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Now is the Time to Do What You Love: How to Make the Career Move that Will Change Your Life
Millions of people hate their jobs. Nancy Whitney Reiter used to be one of them. After finding herself in the lobby of the World Trade Center on 9/11—and getting out safely—she quit. She spent a year traveling the world, figuring out who she really was and what she really wanted to do.
In this book, Reiter distills all she learned rebuilding her life in a practical, proactive approach you can use to make the same changes in your own life. After transforming the lives of hundreds of unhappy clients (and her own), she has truly perfected the art of personalizing her three-part system to meet the needs of every individual. You don’t have to travel the world or have a lot of resources; with Reiter’s unique comprehensive system—which recognizes you as an individual with unique circumstances—you can customize your career path to accommodate virtually any dream, regardless of budget.
Complete with checklists, quizzes, worksheets, and contributors’ success stories, you will find the advice and answers you need to embark on a new career tailored to your personal and professional goals. Whether a recent graduate, antsy thirty-something, or unfulfilled Baby Boomer, you have the guidebook necessary to make one of the biggest—and best!—decisions of your life.
In this book, Reiter distills all she learned rebuilding her life in a practical, proactive approach you can use to make the same changes in your own life. After transforming the lives of hundreds of unhappy clients (and her own), she has truly perfected the art of personalizing her three-part system to meet the needs of every individual. You don’t have to travel the world or have a lot of resources; with Reiter’s unique comprehensive system—which recognizes you as an individual with unique circumstances—you can customize your career path to accommodate virtually any dream, regardless of budget.
Complete with checklists, quizzes, worksheets, and contributors’ success stories, you will find the advice and answers you need to embark on a new career tailored to your personal and professional goals. Whether a recent graduate, antsy thirty-something, or unfulfilled Baby Boomer, you have the guidebook necessary to make one of the biggest—and best!—decisions of your life.
- GenresNonfiction
256 pages, Paperback
First published November 18, 2009
8 people are currently reading
29 people want to read
About the author
Nancy Whitney-Reiter
3 books2 followersNancy Whitney Reiter is a former economist and corporate market analyst. As a 9/11 survivor and Generation Xer, she found herself questioning the true meaning of success, and embarked on a year long travel sabbatical. Her travels took her to Costa Rica and South Africa, where she worked as a volunteer teacher and wildlife researcher. Thanks to this unhampered time of reflection, she decided to abandon the corporate lifestyle in order to pursue her true passions: nature, teaching, and writing.
Nancy Whitney Reiter has a BS in Economics and International Studies from University of South Florida. She also has a MA in Economics from University of South Florida. She currently resides in northern Arizona, near Prescott. Her website is www.unplugyourhead.com.
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Nancy Whitney Reiter has a BS in Economics and International Studies from University of South Florida. She also has a MA in Economics from University of South Florida. She currently resides in northern Arizona, near Prescott. Her website is www.unplugyourhead.com.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 2, 2021
Timely then, timely now
Nancy's book should perhaps be looked at again as so many of us have been thrust into new and changing g circumstances. At times anodynic it is overall a practical and useful tool to examine and consider life decisions.
Nancy's book should perhaps be looked at again as so many of us have been thrust into new and changing g circumstances. At times anodynic it is overall a practical and useful tool to examine and consider life decisions.
June 7, 2022
I skimmed a lot that didn't apply to my situation, but the book is kind of set up that way.
January 16, 2010
Picture this: Joe, a fry cook in Gainesville, Florida, wows his family and friends with his Chesapeake Bay Wild Striped Bass and Braised Short Ribs on evenings and weekends. After dreaming of opening a restaurant "somewhere near the Big Sur," he sells his house, packs his family into a car and heads for California. Joe will learn the multiple definitions of "nightmare" and "disaster" before year's end.
Or picture this: Joyce, who lives in Decatur, Illinois, has always loved children. She's wondered for years whether to become a teacher or open a daycare center once her own children leave the nest. But she keeps waiting for some future moment when her world is more settled, ensuring that "what night have been" will remain "what never was."
Dreams, some say, will take up as much space as we allow. According to Nancy Whitney-Reiter, most of us spend our careers trying to achieve success as it's defined by others rather than proactively following our dreams and doing what we love. Yet, "Now is the time to do what you love" makes clear that ill-defined career-change goals may remain pipe dreams if we take no action or may become nightmares when we fail to consider realities and create a comprehensive plan.
After establishing the rationale for changing careers sooner rather than later, Whitney-Reiter leads readers through a frank assessment of exactly how their dream jobs will impact that lives, their emotions, their finances, their physical condition and their families. She includes pros and cons, examples, reality checks and "Is-It-Worth-It?" checklists.
When considering finances, for example, the checklist includes such statements as "I am willing to invest a significant amount of time on understanding and improving my financial picture" and "I understand that my expenses might actually rise during my transition between careers." If one doesn't agree with such statements, s/he may face roadblocks to his or her success.
