Second Acts

by Stephen M. Pollan, Mark Levine

"Second Acts" is a guide to reinventing your life. Whether you wish to change careers, move to a more desirable part of the country, start a business, write a novel, or drop everything to pursue a life dream, Stephen Pollan offers a powerful message ofhope and guidance that has benefited his own clients.

Through a series of exercises, you will develop a comprehensive "script" for your second act--a step-by-step action plan that will lead you to the life you've always wanted.

Genres: Nonfiction

272 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 24, 2002

Reviews

[Diane · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book falls into the "not quite what I expected category" and turned out to be a disappointing read. Second Acts outlines a series of thought and awareness exercises designed to help the reader look deep into themselves to discover their motivational triggers, then design an action plan to make their desires a reality over years, if needed. Peppered throughout each chapter are examples of famous people who achieved their dreams in one or more "second acts." Having spent my career creating strategies, project plans and executing against them, this book was a slightly different twist on the same thing. I dutifully completed the activities as I believe there is always something to be learned. I had to dig for it and it was still - a yawn.

[Marci Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, this is a good book. The author gives quite a few examples of people who have either completely changed their life or decided that their life needed to be revived in someway. He takes you through all of the steps you would need to create your second act in life. He also gives The story behind his own personal history how inadvertently changed his own life. He also includes quite a few exercises to help people figure out what that new path might be. Although I did not complete the exercises, I read through them to gain an understanding of what needs to be done.

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book many years ago and I remember starting it and realizing it wasn't what I was looking for at that time. Now that I have irrevocably committed to my own second act, I found this book on my shelf. Reading it through, I find that I instinctively followed several of the exercises outlined here. However, I do wish I had referred to this book 2 years ago as I missed out several important steps.

[Malin Friess · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is filled with lots of platitudes..(building the career you truly desire)...so to me it came across as an all-too-common self-help book. Pollan writes a much better book...Die Broke (with specific recommendations about retirement).

2 stars for Second Acts.

[Cory · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good stuff in here.

[Lori Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

A should-read book on how to have passion in work.

[Mckinley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Planning for a 2nd career - what you really want to do now, figuring it out, what might be barriers, ending with putting it all together.

[Stacey James · Rating 5 out of 5]

No need to hire an expensive life coach if you read this book. An excellent resource to help you unlock your next career!

[Angela · Rating 2 out of 5]

Same old same old... With more details.