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ChangingCourse.com, Find Your Life Mission and Live It

Issue 121

July 27, 2005

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Compass

Changing Course is dedicated to helping you:

~Live Life on Purpose
~Work at What You Love
~Follow Your Own Road

Inside Today's Issue

Featured Article

“Don’t Quit Your Day Job”:
3 Ways to Keep Criticism from Getting to You

Featured Resource

Get & Give Support With the New Changing Course Forums

Workshop Update

Guest Article

How Changing Your Focus Can Finally Get You What You Want!

Upcoming Workshops & Teleclasses

Resources for A Change

To succeed, jump as quickly at opportunities as you do at conclusions.
~ Benjamin Franklin

“Don’t Quit Your Day Job”:

3 Ways to Keep Criticism from Getting to You

By Valerie YoungValerie and her dog, Cokie

There are two kinds of negative feedback, the kind that – as painful as it is – is generally accurate and helpful and the kind that is totally without merit. Let’s look at this last kind of criticism first.

In an interview in YM magazine screenwriter, director, producer Kevin Williams talked about a high school teacher named Mrs. Tingle who whittled away at William’s confidence to such an extent that he says he “didn’t write another word for 10 years.” Williamson says, “I always feel like a fraud. There’s always that ‘Mrs. Tingle’ thing lurking in me.”

Williamson isn’t the only one to get negative feedback early on. Thomas Edison was thrown out of school in the early grades when the teachers decided he could not do the work. Bob Dylan’s classmates booed him off the stage at a high school talent show. A famous Paramount Pictures screen test report on Fred Astaire read simply: “Can't sing. Can't act. Slightly balding. Can dance a little.”

Back in November (ChangingCourse.com/archives/issue102.htm), I told you about an enterprising client of mine named Cindy Freidman. In less than a year, this software sales rep turned wine educator has made tremendous strides in launching her dream business. But then Cindy hit a common stumbling block – criticism. It hasn’t derailed her, but like a lot of people, it did rattle her.

First a little background. After 16 years in the software industry in Marin County, California, the then 39-year-old decided it was time to get off the fast track. She quit her high-pressured sales job and moved to a less expensive area of the state to work in the field she really loved, wine and food.

Someone else might have considered the job “beneath them” (what I call a “job snob”), but when a part time position opened up at a very successful wine bar and cheese shop, she went for it. Much more than a retail job, Cindy says she found herself helping customers seeking recommendations on what wine to pair with a specific menu and helping the owner with special events, including wine tasting classes.

After picking up invaluable experience and expanding her already commanding knowledge of wine, Cindy went on to complete a special Mastering Wine Course at the Culinary Institute of America, widely recognized as one the top culinary schools in the world. It was there that Cindy learned to master the so-called blindfold test where smell and taste alone are used to distinguish between the many varieties of wine.

In less than a year, Cindy has become what a local newspaper reporter called a “Wine Connoisseur.” Her new business, Events of the Vine (EventsOfTheVine.com), caters to people who are inspired to learn more about wine. Cindy’s strategy was to partner with local wineries to hold a series of affordable wine seminars. Attendees get to meet the wine makers, tour the facility, and best of all, taste up to six different kinds of wine. By the end of the event, even wine novices who normally feel intimidated among wine snobs learn how to judge a wine with confidence.

With this success under her belt, Cindy went on to arrange to run a seminar series for an Italian restaurant, conduct private in-house training for the partners and employees of a recently opened wine shop, and put on a wine and food pairing event for a wine lounge a few towns away. “I can't remember ever working this hard,” says Cindy, “and at the same time I can't remember ever enjoying something as much!”

Cindy’s fledgling business is going great guns. The contracts are rolling in and she’s consistently earned high marks on her post-seminar evaluations. All but one, that is. At the urging of a local hotel concierge, a group from Denver showed up at one of Cindy’s seminars. Everyone seemed to be having a great time – but one. The crossed arms, loud sighs, and rolling eyes were just a preview of what was to come. When it came time to fill out the evaluations, the man noted that the course was of no value. Furthermore, he suggested that Cindy should “keep her day job.”

Ouch!

No one likes criticism. But some people, women in particular, tend to take criticism to heart. At least that’s what Tony DiCicco, coach of the 1999 World Champion US Women’s National Soccer team finds. Today show host Matt Lauer asked the DiCicco to clarify past statements that he coached women differently then men. The coach began by saying that he believes (as I do) that “the similarities are more common than the differences.” Adding, “But there are differences.”

For example, DiCicco said, “If I go into a room of women, I can say, ‘We have some players that aren’t fit,’ and they all think I’m talking about them individually. If I did the same thing with men and went into a room and said that same thing, the men on the team would go, ‘Coach is right, I’m the only one fit here. The rest of these guys better get it together.’” As DiCicco put it, “women internalize everything.”

Ascribing blame to ourselves for every failure or criticism presents a problem. If you believe the reason your fledgling business is floundering is because you aren’t working hard enough, what’s the solution? Work harder, right? But if you believe your failure is because you just aren’t bright enough or otherwise aren’t up to the job, the only solution is to give up.

Gender aside, if you’re thrown by criticism (and I know many men that are), there are things you can do to better handle the inevitable slings and arrows. Here are a few tips for dealing with criticism from my newest eBook, How to Feel as Bright and Capable as Everyone Seems to Think You Are (ChangingCourse.com/handbook.htm).

Diffuse Likely Critics Up Front

One technique specific to Cindy’s situation, and the one she typically uses, is to ask the group to introduce themselves and say why they signed up for the class. Anyone who was forced to attend will usually make themselves known giving Cindy an opportunity to address any specific concerns or even invite a know-it-all attendee to share their knowledge with the group. “I skipped that step on this one because the class was so large,” explained Cindy. “It was a big mistake and one I’ll never make again.”

Sometimes criticism is valid. Sometimes it’s not. In Cindy’s case it sounds like she was dealing with what I call a seminar “hostage.” One of the very first things I do in all of my corporate seminars is to do a little “how you got here roll call.”

Basically I tell my audiences that regardless of the topic at hand, there are three kinds of people who tend to show up at any seminar – students, vacationers, and hostages. Students are there to learn. Seminar vacationers are primarily interested in a paid day away from the office. And of course the group I affectionately refer to as my seminar hostages or prisoners are there because someone ELSE thought it would be a good idea for them to attend. In a corporate setting it’s usually their boss. In the case of Cindy’s disgruntled attendee he could have been dragged along by his traveling companions.

Beyond enjoying a good laugh the point of the exercise is to publicly address the plight of any seminar hostages right from the get go. Giving them a chance to “get it off their chest,” can often diffuse at least some of these people’s resentment and hopefully avoid any sabotaging or otherwise disruptive behavior. In fact, in my experience, since seminar hostages come in expecting the least they often walk away having gained the most!

Diffusing critics among your family or friends requires different techniques. One is to withhold any plans to change course until you’ve done your home work. In other words, find people who are succeeding in the field or business where your interests lie and try to learn everything you can from them. This information could come in the form of a book, seminar, or informational interview. That way, when your family and friends start shooting down your idea based on their ill-informed fears, you’ll be ready for them.

My other suggestion for diffusing unconstructive criticism from the dream bashers in your life is simple – keep your dreams to yourself. Why? Because while they may care deeply for and about you, they simply don’t know how to support your stepping outside the traditional job box. I’m a bit shaky on the source and the exact wording, but I remember Barbara Winter telling our seminar attendees once about a Sufi saying that goes something like this: When embarking on a journey, never ask for directions from someone who has never left home.

Seek Additional Information

After getting over the initial shock of receiving such a rude evaluation, Cindy went on to handle the situation like a pro. Understanding that, “as my business grows and I become more successful, I am going to get criticism and I am certainly not going to please everybody all the time,” she decided to confront the situation head on. Since she had their email addresses she sought out the group to thank the group as a whole for attending and for their constructive feedback. She then went on to ask for more specific, constructive feedback from the person who did not enjoy the class so that she might address any legitimate areas for improvement.

Take What You Can And Leave The Rest

It’s been said that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Unless you’ve got a really tough skin, when someone criticizes your behavior, effort, or performance, it hurts. There are times though, when critical feedback is necessary to improve.

Think about it. If no one in the audience let on that they didn’t understand a key point in your speech, you would go on delivering a confusing speech. If people back away from working with you because you’re controlling, but no one ever gave you that feedback, you would continue alienating people and never know why. If your golf swing is off, but your instructor didn’t want to upset you by mentioning it, you would never improve your swing.

When faced with criticism of your performance or idea, do what engineers do and engage in your own form of “failure analysis.” To do this simply ask yourself what went wrong and how could you could do it better next time. Then thank the person who was willing to share their critique and move on.

Use the Q-Tip Approach

This last tip came by way of a couple seminar attendees who teach at the Coast Guard Academy. When they were going through the officer training program, male and female cadets went through all of the training as a group – that is until the graduates were ready for their first deployment. That’s when a high ranking female officer was brought in to talk to the graduating women. The officer began by passing out Q-Tips. The Q-Tip was meant to serve as a visual reminder that if they want to progress in their military career they would need to learn to Quit Taking It Personally.

Are you crushed by even constructive criticism? To some people criticism is so distressing they’ll do anything to avoid it… including never going after their dream. Not taking risks can be an unconscious way to avoid scrutiny and criticism. If you never put your screenplay, out you’ll never get rejected. If you never submit your resume, you’ll never be turned down. If you never open your little business, you’ll never have to hear people say “I told you so” if don’t succeed right out of the gate.

Never putting yourself out there does work… but at a price. Maybe you too had parents, teachers, coworkers, bosses, or audience members whose criticism whittled away at your confidence.” You can’t change the past. But you can do things differently in the present. You can either continue to let other people have power over how you see yourself, or you can reclaim your self-esteem right now. That’s what Williamson did. Today Williamson says he is “very thankful” to Mrs. Tingle. “It’s funny how that criticism can paralyze you and then it'll just fuel you.”

About the Author

Off the beaten path career counselor, Valerie Young, abandoned her corporate cubicle to become the Dreamer in Residence at ChangingCourse.com, offering free resources to help you discover your life mission and live it. An expert on the Imposter Syndrome, she's presented her How to Feel as Bright and Capable as Everyone Seems to Think You Are program to over 30,000 people.

Find more articles written by Valerie at ChangingCourse.com/articles/

You can't share your dreams with everybody. The first people to discourage you from your dreams are either your family members or your friends, you know, the closest people to you. ~ Djimon Hounsou

Featured Resource

The “All New and Improved” Changing Course Bulletin Board

When it comes to changing course, getting – and giving – support can mean the difference between wishful thinking and living your dream. Since 1997 when the Changing Course site went live I’ve offered visitors a forum where they could ask questions, offer advice, and generally receive and in return, give support to others seeking a more fulfilling work life.

Back then, I paid $800 for the original board software. At that time Changing Course wasn’t even making a profit. And visitor forums certainly aren’t profit centers. My website guy at the time thought I was crazy. But I made the investment because it was important to me that my 25,000 subscribers had some way to communicate with one another.

At last count we had over 500 registered users and over 1200 postings on a range wide range of topics related to the process of changing course. That is until a few months ago when the board suddenly “died.” There were features I liked about the old board and others I did not. So rather than try to invest time and money trying making the old board functional again, Lisa took on the task of looking around for a new board.

That’s when she found a free bulletin board at phpBB.com. It’s gotten great reviews from techies and is user-friendly. Out of the thousands of sites that use this particular board the endorsement that meant the most to me was that from friend and colleague Barbara Sher who reports that it works like a charm. If you’ve spent any time on Barbara’s board (BarbaraSher.com), which by the way has a wonderfully active community, then you have the added advantage of already being familiar with how things work.

Here some examples of just a few of the current forums:

“Work Arounds”: It’s impossible to talk about making any real work/life change without talking about the inevitable roadblocks. Like I’ve been telling readers for a decade now, get used to them because like fear, obstacles just go with the territory! The good news is, for every challenge there’s a way to work around it… or what I call “work arounds.” Here’s the place to ask for and to give advice and ideas for working around the inevitable challenges to changing course. For every obstacle you seek help for please return the favor and help troubleshoot a work around for someone else.

Cool Jobs: There’s no end to the fascinating ways to make a living without a j-o-b. Like the woman who helps grieving families conduct home funerals, the guy who helps artists, crafts people and other right brain creative type to juggle all the business details, or the guy who loved building sand castles as a child and now builds elaborate sand castles for corporate and other seaside events all over the world. Read about someone working at what they love? Hear about someone who created his or her own job niche or started an interesting business in your area? Inspire us with what you know!

Best Advice You Ever Heard: One of my all time favorite quotes is from opera diva Beverly Sills who said, “You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don’t try.” I often draw on Sills words to motivate me to go after my dreams. What’s the best advice you ever heard?

I Know What I Want to Do But I Don’t Know Where to Begin: Have a great idea but you aren’t sure how to launch it? This is the place to get and give suggestions on topics like how to get your first client, establishing yourself as an expert, financing your dream, getting the training, experience, or credentials you need, etc.

If you’re serious about your desire to create the life you really want, then please help to kick off the “all new and improved” Changing Course Bulletin Board by joining in on the important conversation about changing course!

p.s. And if you already have a website, or are thinking about starting an online business, why not get your visitors talking by setting up your own (and free!) bulletin board?

The purpose of life is to live a life of purpose. ~ Richard Leider

Workshop Update

Work At What You Love Workshop Update

When I suggested to Barbara Winter that we do a no-frills “Southwest Airlines” type workshop, it was with two goals in mind. First, by cutting down on expenses as much as possible, we could make the program financially accessible to more people. Second, I told Barbara, I had this crazy idea about shooting for 100 people – nearly double the attendance at past events. Without skipping a beat, Barbara said, “Let’s do it!” 

On a personal note, I know how incredibly “jazzed” I get at the thought of 100+ enthusiastic dreamers converging in one place (heck I’d have 1000 if I could). Well we beat my original goal. As of today we’re at whopping 113! For many it will be a family affair. We have more than one set of mothers and daughters, spouses and partners, and siblings.

Sure there are benefits to a small intimate group. But there are tremendous advantages to a big group as well. For example:

Safety in Numbers

No dream bashers will be in that room. I can guarantee not one person will roll their eyes, tell you to “get real,” or otherwise discourage you from dreaming big.

Inspiration in Numbers

Daily Show host Jon Stewart’s once quipped that “My big break for me was deciding that this is my life.” How can you not be inspired in the midst of dozens upon dozens of people who, like you, have also decided that this is their life and are actually doing something about it? Enthusiasm is positively contagious!

Information in Numbers

Whether there were 10 attendees or 110, you’d experience the same content, the same speakers, the same handouts, the same panelists. But the bigger the group, the greater the opportunity for that content to be brought to life through your connections and conversations with others. You’ll have the chance to connect with, hear from, talk to, ask questions of, network with, and generally learn from over 100 people from all over the country from California to Colorado, Texas to Tennessee and the world. This year we’ll be joined by attendees from Israel and Canada. 

Fun in Numbers

There are lots of great things to do here in the Pioneer Valley. If you’re traveling in alone, you may want to connect with other solo travelers to take in some of the local sites. The Work at What You Love Attendee forum on the new Changing Course Bulletin Board (ChangingCourse.com/forums.htm) is a great place to connect and make plans.

Northampton is not far from Amherst, where you can tour the home of Emily Dickenson (EmilyDickinsonMuseum.org). Ten miles north is Deerfield, home of both Historic Old Deerfield (Historic-Deerfield.org) and the Yankee Candle Factory (picture a mini-Disney World but with candles) (YankeeCandle.com). Continue up I91 North to the Mohawk Trail (MohawkTrail.com) to Shelburne Falls with its delightful Bridge of Flowers, fascinating glacial potholes, great restaurants and craft shops (ShelburneFalls.com).  

Keep heading west and you’ll come to the Berkshires. Home of such attractions as the 13-acre MASS MoCA (museum of contemporary art) housed in former factory buildings in North Adams(MassMOCA.org), the Norman Rockwell museum in Stockbridge(NRM.org), and the world-renowned performance venue Tanglewood, summer home of the Boston Pops and the Boston Symphony Orchestra which you can enjoy along while you picnic on the great lawn (on Sunday August 21st, there’s a Sunday afternoon concert with the Pops performing that evening) (Tanglewood.org).

If you are a historic building buff you’ll find a list of places to visit locally and in the Berkshires (one hour west) or Sturbridge (one hour east) at this New England tourism site (Visit-Massachusetts.com). 

If you never venture outside of downtown Northampton you’ll still find plenty to do. Check out NorthamptonUncommon.com and another site featuring local arts and entertainment (NorthamptonMa.gov). Downtown walking guides and other tourist literature will be available when you arrive.

If you happen to be bringing children they’ll love the train, pedal boats, bumper boats, miniature golf, water spray park, zoo (there’s also tennis and other activities for adults) at Look Park (LookPark.org). Or if you’re looking for something a bit wilder, Six Flags amusement park is a 35 minutes south (SixFlags.com). A Northampton resident and attendee named Dan was kind enough to make several additional excellent “what to see” suggestions on the Work at What You Attendee Love Bulletin Board.

You’ll also find posts from some of your fellow attendees. For example, Jami writes, “I feel I already have the mindset of working for myself or being my own boss, I'm finding in the last year, being around my corporate friends that they are really boring because they always revolve their lives around work. My thought is ‘I want to live life NOW, not later.’ I want to own my time schedule, and most importantly, want to make money for myself, not for someone else.”

