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The Power of Reinvention in Life and Work

Joanne Lipman
Mariner Books, 2023
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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Overview
  • Concrete Examples
  • Engaging

Recommendation

Whether your circumstances are forcing you into a career or life change, or you’re embracing transformation on your own, figuring out what’s next for you or your business doesn’t have to stress you out. Former Wall Street Journal reporter Joanne Lipman draws from decades of personal interviews and the latest scientific research to uncover the process of successful personal reinvention. Her guide offers inspirational, real life stories featuring people, such as Steve Jobs, and products, such as Play-Doh, as well as a practical, four-part strategy for change that can help smooth your next transition.

Summary

Major transitions tend to follow a four-part pattern.

At some point, most people stop dreaming about the different career paths they might follow. They grow up, graduate from college, get married, get promoted, maybe have kids and settle into a routine, even if it’s not what they once pictured for themselves. 

The global COVID pandemic prompted millions to rethink their careers. But even under normal circumstances, nearly everyone seriously considers pivoting to a new role at least once. However, even when your status quo feels less-than-fulfilling, the idea of transforming yourself, your career or your company can be daunting. How do those who change successfully make it work? While the shift may seem sudden, most significant changes happen incrementally. Regardless of the exact transformation a person’s career or a business undergoes, research and personal anecdotes reveal a common four-phase pattern:

  1. “Search” — In this information-gathering stage, you focus on a new area of interest, contemplate an alternate future path or identity, and let your curiosity lead you forward. 

About the Author

Veteran journalist Joanne Lipman led Condé Nast’s Portfolio and the Wall Street Journal’s Weekend Journal. She was editor-in-chief of USA Today and her publications won three Pulitzer Prizes during her tenure as Gannett’s Chief Content Officer. She is a frequent public speaker, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a journalism lecturer at Yale University. Lipman also wrote That’s What She Said and co-authored Strings Attached with Melanie Kupchynsky.

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