What do you think?
Rate this book
The Art of Reinvention: How to Redesign Your Work, Life and Identity
Just lost your job? Or still stuck in a role that no longer fits? Don’t rush into the next one.
You did everything right. Good education. Good job. A life that looks good from the outside.
Then the reorg came. Or the AI cut. Or you finally realize you cannot do this for another 20 years.
But without the job, you’re not sure who you are anymore.
Everyone has the same advice. Update your resume. Apply for a similar role. Take the first good offer.
So you do. And six months later you feel exactly the same, just at a different company.
The Art of Reinvention shows you how to stop long enough to figure out what you actually want. And build your life around it.
Ken Hellem has done this four times. He worked at Google, built startups, and was a Chief People Officer. He was also fired twice. Today he helps mid-career professionals figure out what comes next.
Inside you’ll find The Five Stages of Reinvention, with 18 practical
name what is no longer working, without blowing up your life find out what you’re good at and what matters to you nowGet have conversations that show you what excites you and open new doors test new directions with small, real-world experiments before you commit decide who you want to be, and start living accordinglyThis isn’t a book about quitting your job or finding your one true passion. It’s a practical guide to building a career and a life that match who you are now.
Read it before you send your next application.
You did everything right. Good education. Good job. A life that looks good from the outside.
Then the reorg came. Or the AI cut. Or you finally realize you cannot do this for another 20 years.
But without the job, you’re not sure who you are anymore.
Everyone has the same advice. Update your resume. Apply for a similar role. Take the first good offer.
So you do. And six months later you feel exactly the same, just at a different company.
The Art of Reinvention shows you how to stop long enough to figure out what you actually want. And build your life around it.
Ken Hellem has done this four times. He worked at Google, built startups, and was a Chief People Officer. He was also fired twice. Today he helps mid-career professionals figure out what comes next.
Inside you’ll find The Five Stages of Reinvention, with 18 practical
name what is no longer working, without blowing up your life find out what you’re good at and what matters to you nowGet have conversations that show you what excites you and open new doors test new directions with small, real-world experiments before you commit decide who you want to be, and start living accordinglyThis isn’t a book about quitting your job or finding your one true passion. It’s a practical guide to building a career and a life that match who you are now.
Read it before you send your next application.
239 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 29, 2026
About the author
Ken Hellem
1 book2 followersKen Hellem is a coach and the author of The Art of Reinvention. He worked at Accenture, GE, Google and Oracle, built startups, and got fired twice. Now he helps mid-career professionals redesign their work, life and identity. He lives near Málaga, Spain.
The Art of Reinvention is out now in paperback, hardcover and Kindle: kenhellem.com/book
The Art of Reinvention is out now in paperback, hardcover and Kindle: kenhellem.com/book
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
I got a free copy of this book from the author, and it arrived just in time when I was in between jobs.
What I loved about the book is that it doesn’t push you to change or to “achieve the perfect state at work and in your life”. Instead, it gently takes you through examples of real people (including the author) and tools that can help you shape both - the scope and depth of the change YOU need. You don’t feel overwhelmed by “what you have to do”, as you often do with other books, but you get a step-by-step guide that you can follow at your own pace and return to later when you’re more ready for some of the exercises.
I would recommend this book to those who feel that something is not right, but can’t actually say what it is. As well as to those who are curious how to approach the change in the most organic way.
I’m still in the process of reading it and it’s taking me a bit longer than expected because it makes me rethink some aspect of my work and life - see it in a different light. It’s not always easy, but it’s definitely worth it!
What I loved about the book is that it doesn’t push you to change or to “achieve the perfect state at work and in your life”. Instead, it gently takes you through examples of real people (including the author) and tools that can help you shape both - the scope and depth of the change YOU need. You don’t feel overwhelmed by “what you have to do”, as you often do with other books, but you get a step-by-step guide that you can follow at your own pace and return to later when you’re more ready for some of the exercises.
I would recommend this book to those who feel that something is not right, but can’t actually say what it is. As well as to those who are curious how to approach the change in the most organic way.
I’m still in the process of reading it and it’s taking me a bit longer than expected because it makes me rethink some aspect of my work and life - see it in a different light. It’s not always easy, but it’s definitely worth it!
September 29, 2026
Art of Reinvention is a step-by-step guide for professionals who feel unsatisfied or stuck in their current identity and feel the need to look for a more meaningful working experience. On the one hand, it feels like a workbook where you are requested to actively provide and write down your feelings, behavior, and attitudes rather than just reading passive advice or asking you to follow a specific rigid path. On the other hand, it helps you connect with the stories, doubts, and triumphs of real people, including the author himself, who have gone through similar struggles. This book will be a valuable compass for the present generation of working people.
I received an early copy of the book
I received an early copy of the book
September 29, 2026
What I love about this book is the idea that we don’t have to limit ourselves to one version of who we are. The idea of “living ten lifetimes in one” really resonated with me. I’ve always felt there is so much I want to experience, learn, and become that one lifetime sometimes feels too small. This book reminded me that reinventing yourself isn’t about leaving your past behind, but allowing yourself to keep growing and discovering new versions of yourself.
September 29, 2026
I got an early copy of this book from the author and it was cool being one of the first to read it.
I liked this book a lot. It's an easy read, makes you stop and reflect and somehow feels very relatable. I especially enjoyed the method of having tasks to do along the way. I definitely came away with ideas I will apply in my own life and would recommend this book to anyone considering a change or reinvention in their life.
I liked this book a lot. It's an easy read, makes you stop and reflect and somehow feels very relatable. I especially enjoyed the method of having tasks to do along the way. I definitely came away with ideas I will apply in my own life and would recommend this book to anyone considering a change or reinvention in their life.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews