Between Trapezes: Flying into a New Life with the Greatest of Ease (Hardcover)

by Gail Blanke (Author) "IT WAS SEPTEMBER 14, 2003, and my husband, Jim-the real cook in our family-had just whipped up one of his marvelous pasta dishes..." (more)
Key Phrases: new trapeze, next trapeze, shy type, Bob Graham, New York, Jack Smyth (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
With record unemployment, divorce rates and financial instability, more people than ever before will find themselves in transition. Most of us are afraid of the in-between times-those stretches between jobs, between lovers, between a past that is stifling our dreams and a future that is scarily, precariously unknown. We are so reluctant to face uncertainty that often we cling to a view of ourselves that we know can never allow us to soar, that keeps us from leaping headlong into an exuberant life.

But what if we could learn to embrace uncertainty and propel ourselves forward with a sense of curiosity and adventure, rather than fear and trepidation?

In Between Trapezes, Gail Blanke helps us to do just that. Blanke, the bestselling author of In My Wildest Dreams: Simple Steps to a Fabulous Life, shows us that the "in-between" can be the best of times. She offers a practical and inspirational guide that will enable us to let go without our safety nets beneath, and fly through life's transitions with the daring of the circus trapeze artist.

Unlike other books that concentrate solely on surviving career and other life transitions, Between Trapezes exhorts us all to reject the routine and predictable in favor of the adventurous and the serendipitous. With exercises and motivating tales of real people from all walks of life who summoned the courage to welcome a new start and create a whole new self, Gail Blanke demonstrates that the real thrill in life is not in the landing; it's in the flying. And she reminds us that the greatest flyers are always the greatest fallers, and falling is not the same as failing. No one ever reaches those dizzying heights without taking a few plunges!


About the Author
Gail Blanke is president and CEO of LifeDesigns, whose mission is to empower women and men to overcome their roadblocks to personal fulfillment. Some of her clients include 3M, Estee Lauder, and Sony among others. As the author of In My Wildest Dreams, she has appeared on Oprah and her work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Time, Redbook, and Ladies Home Journal.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Rodale Books; 1 edition (August 11, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1579549284
• ISBN-13: 978-1579549282
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #415,684 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Let go of the old, embrace the new, August 24, 2004

By	M. L Lamendola (Merriam, KS USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

You've seen trapeze artists do amazing things. Maybe you've thought, "I wish I could do that." In one sense, you can. Watch carefully, and you will notice there is always a time trapeze artists are between trapezes. They must let go of one trapeze so they can grab onto another. This is the only way they can be successful. And, it's what you must do to be successful.

Let's put you in this picture for a moment. Imagine yourself swinging on a trapeze high overhead. Can you let go of one trapeze to grab onto another? Or, would fear keep you from letting go? It's a long way down. Are you sure about your answer?
You may be saying, "Of course I would let go. How else would I be able to do what I'm really supposed to be doing?"

But, would you let go? This metaphor of the trapeze aptly applies in life, and it forms the theme for this book by Gail Blanke. As you read this book, you will gain insight into what degree you let go of the old and embrace the new--or let the old trapeze hold you back. And, you will find practical insights to help you do what you are really supposed to be doing.

You may find that you aren't letting go, after all. Most of us find this to be very difficult, if not completely alien.

What if you let go of the trapeze and could not catch the next one? You would fall. In the circus, you'd have a safety net. In real life, you seldom have one. And that is enough to paralyze us into letting go, so that we soar to the next trapeze bar. Instead, we hang onto the old one, letting fear rob us of the opportunity to fly to new rewards and new adventures. In the process of hanging on, we may stop moving and fall anyway. And many people do.

So, what does Ms. Blanke have to tell us about letting ourselves be between trapezes?

Ms. Blanke established herself in the executive ranks, first at Avon. She is now CEO of Lifedesigns. Her string of accomplishments started in her youth, when she was a champion swimmer. She missed qualifying for the US Olympic team by one tenth of a second! She is a motivational speaker with other books to her credit. She's also an executive coach, and her clients include such notables as Senator Bob Graham.

She has spent a fair amount of time between trapezes herself, and in this book she shares insights that are both practical and motivational. She walks through case histories that show how she and other successful people faced and overcame doubts--how they let go of the old trapeze bar and grabbed the new one. And she provides exercises that can help you do the same.

If you're stuck in the same old routine and wonder if there's more to life, the answer is yes. If you work hard at your job but can't seem to get ahead, the answer is probably in this book. If you just can't bring yourself to let go of old notions or old doubts about yourself or others, this book will show you how.

One old notion many people have is they are right about others being wrong. Being right in this way feels good at first. But, it keeps you hanging onto the trapeze of what others are doing wrong rather than allowing you to reach for the trapeze of what you are doing right. Listen to yourself talk. Is it about "them" or about you?

If you are mulling over what other people did, you are hanging onto the old trapeze. Playing the "somebody done me wrong" song simply is not going to allow you to create an environment for success. You have to move on. The same cure applies if self-doubts make you put a death grip on the old trapeze so that you cannot be the person you are capable of being.

Let go of the old, and embrace the new. Ms. Blanke expertly guides the reader in exactly how to do that. You've got to make moves anyhow, no matter which trapeze you hang onto. Why not make the right moves, by letting go of the old trapeze? Once you allow yourself to be between trapezes, you will be able to use the new trapeze to reach new highs of success.

I found the book a delightful read, and it made me think in new ways. That's a refreshing combination. More than that, it's a winning combination.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Keep flying!, November 17, 2004

By	Dr Cathy Goodwin (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Blanke has managed to find a fresh, new metaphor for life transitions -- not a small feat! I found this book by accident, tucked high on a bookstore shelf, and wonder why it hasn't gotten more attention. Perhaps it's because Blanke doesn't exactly blaze new trails, but she does a wonderful job of guiding us through some less-traveled paths.

Blanke suggests a five-step process: Build the castle, i.e., create your dream; fat doesn't fly, or get rid of excess baggage; new possibilities demand new solutions; falling isn't failing; and "get the bench," i.e., interpret what you hear in the most life-enhancing way.

I especially like her practical advice, such as "Run on parallel tracks." I bring the same message to my own career change clients: don't quit your job, but leverage what you have to reach your dream.

And I like, "Own the ground you've already traveled." Starting over at midcareer is not the same as starting out as a recent young graduate. I make a similar point: You've traveled a lot of career miles -- now cash them in for an upgrade.

Some of her advice takes us to the edge of practicality: "Once you start believing in statistics, it's almost impossible to believe in yourself." This is true -- and almost identical to Julia Cameron's warning: Thinking about the odds can kill creativity.

However, I find that anyone who tries to learn more about creativity bumps up against odds very quickly. Writing conferences tend to be all about odds -- enough to give anyone permanent writers' block.

At the same time, understanding odds can be liberating: you realize you must send out dozens, maybe hundreds, of queries to get any response.

Perhaps the most fascinating part of Blanke's book comes in her stories of people she helped. She describes, for instance, a lawyer who gets fired after her boss feels threatened, but then moves to a new firm where she's more appreciated. Another lawyer learns to present herself more confidently. And a laid-off mid-career executive discovers a new career, while finding a way to keep alive his dream of a teenage safe driving program.

Blanke draws extensively on her own corporate background -- twenty years with Avon, where she rose to vice president. She combines practical advice -- sending someone to a personal shopper, for instance -- with encouragement to dream big.

And I especially like the way she sidesteps traditional assessments in favor of questions like, "When was the last time you felt great about what you were doing?"

Between Trapezes will help career changers validate their feelings of being caught in the air without a net. I would recommend Between Trapezes to my own clients, as much for her philosophy as for her specific suggestions. If nothing else, it's a good antidote to the dozens of "dream-and-do-it" books floating around out there.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Book That Changed My Life, May 19, 2005

By	Molly (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

At the beginning of last summer, I found myself 47 and recently divorced. I had never expected my life to change so drastically-I had always been the type of individual who thrived on consistency.
Call it serendipity, divine intervention or simply fate, but I was on the train one day, and the person sitting next to me was reading Ms. Blanke's book. I couldn't help but notice the title and how fitting it was for me and my current situation. I asked the passenger next to me what he thought about the book, and he proceeded to tell me how he has read it over five times and carries a copy wherever he goes. "It's become a bible of sorts, my own personal guide to how I choose to live." I immediatley ordered a copy.
From that day on, my life and the manner in which I choose to live it, has improved tremendously. I am no longer afraid of change; in fact, I embrace it.
Between Trapezes teaches you not only to confront the fear of the unfamiliar, but to thrive on it.
As the famous song lyric goes, "Life's a journey, not a destination." Until I read Between Trapezez, my life had been a series of actions all meant to reach my destination. I performed them in order to get to the next level, thinking that once I'm there, I can then begin to experience the journey.
Now, I truly understand what it means to live life.
The beauty of Ms. Blanke's book is not only that it equips you with all the tools needed to begin your journey, but that these tools are different for each reader.
No matter where you are in life, this book will help you cast aside the issues and so-called hardships that prevent you from seeing what matters to you most.
Please, read the book. The only thing you've got to lose are the fears that keep holding you back.