardest questions and face your life, that you can make a real success of it.

This is a Christian-based book, so the author does quote a few bible verses and talk about how God might lead you in certain directions. It might not be the best choice for a non-Christian, but at the same time the religion isn't heavy-handed or off-putting, so if you think that her approach might be for you, don't let the religious aspect turn you off to it.

The strength of this book is in the thought-provoking questions she asks. Each chapter is divided into sections for each step in your journey of figuring out where you want to go in your life and career, and each section has a lot of material about things we should ask ourselves, pitfalls to consider, and new ways of thinking about it all. There are also some wonderful personal stories of people who have found themselves at a crossroads and have made either a mistake to learn from or a good choice to try to emulate.

I already have a career that I find satisfying and joyful, but I often wonder "What if?", since I have so many passions that could be taken in a money-making direction. This book helped me consider a lot of the benefits to following a few of my dreams, while providing the necessary reality checks.

This would be an excellent book for a bible study group or a group of under-30's to read together. Not only does each chapter have a lot to discuss, but the end of the book has some very personally affecting discussion questions that could be effectively used in a one-on-one or group setting.

I think this book should be required reading for all high school and college seniors. I also believe it would be a good idea to keep it in your reading rotation so that you came across it again every 2 to 3 years.

Why is this book so needed? Well, I think the answer to that can be found first and foremost in what this book is not. It's not filled with tests that are supposed to help you figure out your gifting. It's not filled with pie-in-the-sky talk of finding the job that's going to make your whole life great. It's not trying to provide generic answers to tough questions. It doesn't make any promises to make you rich.


What this book does and does well is to provoke thought about who you are and what impact you can make on the world around you. It's realistic! Margaret has taken great pains to point out the myths that abound about finding the perfect job that never causes stress and makes you a ton of money. She points out that often our passion and calling result in a career choice that meets our financial and emotional needs, but sometimes our career may simply be a means to meet our physical needs thus enabling us to pursue our passion and calling. I especially like the questions and surveys throughout the book that are intended to cause reflection. I believe many who read this book will discover things about themselves that will validate their current career choices or cause them to rethink them.

As someone who made a major career change in the past 4 years and who still has many decisions left to make, I whole-heartedly recommend What the heck am I going to do with my life?. Whether you're still in school or just not satisfied with where you are this book is well worth your time. I fully intend on using it as a small group study in our 20somethings ministry and hope that other ministry leaders will do the same.

margaret feinberg has written an excellent book, what the heck am i going to do with my life? it is geared toward those in their 20s who are asking that exact question, or some similar paraphrase.

i found margaret's writing to be very accessible and clear. the book's chapters each deal with one main concept, such as "calling: what pulls you?" and "impact: will it live beyond you?" i should note that the book is written from a christian worldview. if you don't share such, you'll probably still find it to be a worthwhile read, but differing worldviews may keep it from being as helpful as it will be for others.

there are two general aspects of the book that i found most useful. first, every chapter ends with a series of questions to think through. in some chapters there are also questions interspersed in the middle so you have the opportunity to think about things before the ideas begin to fade from your mind. there's even space to write out answers if you are so inclined. but even if you're not, i would recommend taking time to slowly think through the questions and not just breeze by them. they are well thought out and align very well with that chapter's topic. there is also a section of group discussion questions in the back.

second, there are various sidebars interjected throughout the book. they are sometimes just lists of ideas to think about, examples of what's being written about at that point, small self-assessment questionnaires, etc. again, i find them helpful in thinking more deeply about what the chapter is saying, staying better engaged (if you're prone to mental wanderings like i am), and actually understanding and trying to apply what margaret has written about.

overall, i highly recommend this book to anyone in their 20s or early 30s who is asking questions about life and the world, who wants to make a difference and isn't sure they are, who can't figure out how they're going to keep going for another 20 or 50 years, or anywhere in between. it doesn't have a lot of answers, which is good because we're each different, but it lays a foundation to think about such things more clearly and helps you ask and answer questions that will help you to make a few steps toward a more fulfilling, meaningful life.

Margaret Feinberg's book what the heck am I going to do with my life?, is a perfect book for those who are at the crossroads of their lives. She gives practical ways to aid you in finding direction for your life.

Margaret is like the big sister that most of us wish we had. She gives calm reassurance to let us all know that it's okay to not know what we want to do when we grow up. Sometimes before you find your calling, you have to search it out.

Margaret also helps us identify our passions in life. By asking thought-provoking yet personal questions, it's easy to find answers to what really makes us tick. By focusing on what we really love as opposed to what our parents or classmates think, pushes us to sometimes stand alone in front of the mirror.

It's good to know that even after many years of job hopping and career changing, we can still have an impact on the world we live in. Margaret makes it clear that it's never too late.

This book is great for those who need a little push or just need someone to hold their hand as they consider, for the first time or re-consider for the 1,000,000th time, what this life is all about.

I highly recommend it.

Maybe you have just graduated with a business degree and suddenly discover you hate business. Becoming a teacher sounds like fun, except for the children. Or you have been groomed to take over the family plumbing business but suddenly discover you have no aptitude for it. That's when it hits you--you've spend the last few years preparing for the career of your dreams and now you're wondering: Is this it?

The good news is, it isn't too late to pursue your passion. You can discover what God created you to do. Go back to school. Launch a business. Change professions. This book will help you embark on your journey.

In What the Heck Am I Going to do with My Life? Feinberg takes the age-old question, What do you want to do when you grow up? and changes the focus somewhat. Stuck in a dead-end job? Unhappy in your chosen profession? Pick up a copy of this book and start figuring out the changes you need to make.

The chapters are short and easy to read and help you identify your passions and talents by asking a few simple questions. Plenty of blank lines are provided for you to write your thoughts and answers. This is a perfect resource book for high school seniors, college students, and even adults. It would be a valuable resource book in a church library, a public library or a guidance counselor's collection.

Armchair Interviews says: If you have children growing up or are unhappy in your career, pick up What the Heck Am I Going to do with My Life for an inspiring and thought-provoking read.

Margaret Feinberg grew up asking herself the question her latest book poses, What the heck am I going to do with my life? At four she wanted to be Wonder Woman; at five a doctor. By the time she was 18 she'd made plans to be a gymnast, biathlete, ballerina, pianist, lawyer, teacher, computer programmer, an astronaut, and an ambassador to a third-world country. But when it came time to declare a major in college, she had no clue what she wanted to do.

She finally settled on studying religion, but that only delayed the question to graduation. Even though she's now settled into a career as a writer, Feinberg finds that she's still asking the same question. And she's not alone. She interviewed more than 100 people nationwide and found that everyone she spoke with wrestled with what to do with his or her life.

"Figuring out what to do with your life isn't easy because even landing a job or finally earning a few years of work experience to put on the resume, the questions about what you want to do don't disappear," she writes. "They just keep resurfacing. Singles, newlyweds, oldyweds, empty nesters, retirees --- anyone at any age or stage in life --- can wrestle with these questions and struggles to find answers. No one is immune."

Feinberg thinks What the heck am I going to do with my life? is one of the greatest questions we ever ask ourselves. "Not just because it is the question that won't go away, but because it forces us to examine ourselves in a new light --- who we are today and who we are called to be tomorrow. The question challenges us to look at the core of who we are as individuals, discover our talents and gifts, and come to terms with our weaknesses. When we dare to ask, we step into a realm where anything --- including growth, transformation and change --- is possible."

To help facilitate such transformation, Feinberg's book serves as part mentor, part cheerleader and part pastor, urging readers to consider everything from their own childhood dreams to the role family members play in shaping aspirations to how one's talents glorify God. WHAT THE HECK AM I GOING TO DO WITH MY LIFE? has a workbook-like quality, but it also provides substantive guidance, most notably when dispelling the pervasive myth that "you can be anything you want to be."

"I'd love to tell you that anything is possible, but the truth is you were created with specific strengths and weaknesses. That was not a mistake. Too many people foolishly spend time thinking, If only I could. But that time is wasted," she writes. "Don't despise your lack of talent or your inability to do something. I can wish all day that I could sing like Josh Groban, but is it not going to happen. By coming to terms with what you can't do, you can discover what you were meant to do."

To that end, Feinberg includes discussion questions, quizzes and resources to help readers hone in on their unique abilities and passions. And while what one is going to do with his or her life is certainly a question people face throughout said life, the tone of this book is clearly geared towards those in their late teens through their twenties.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of the book are the stories about people who have managed to find work that truly fulfills them --- that makes them "fly" as Feinberg says. Feinberg herself seems to have found such work, guiding others through the choppy waters of growing up in this and other books for young adults, including TWENTYSOMETHING: Surviving and Thriving in the Real World and JUST MARRIED: What Might Surprise You About the First Few Years. She might not have the same flashy outfit as Wonder Woman, but for those who are looking for some direction in life, her efforts are no less heroic.

--- Reviewed by Lisa Ann Cockrel

I saw, bought, and read this book in one day.

Feinberg gives language to describe the different factors weighing in on what we're going to do with our lives, shares tests/quizzes to help us better understand ourselves, and writes like she cares.

I see this book as a gift for people asking the question "What the heck am I going to do with my life?"

Easy to read and practical in application, "What the heck am I going to do with my life?" is a guide book to assessing where you have been and where you would like to go. The positive energy and light hearted encouragement is coupled with lots of questions and resources to help you consider your needs, skills, strengths, motivations and many other factors that influence life and career decisions. Most essential of all is honing in on your passion. Margaret provides a guided tour to help you discover the answers to the big questions in your life.
Sheryl Dawson
Total Career Success
Author Job Search: The Total System (3rd Ed)

Mrs. Feinberg`s wonderful book really hit home. Everyone that is a crossroads in their life and wondering what life has to offer, should read it. This a definitive must read.