Lori and her husband, John, wrote in to say that between them they have lots of ideas about what they want their new more fulfilling life to be about, adding, “It would be lovely, for once, to be in a community of people who find themselves dissatisfied with an existence that consists of 9-to-5 traditional work, lengthy commuting to a boring office environment, and overtaxed, overbooked living in the suburbs. All around us, people think it's OK to live this way. They have a right to think this way, but we aren't too happy with it.”

If you haven’t yet visited the Board to introduce yourself and say a little about yourself, I urge you to go there and do so now.

Don’t forget the special add-on workshop How to Turn Your Photos into Cash. Scroll down to the Workshops and Teleclasses section of the newsletter or visit ChangingCourse.com/courses.htm to learn more.

I hope you are as excited as Barbara and I are to be joining a community of enthusiastic dreamers all with one thing on their mind –quitting their job and getting a life! See you in a few weeks.

If you haven’t yet registered but want to join in on this informative, inspirational, and fun event it’s not too late. Learn more at ChangingCourse.com/workshop.htm.

It is not easy to find happiness in ourselves, and it is not possible to find it elsewhere. ~ Agnes Repplier

Compass

The Changing Course Newsletter
Copyright 2004
Lisa Tarrant, Editor
Valerie Young, Publisher
info@changingcourse.com
www.ChangingCourse.com
7 Ripley Road
Montague, MA 01351

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Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. ~ Thomas A. Edison

Guest Article

How Changing Your Focus Can Finally Get You What You Want!

By Laura Bryant

What do you choose to focus on during the day? Your future? The present? Fear and anxiety? Do you even know?

Your focus can impact your thoughts and actions. It can hinder your progress and keep you stuck or allow you to achieve amazing results. The key to getting what you want is to focus on: 1) What you want, not what you don’t AND 2) The present, not the mistakes you made yesterday or the life you want in the future

What You Want

What do you do? Do you concentrate on what you want and determine the actions that will help you get there? Or do you spend your time fixated on how to avoid what you don’t want?

Many of us spend our time and energy on what we don’t want and make decisions out of fear or avoidance. For example, you want to become financially independent. Yet, your fear of running out of money keeps you from investing it; keeps you in a low-paying, dead-end job; and keeps you from doing what is necessary to become independent. Your thoughts, actions, and even beliefs, when focused on the fear of losing your money, are completely different from the thoughts, actions, and beliefs you need to have to become financially independent.

Another perfect example is for those who want to lose weight. When you fixate on your weight, or how fat you are, or how much you don’t like your body, you make decisions that are different from those when focused on your health and treating your body with the respect it deserves. The same is true whenever you concentrate on what you don’t want.

The Present

The next key to getting what you want is to focus on the present. This doesn’t mean you can’t analyze what you did in the past to learn from your mistakes, or that you don’t want to set goals for your future. What it does mean is you want to concentrate your efforts on what you can do today, right now to meet your goals for the future. It’s easy to obsess about whether what you did yesterday will get you where you want to be or to daydream about the life you want, but doing that will keep you from what you need to do right now.

“…the future is created in the present.” Deepak Chopra

Action Exercise

1) If you haven’t done so previously, write out your goals.

2) Once you’re finished, make sure all of the goals are focused on what you want and not on what you don’t. For example, instead of writing, “I will not allow my paperwork to pile up on my desk,” you write, “I will organize my desk at the end of each day.”

3) Determine what you can do right now to meet your goals and get going! The right focus, with persistent, consistent action, will get you what you want.

About the Author

Laura K. Bryant is a speaker and author of, “Trust Yourself to Transform Your Body: A Woman’s Guide to Health and Weight Loss Without Diets.” She combined her over 20 years of interest and research in health and fitness, her passion for empowering women, and what she learned from her own 40-pound weight gain and subsequent loss to form her business, Inspire Fitness, designed to help women create their own customized plans to reach and maintain a healthy weight. Visit Laura at TrustYourselftoTransform.com.

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.
~ T.S. Eliot

Upcoming Workshops & Teleclasses

This Summer, Discover How to Replace Your Job With Work You Really Love… and Gain the Freedom, Flexibility,Work at What You Love Workshop, August 19-20, 2005 and Quality of Life You Deserve

  • Find out how you can escape the J-O-B box… and uncover a whole new world of possibilities.

  • Tap your wildest dreams... and create a step-by-step plan to make them happen right now...
  • Discover the powerful secret to turning almost anything into an alternative to a job...  
  • Highly successful entrepreneurs do it instinctively. Now you can, too. Learn powerful, proven techniques for transforming ideas into bankable income.

Work at What You Love:
The Life-Changing Workshop for
People Who Want to Quit Their Jobs and Get a Life

August 19-20, 2005
Northampton, Massachusetts

ChangingCourse.com/workshop.htm

Can You Take a Simple Picture?

If yes, you could make $200-$2,000 a week taking snapCan You Take a Simple Picture shots in your own backyard… on your family vacations… or anywhere in the world you care to travel.

You don't need fancy equipment. And you don't need to know a thing about photography to get started.

This August 20th-21st you'll learn first-hand just how easy it is to turn your snapshots into cash, and enjoy the freedom, independence, and travel that freelance photography delivers. All while you explore one of New England’s most enchanting cities.

Rich Wagner professional photographer, digital photography instructor, and frame shop owner (and a panelist at this summer’s Work at What You Love workshop) and Lori Appling, Director of the American Writers and Artists Institute’s Travel Writer program will be your instructors at this “fast track” condensed version of their popular 3+ day course The Ultimate Travel Photographer's Workshop.


Saturday August 20th from 5:00pm-7:30pm
Sunday, August 21st from 8:00am-5:00pm 
Northampton, Massachusetts

ChangingCourse.com/courses.htm

(*Note: You do NOT need to attend Work at What You Love to register for this special photography course.)

Compass
Names Can Bring Good Fortune

by Marcia Yudkin

Judging only from the name, which company comes across as more crisply efficient, Order Out of Chaos or Ockahochee Organizers, Inc.?

Which business seems more innovative, Kabloom or Finest Flowers?

Which consulting firm seems more dependable, RP&G Consulting Partners or Skyhunters Consulting?

A company name can influence perceptions - attracting or repelling not only customers but also media people and joint venture partners. It does so through these and other factors:

~ the style of the name
how the name comes across to the ear

~ the length of the name
the personality it conveys

~ any explicit or implicit message the words convey

~ echoes of famous names and expressions

~ associations of component words or syllables

~associations with a specific era, culture or locale

~its vagueness or specificity

A great name also must steer clear of unsavory reminders or implications. Adolf's Auction House would raise eyebrows in Europe or the U.S.

Fishkill is a respectable town in New York State, but the name Fishkill Florists suggests a regrettable juxtaposition.

Name wisely!

TEST YOUR WITS: Enter Marcia's "name this company" contest for the chance to win $100 and become a professional namer. It's fun! Please take a look and spread the word to friends who are irrepressibly creative:
TinyURL.com/cyxrq

Compass

  

Resources for a Change

What Television Star Ray Romano Loves Could Benefit You!

Fed up with your “status quo” of being stuck in a dead end career? Need some strong motivation to take action to change your situation? Then you might want to check out a great book, called “If Not Now… Then When? Stories and Strategies of People Over 40 Who Have Successfully Reinvented Themselves

It was written by reinvention expert, Peter J. Fogel (ReinventYourselfNow.com) who went from working as a late night television comedian on such popular programs as Evening At The Improv, Comic Strip Live,  Comedy on The Road, and Married With Children. You might’ve seen him… you just didn’t know his name. Peter went on to reinvent himself into an in demand advertising copywriter and speaker.

The book contains over 14 true-to-life stories of every day people like yourself who over came every obstacle imaginable and still went onto to reach their summit of success… after 40! It’s a fun read with lots of sound advice, tips, and strategies you can use right now! (In the spirit of self-disclosure Peter interviewed me and my entrepreneur brother-in-law Tony Phillips.)

If you need a “kick in the pants” to get yourself going, then I highly recommend it. Here’s what comedian Ray Romano from the sitcom hit Everybody Loves Raymond has to say about the book:

Peter Fogel’s If Not Now… Then When? is not only a book that’ll make you smile with its humor and heart, but will also inspire and show you how other ‘over 40’ folks took control of their own destiny and created a life of meaning through their reinvention. It’s a worthwhile book, and that’s coming from someone who doesn't like to read.”

Peter called to ask me for my help in promoting his book and now I’m asking for yours. If you help Peter make his book a #1 best seller on Amazon.com by July 29th he’ll reward you with over $1700 worth of free gifts designed to help you reach your goals faster. For more information go to ReinventYourselfNow.com/bonuses.htm and please do pass this message along to anyone who can benefit from it.