After successfully working through the advice and checklists in part one, part two leads career-change dreamers into "Taking the Plunge." To avoid the financial and emotional nightmare of becoming trapped in a new career that doesn't meet expectations, one should make a sound written plan and find various ways for trying on the proposed career to see if it fits.
"Jumping into a new career," says Whitney-Reiter, "is akin to jumping into an unknown river. It may look beautiful and inviting from a distance, but you really have no idea what it's like until you become immersed in it. Sticking your big toe in--taking a trial run--allows you the opportunity to test the waters first."
Part three analyzes the realities and requirements of popular career and second-career choices, including converting hobbies into money-making opportunities, leading travel groups, teaching and care-giving, social work, public speaking, nonprofits, real estate and law enforcement. Those considering these careers will find options, laws, certifications and other vital specifics. Others may discover a career they hadn't yet thought of and/or sound examples of the kinds of considerations any new career includes.
Immensely well organized and practical, "Now is the time to do what you love" is the perfect companion for anyone who is dissatisfied with their current career and/or who is considering a second career after they retire from the first. To become viable realities, dreams require work. Whitney-Reiter's experience, research and interviews show those ready to take the journey the important milestones to leaving a job that's just a job and entering a fulfilling career doing that makes them personally feel successful and happy. The book is a very wise dream catcher.
Or picture this: Joyce, who lives in Decatur, Illinois, has always loved children. She's wondered for years whether to become a teacher or open a daycare center once her own children leave the nest. But she keeps waiting for some future moment when her world is more settled, ensuring that "what night have been" will remain "what never was."
Dreams, some say, will take up as much space as we allow. According to Nancy Whitney-Reiter, most of us spend our careers trying to achieve success as it's defined by others rather than proactively following our dreams and doing what we love. Yet, "Now is the time to do what you love" makes clear that ill-defined career-change goals may remain pipe dreams if we take no action or may become nightmares when we fail to consider realities and create a comprehensive plan.
After establishing the rationale for changing careers sooner rather than later, Whitney-Reiter leads readers through a frank assessment of exactly how their dream jobs will impact that lives, their emotions, their finances, their physical condition and their families. She includes pros and cons, examples, reality checks and "Is-It-Worth-It?" checklists.
When considering finances, for example, the checklist includes such statements as "I am willing to invest a significant amount of time on understanding and improving my financial picture" and "I understand that my expenses might actually rise during my transition between careers." If one doesn't agree with such statements, s/he may face roadblocks to his or her success.
After successfully working through the advice and checklists in part one, part two leads career-change dreamers into "Taking the Plunge." To avoid the financial and emotional nightmare of becoming trapped in a new career that doesn't meet expectations, one should make a sound written plan and find various ways for trying on the proposed career to see if it fits.
"Jumping into a new career," says Whitney-Reiter, "is akin to jumping into an unknown river. It may look beautiful and inviting from a distance, but you really have no idea what it's like until you become immersed in it. Sticking your big toe in--taking a trial run--allows you the opportunity to test the waters first."
Part three analyzes the realities and requirements of popular career and second-career choices, including converting hobbies into money-making opportunities, leading travel groups, teaching and care-giving, social work, public speaking, nonprofits, real estate and law enforcement. Those considering these careers will find options, laws, certifications and other vital specifics. Others may discover a career they hadn't yet thought of and/or sound examples of the kinds of considerations any new career includes.
Immensely well organized and practical, "Now is the time to do what you love" is the perfect companion for anyone who is dissatisfied with their current career and/or who is considering a second career after they retire from the first. To become viable realities, dreams require work. Whitney-Reiter's experience, research and interviews show those ready to take the journey the important milestones to leaving a job that's just a job and entering a fulfilling career doing that makes them personally feel successful and happy. The book is a very wise dream catcher.
February 11, 2012
I guess I am just so desperate career wise right now that I thought I would pick up a book and it would change my life. Well, it pretty much said everything must of us would already think about. Make sure you can do it financially, realize that it's going to be a lot of work and it's going to stress you out at first. However, the hard work will be worth it in the long run, but just to be safe, don't quit your day job.
Then the rest of the pages are filled with specific examples of careers and plans. But if your desired career is not in there, you just have to pick the closest and muddle through.
It was helpful and maybe a more practical person would find it useful. But I'm a dreamer and it was not the miracle I was hoping for.
Then the rest of the pages are filled with specific examples of careers and plans. But if your desired career is not in there, you just have to pick the closest and muddle through.
It was helpful and maybe a more practical person would find it useful. But I'm a dreamer and it was not the miracle I was hoping for.
January 5, 2015
Good information. One editing error where her paragraph re converting hobby to career was also in the teaching section. Love the closing quote from Wayne Gretzky "Procrastination is one of the most common and deadliest of diseases and its toll on success and happiness is heavy.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews