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Roadtrip Nation: A Guide to Discovering Your Path in Life
SO WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO WITH YOUR LIFE?
“You should be a lawyer, a doctor, an accountant, a consultant, blah, blah, blah. Everywhere you turn people try to tell you who to be and what to do with your life. We call that the noise. Block it. Shed it. Leave it for the conformists. As a generation, we need to get back to focusing on individuality. Self-construction rather than mass production. Define your own road in life instead of traveling down someone else’s. Listen to yourself. Your road is the open road. Find it.”—Mike and Nathan
*****
After college Mike Marriner and Nathan Gebhard had no idea what to do with their lives. All they’d been exposed to were standard career paths like doctor and consultant—roads that didn’t fit them at all.
To see what else was out there they took a roadtrip across the nation in a huge forty-foot RV to meet with people who had successfully defined their own paths in life—including the chairman of Starbucks; a lobsterman from Maine; the director of Saturday Night Live ; the conductor of the Boston Philharmonic; the first female Supreme Court Justice of the United States; head stylist for Madonna; and the CEO of National Geographic Ventures. All told, one hundred and forty people candidly shared their stories about how they got from college to the present. Now in Roadtrip Nation , Mike and Nathan share the most compelling tales with you.
Along the way, they explain how you, too, can get out there and meet people on your own. From making cold calls to asking stimulating interview questions, Roadtrip Nation will give you the tools to create a life that you’ll look back on and “I was true to myself every step of the way.”
“You should be a lawyer, a doctor, an accountant, a consultant, blah, blah, blah. Everywhere you turn people try to tell you who to be and what to do with your life. We call that the noise. Block it. Shed it. Leave it for the conformists. As a generation, we need to get back to focusing on individuality. Self-construction rather than mass production. Define your own road in life instead of traveling down someone else’s. Listen to yourself. Your road is the open road. Find it.”—Mike and Nathan
*****
After college Mike Marriner and Nathan Gebhard had no idea what to do with their lives. All they’d been exposed to were standard career paths like doctor and consultant—roads that didn’t fit them at all.
To see what else was out there they took a roadtrip across the nation in a huge forty-foot RV to meet with people who had successfully defined their own paths in life—including the chairman of Starbucks; a lobsterman from Maine; the director of Saturday Night Live ; the conductor of the Boston Philharmonic; the first female Supreme Court Justice of the United States; head stylist for Madonna; and the CEO of National Geographic Ventures. All told, one hundred and forty people candidly shared their stories about how they got from college to the present. Now in Roadtrip Nation , Mike and Nathan share the most compelling tales with you.
Along the way, they explain how you, too, can get out there and meet people on your own. From making cold calls to asking stimulating interview questions, Roadtrip Nation will give you the tools to create a life that you’ll look back on and “I was true to myself every step of the way.”
304 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2003
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172 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
March 8, 2007
This book was entirely inspirational for me at a point where I had moved to a new city, couldn't find a job and had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. Not that it gave me an answer, but it inspired me to get out there and learn about the many different paths people can take to get where they are. A must-read for any recent college grad, or anyone who's in a career slump.
September 20, 2008
So far this has been a great book. It's a little "get fired up!"-y, but mainly it's just a collection of successful people with nontraditional careers and I like to hear what they have to say. This is a great book for anyone who needs reasurrance that following an atypical path can lead to results, or anyone who is looking to change their career.
March 7, 2024
Roadtrip Nation is an inspiring journey through the lives of individuals who were brave enough to carve their paths. Through insightful interviews and captivating stories, it navigates the roads less traveled, showing readers that there's more than one route to success. With themes of resilience, passion, and self-discovery, this book is a roadmap for anyone seeking fulfillment beyond the beaten path.
October 24, 2019
Pretty good book really enjoyed reading it!
May 1, 2007
For those who'd lost their way in this cold, harsh city jungle, this book will rekindle your passion and help you stay true to your dream. of course, not all of us are that fortunate to have a dream to begin with; many are just living our lives aimlessly amid dire existential angst. All our lives we'd worked hard, studied hard, done the stuffs our society, our parents, our peers deem right and respectful. And yet, we still feel hollow at heart, as if we'd merely live out the lives and hopes of others but not ourselves...
This book has something to tell: if you cant sort out ur passion any time soon, then commit to whatever you enjoy doing NOW. Do the things you love NOW and gradually stuffs would happen along the way and open the paths to many more. It may not seem much in the beginning, and many would oppose you. But remm this: it is one giant step away from CONFORMITY. One Life, Live it your way, cos if you don't others will live for you. This is one amongst many important lessons i learned reading this book.
This book has something to tell: if you cant sort out ur passion any time soon, then commit to whatever you enjoy doing NOW. Do the things you love NOW and gradually stuffs would happen along the way and open the paths to many more. It may not seem much in the beginning, and many would oppose you. But remm this: it is one giant step away from CONFORMITY. One Life, Live it your way, cos if you don't others will live for you. This is one amongst many important lessons i learned reading this book.
January 24, 2012
Two guys just out of college without a real clue about what they want to do next drive around the country in a big ol' RV and interview people with cool-sounding jobs to find out how they ended up with said jobs.
I (of course) was hoping i might get inspiration for my own career path. and while none of the jobs described particularly excite me, there may yet be flashes of inspiration if i ponder them a little more. which i plan to do. mainly there seemed to be a lot of advice to follow your passions. to which i say: hell, if i knew what my passion was, my life would be a whole lot different already. ;)
so is it a brilliant career advice book? nah. it mainly has advice you've already heard before, but who knows? maybe hearing it again will jog something in my mind, and then it will certainly have been worth it.
I (of course) was hoping i might get inspiration for my own career path. and while none of the jobs described particularly excite me, there may yet be flashes of inspiration if i ponder them a little more. which i plan to do. mainly there seemed to be a lot of advice to follow your passions. to which i say: hell, if i knew what my passion was, my life would be a whole lot different already. ;)
so is it a brilliant career advice book? nah. it mainly has advice you've already heard before, but who knows? maybe hearing it again will jog something in my mind, and then it will certainly have been worth it.
March 28, 2011
Very encouraging and inspiring, however, I hoped for less interviews and more tips for the confused and scared college student (like myself). I guess what I'm saying is the interviews were nice, but I wanted a more intimate tone (like they began to give and ended with) from the authors, not just a series of how these people have succeeded in their lives.
Having said that, I definitely love these guys for having done this. And perfect timing! I'm going through career choice fears right now and it was extremely comforting to have these guys tell me everything will be ok - it is far from too late. Every college student needs to read this before deciding on a major.
Side note - My favorite interview was Manny the Lobsterman's. :)
Having said that, I definitely love these guys for having done this. And perfect timing! I'm going through career choice fears right now and it was extremely comforting to have these guys tell me everything will be ok - it is far from too late. Every college student needs to read this before deciding on a major.
Side note - My favorite interview was Manny the Lobsterman's. :)
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April 24, 2008Inspirational entrepreneurial stories: While promoted as a guide for college graduates, this book is truly an entrepreneurial bible for every age. Rather than delivering stale status reports from founders of companies like Barnes & Noble, Starbucks and Dell, you'll learn what drove these visionaries to buck the system, overcome objections, and follow their passions. For anyone who has ever woken up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night and thought "what the heck am I doing with my life?" keep this book by your bedside and your dreams at the forefront.
February 26, 2011
Two surf bums from a Southern California university set off to interview successful people with a wide variety of career paths, in the interest of exposing themselves to jobs they haven't considered.
Each of the interviews is summarized in 2-3 pages, so you don't learn too much about the details, and most of the subjects are male corporate executives, but it's still interesting exposure to fields that the average person may not be aware of, and some comforting tales that going a non-traditional or artistic route doesn't necessary mean ending up broke.
Each of the interviews is summarized in 2-3 pages, so you don't learn too much about the details, and most of the subjects are male corporate executives, but it's still interesting exposure to fields that the average person may not be aware of, and some comforting tales that going a non-traditional or artistic route doesn't necessary mean ending up broke.
November 15, 2008
Very inspiring - makes you think differently about your own life and your career path. I was very intrigued by the stories of top CEOs and founders of companies like Dell, Cliff bars, Nantucket Nectars, and Nike to learn the path they took to get to where they are today. Makes you believe in dreaming big and focusing on what you are passionate about - and having the faith that the money will follow.
November 22, 2011
This book is so easy to read because the chapters are short and each one focuses on a different person. I read this right after college, when I wasn't sure about what I was going to do with myself. Hearing other people's stories not only inspired me, but made me feel like I was normal for not knowing exactly what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Plus, it's a fun read and the characters are extremely likeable.
January 22, 2015
Besides being quite inspirational, this book also helped to distract me during the rough times on our disastrous rv trip. It's a series of interviews with a huge variety of individuals. They are each asked to describe their own "road trip" towards where they are now. For me it was a great reminder that I can accomplish anything at any age if I just pay attention to the road of life and learn at every stop.
September 30, 2007
I found the documentary series on PBS late one Saturday night and became intrigued. College students trying to figure out their futures by interviewing successful busines folks. Amazing. The dude from Cartoon Network is my kindred spirit. If you drive past a crew digging a ditch and think you would rather do that than go to work, then it's time for a new job.
June 9, 2012
Great book - currently using this for a First Year Seminar curriculum and student group projects to learn more about major and career options. Great examples and videos linking to topics for my students in media, journalism and business, and great "how to" go about interviewing and connecting with professionals at the end of the book.
March 15, 2013
Inspiring(!) is the word that comes to mind! Made me want to run right out and conquer the world! The title's a little misleading and it's certainly not high caliber writing, but what it lacks in structure it more than makes up for in motivation. Hell, it's simplicity is what makes it so honestly accessable to everyone!
August 18, 2009
Good topic, good information, stupidly repetitive. 75% of the book is famous people saying not to get tied down early and to do what you want to do, the money will follow. Great. It felt good to read the first 10 people saying it, the next 10 not so much.
April 11, 2012
Awesome book for people who refuse to lead cookie-cutter lives; and instead, want to pave their own unconventional path. Chock full of motivating inspiration and practical information, which is presented in 100 or so profiles/interviews of some amazing, pioneering people.
January 11, 2008
I could read this book over and over. I love it
January 26, 2008
Wow, how did these people get such cool jobs? Book details the journeys of people who broke into lucrative work and became well known after personal introspection and extreme moxie
March 26, 2008
Very good. If we could all be so successful as the people interviewed.
Want to read
April 3, 2008Kevin Carroll recommended.
October 21, 2008
One of the most useful, inspiring book I've ever read. Anyone in the job search needs to read this book!
September 9, 2010
Good for young adults who don't know what to do after high school/college.
August 12, 2013
I think if I had read this during college, or had known about the documentary and blog, it would've resonated deeper with me than it did.
November 18, 2015
The book is great. The PBS series and website are even better. A must for every Career Counselor or Life Coach.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews