別做熱愛的事，要做真實的自己

by Ashley Stahl, 何玉方 (Translator), 陳筱宛 (Translator)

If you're thinking about buying this book, it's probably because it feels like something's missing in your career.

Guess what? It could be YOU .

Whether you're living for the weekends or counting the minutes until 5 pm every day, life is too short to wish it away because you feel stuck in your job. The good news is that you have the power to stop living on autopilot and turn your career around.

"Follow your passion," "find your purpose," and "do what you love" have joined the parade of bland directives that aren't doing much to actually help you figure out what you're meant to do with your career. Instead, they only create more confusion. If all we had to do is "follow our bliss" . . . why aren't we blissful yet? The truth is, the best career is not one where you only do what you love, but one where you honor who you are.

In You Turn , counterterrorism professional turned career coach Ashley Stahl shares the strategies she's used to help thousands ditch their Monday blues, get clarity on what work lights them up, and devise an action plan to create a career they love.

This book gives readers access to Stahl's coveted 11-step roadmap that has guided thousands of coaching clients in 31 countries to self-discovery and success. Throughout her process, you'll:

   • Discover your Core Skillset. Uncover your gifts and talents to create an intentional career path that's fulfilling and aligned with who you are—and what you're good at.
   • Understand your "Inner Money Blueprint." Discover the root of your money mindset, and how to break free of financial limitation.
   • Clarify your Core Interests. Identify the difference between a passion, gift, and calling so you can get clear on what's meant to be a hobby-and what's meant to be a career!
   • Become your own coach. Walk away with a unique set of tools for staying true to your best self in times of stress, frustration, or anxiety.

Whether you're considering a career pivot, or just curious about what else is possible for you, it's time to make a "you turn"—to get unstuck, discover your true self, and thrive (not just survive) in your career.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction, Business, Personal Development, Audiobook, Professional Development, Personal Growth

368 pages, Paperback

First published January 26, 2021

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't one-star books very often, because I rarely finish anything that's not shaping up to be a 5-star read, and I have a ton of respect for authors' hard work, so I almost never feel the need to openly one-star. Which is why I should start by saying that this book is very well written, engaging, and energizing. The reason I do not recommend buying it is because it is a nonfiction book that contradicts its own message in a major way. It's not until the end of the book that you find that following these principles led its author into utter bankruptcy and LEAVING her career as a career counselor, which is the expert platform upon which she stands to write the book.

My favorite part about this book is when it doesn't advise things like "follow your passion" but instead blends authenticity and practicality by leading you to identifying the core skill set you tend to use no matter what job you're in, and also identifying the core values that are (really, honestly) the most important to you in a job. So blending what you do well with your deal breakers, but conceptualizing that in a new and interesting way that also encourages you to find a place that inspires you and isn't just a successful job for success or money's sake. That's all fine and good.

However. What you don't find until the end of the book is that the author followed all her own principles, and it landed her a half million dollars in debt to Facebook ads. She then lost her house, had to move back in with her parents, realized that she didn't want to be a career counselor selling online courses (which is the expert platform displayed on the back of the book) and wanted to be a poet instead. She says 'the world wants actual you, not what you think you SHOULD be' but writes that from a position of not having yet tried to make a living as a poet, which is what she's identified as the real self the world wants from her. All this is fine, and she has the right to pursue that career path...except that you've just bought the book on the idea that her method WORKS and does not leave you bankrupt and desiring a career switch AWAY from what you "YouTurned into as your most authentic life."

In her defense, Facebook ads and Amazon ads are bankruptcy machines. Because they favor people whose ad spend is higher, they incentivize you to spend more money BEFORE your ads are profitable. I've fallen into the same trap, but quit at the $20 spend mark, rather than spending more to see if the algorithm would then change to make me more money than I was spending. The author doubled down and ended up very far in debt. She did make the $5 million in revenue she advertises in the book. But she apparently lost MORE than that, which is what happens to many people with these online ads. That means, all the principles she tells you of putting yourself out there a lot and luck waiting around every corner...those are true, but none of them matter if you don't turn off your ad spend when you realize you're spending more than you're making. Many, many businesses had to spend big to get to a tipping point of being profitable. But if you can't afford to lose that money, please, please don't buy this book and "bet on yourself" and lose money you don't have chasing your most authentic life.

I do believe in being authentic and paying attention to what inspires you...as long as you can pay your rent.

I think many of the ideas in this book are useful, and inspiring, but I would urge caution when following the business methodology espoused by someone for whom it has not worked out. In the end of the book, she spins it as a win because she got this book deal, but I can assure you this book did not pay off her half million dollars in debt.

Again, this is a nicely written book and I appreciate the author's honesty about parts of her story and I believe she means well, but it is false marketing and you could easily listen to the positive spin and not realize the story beneath does not support its own principles. Read it for the help in identifying your own career strengths and deal-breakers, but please do not "believe in yourself" to the tune of going into debt and losing your home to bet on your further career when you cannot afford to.

[Melina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the practical exercises at the end of the chapters, they prompted me to take notes and spend some quality time self reflecting. But I wish there was a heavier skew towards those exercises and less content about her life anecdotes. I found myself trying to squeeze out as much as I could out of a paragraph about core skills (there were a grand total of 2 sentences about the ‘analytical’ core skill which is hardly enough content for someone to pick apart when they’re trying to figure out what’s their primary and secondary core skill); while skipping/skimming several long pages about an anecdote of her connecting with people on her way to a networking event in DC.

I found her own stories to be pedantic and irrelevant at times, and she spent way more time talking about herself and how accomplished (yet unhappy) she was, than she did helping us discover ourselves.

[Caro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unless you want to hear the gag-worthy tale of a financially entitled childhood, fiscal irresponsibility, and a job searching formula that only applies to extroverts, burn or don’t bother hitting purchase on this title. If you’re entitled enough that you won’t notice these aspects, by all means, read away.

[Andrew Puccetti · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I jumped into You Turn, I thought it would be a typical career advice book… but what I got was so much more. I walked away from this book with an entirely new mindset and perspective not only on my career, but on my life. I’ll never see the world in the same way again… in a good way!

If you hate your job, feel stuck, want to change industries, or hope to change your entire career mindset, this is the book for you. Even if you love your job and want to stay where you are, reading You Turn is still totally worth it, because it’ll crush your limiting beliefs and redefine the limits of what you believe is possible.

I can go on about this book all day.

[Grace · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book a little confusing... On the one hand, there's a lot of information, particularly in regards to the practical exercises at the end of each chapter that seem really helpful in gaining clarity around the kind of work and career you should be striving for, particularly if you're feeling stuck on that. But then there were so many very specific personal anecdotes that end with author losing everything, including her business, which isn't exactly inspiring, particularly because the author totally drops the ball on the come-back/follow-up after that disaster. It felt unfinished and a very weird note to end the book on. I also just did not at all vibe with the writing style--she kept going on about how her gift is words, which I did not personally find to be the case. The writing often felt repetitive and with a lot of that instagram girl!boss energy that I find extremely off-putting. And TBH, I'd have been even more put-off if this had been written by a man, so I truly don't think it's a case of me hating on another woman, I just didn't really feel like her humble-brag anecdotes were always actually that relevant.... I also felt a little frustrated because her "advice" was very largely networking based, and she didn't seem to have any interest or ability to help people for which that kind of thing is super difficult and unnatural for--I can appreciate and understand the importance of it, and it's still super counter to my nature in a way that doesn't make it a really viable option, and I wish she'd addressed that because I'm certainly not the only one and it left me feeling a little alienated by the approach.

IDK, it's worth a skim for the exercises at the end of chapters if you're thinking of a career pivot, but otherwise, I didn't find it that helpful.

[Maggie Stephens · Rating 3 out of 5]

First half had some legitimately good and encouraging advice but the second half got very personal and bogged-down.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one just wasn’t for me.

A lot of information I knew through my own journey so that’s part of the low rating-I didn’t learn anything insightful to help in my journey.

The other reason for the rating is because it was a lot of backstory and not a lot of meat to the book. I want to just get in and out with the information. I don’t need a 20 page story to understand why you made the decisions you made. I really just want the meat.

All in all, it’s a good book for someone just starting on their journey of happiness in career. I think this would have helped me many years ago. Unfortunately, just not for me in my current season of life.

[Kayla Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book changed my life. I had been unhappy in my corporate job for two years but had no idea where to go or what I wanted to do next so I stayed. And unfortunately, because of that, I sunk into a depression which led to me taking a leave from work. During that time, a friend had recommended this book to me and it resonated with me to the core.

Ashley provided me with the steps and tools I needed to discover my core skill set, values and essence, and most importantly self worth. Because of that, I quit that shitty job and now have what I need to acquire a job that is best suited to me. I'm freaking excited and myself again because of this book!

[Najat Alheela · Rating 1 out of 5]

يطرح الكتاب مشكلة ربما قد تكون موجودة بالفعل، والكاتبة تختص بحديثها هنا بشأن المهن تحديدًا (يعني واحد يشتغل شغلة ومبتلش في شغلته وما يشوفها تعكس شخصيته أو نموه الشخصي ويشوف نفسه عالق فيها وتعيس بس اللي يخليه متردد من تركها على سبيل المثال ان شلون راح يتصرف بدون عائد مادي بعد ذلك وشلون راح يواجه المجتمع جراء هذا القرار اللي أقل شي راح ينقال عنه انه غبي، المهم هذا ما تريد الكاتبة بالضبط أن تعالجه وهي شخصيًا مرت بهالتجربة وتعتبر نفسها انها اجتازتها بنجاح وبالتالي وباعتبارها الآن كمتحدثة وكمحترفة في هذا الشأن فهذا بالضبط ما تقدمه هنا في هذا الكتاب).

ربما يوجد في الكتاب أفكار جيدة هنا وهناك، ولكن من وجهة نظري لم يُكتب هذا الكتاب على أساس علمي موزون أو موثوق.

[Hema · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you are early in your career, this book will be helpful. All the suggestions are good ones. You must do them all and you will see results.

However, if you are later in your career, mid-career or even close to retirement, then these suggestions are all things you have already carried out.

If you are much later in your career, don't buy this book. You already have a top of the mountain viewpoint and don't need all the basics.

Instead, get in with someone like Jasmine Star and try to put information about your abilities in your business on LinkedIn or IG or even Pinterest, depending on your business. That would be the better way.

I wish she went into more on how to get a blog off the ground and get some mileage on a blog.

The language was not sophisticated because of the audience she is trying to reach. Not for me, again.

[Katia Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED this book. I followed every activity and really felt like I learned something a out myself.
The advice I heard was new and different than most career advice I've heard.

[Evil Secret Ninja · Rating 3 out of 5]

Check out my youtube channel where I review books
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg4e...

Another one that is difficult to rate. On one hand there’s some great advice in this book that can be used to be more genuine or make more money for in your current career. On the other hand it is best for people who are high functioning. People will mental illness would struggle to complete it. She puts too much emphasis on making money and goes from a belief that everyone has the option or ability to achieve what she did. Like most self help books it assumes those reading it are higher functioning. It is yet to be determined if I will do certain things I have been considering.

[Kai Crawford · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting self-help book/memoir, read by the author in an engaging way. I enjoyed the many helpful nuggets, anecdotes, and practical tips within.

5%
Leading up to college, I was often told: “Follow your passion,” or “Do what you love.” Sound familiar to you, too? I loved studying politics in college, but what I didn’t realize then is that there’s a big difference between what you love and who you are. In fact, I love a lot of things. I love cupcakes, five-star hotels, and massages. But let me tell you, I’d be a shitty cupcake baker, a horrendous concierge, and a nightmare of a masseuse … Ask any of my ex-boyfriends about that.
A lot of us think passion should dictate the work we choose to do. I learned the hard way that there’s a huge difference between being a consumer and a producer. Just because I love buying clothes as a consumer doesn’t mean I should become a fashion designer, the producer of the clothes. A happy consumer does not always translate into a happy producer.
...
I also learned early on in my career that your natural, innate talents can always outmaneuver years of experience. Do you get caught in thinking you don’t have enough experience to land the job of your dreams? Look, we live in a workforce that prizes years of experience, climbing the ladder, and unnecessary corporate degrees, but the truth of the matter is that who you are—your natural gifts—always wins at work.

9%
Fulfillment is truly an art, whereas success is often just a science, a step-by-step formula, if you will.

55%
IF YOU WANT MORE MAGIC, HAVE MORE CONVERSATIONS
If you ever wake up one day underwhelmed with the results you’re creating and you want to shake things up, just ask yourself: Where can you go to have more conversations? Know that coffee shop lines are just as valuable as networking events. Conversations are where magic happens, and they have the power to turn the universe into a flow chart of opportunity.
...
It’s not about saying, “What do I want to do with my life?” but rather, asking yourself, “What circumstance or what environment do I need to be in to get inspired by life, or for life to catch me? How can I become like these little white geese, allowing myself to just so happen to be caught in the beautiful junctions of life and opportunity?” Choosing to go to bars like Marvin, or choosing to go to networking events, created a magical alchemy of opportunity in my life, and I realized I just needed to keep being that white goose in the crowd, ready to be caught in the lines of opportunity.

58%
If you don’t get intentional, your nerves run the show, and that is not the look you’re going for. When you practice and get intentional, it’s like your nervous system doesn’t run you anymore, and you can infuse your intentionality into your communication. My take? Practice your elevator pitch until you’re blue in the face. Doing that isn’t fake or forced; it’s intentional and thoughtful.

59%
It became abundantly clear to me that if you want to captivate someone and grab their attention, start your elevator pitch with a story. But if you want them to take action and actually help you, share one relevant brag with humility.

71%
There’s always room for you, too, friend. There’s room for greatness and it doesn’t have to look like a top university degree, or a fancy job.
In fact, success is just about being willing to do what other people aren’t … and most people aren’t willing to be uncomfortable. But when you’re just interested or dabbling in life, you’ll keep doing what’s convenient for you. It’s when you make a decision to be committed that the magic happens, because then you’ll do whatever it takes. Greatness looks like having a white-hot desire and running after it. I’ve found there’s a certain level of healthy pain that’s needed for fulfillment in life. Otherwise, you’re just in your comfort zone, and nothing magical or new really grows there.

79%
I noticed that when you decide to call yourself something, and you believe in it, other people believe you. It is just about the most mind-blowing secret to becoming who you want to be.

80%
Know this: most writers you see online, and even people who win awards, reached out to platforms or editors themselves, and asked for the opportunity to write on their platform. They didn’t just get contacted because they were wanted, or they had won awards.
So why not you, too? Like I said, if you want an opportunity, don’t wait for it to come to you. What online platforms align with the work you do? Have you ever thought about blogging for them as a way to brand yourself as a voice in your work arena?

81%
YOU TURN #10: TAKE STEPS TO create your personal brand
If you want to win the lottery, you must first be willing to buy a ticket. While you may have previously assumed that all the authors, speakers, and experts you see online were sought out for their content, chances are they pitched themselves to editors again and again until the opportunity was given to them.
When you see people on the internet, on a stage speaking, or with a large social media following, it isn’t because their brilliance is simply craved by an audience of people; it’s because the person put their shingle out on the internet and asked for people to show up. That could initially look like email pitches, paid advertising, and much more.
A personal brand is the same. It isn’t something that happens because you are interesting; it’s something that happens because you put yourself out there to cultivate your audience and credibility.

[HMFL · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is filled with great ideas--ideal for those who want to get in touch with current practices of entrepreneurship. However, the author's personal examples are youthful and privileged, the text is ripe with overly obvious rhetorical questions, and the purpose/focus is the text is unrefined. I'd like to adjust the subtitle to be "a memior of a privileged quarterlife crisis."

I came away with some "to dos" and tweaks for my own career journey, but I rolled my eyes a lot along the way.

[Brooklynlamb · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pretty pedantic. Lots of platitudes - basic - trite. Nothing groundbreaking. Might be good for someone young. I don't know. I found it annoying.

[Logan Porter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, the amount of words I have for this book. Ashley is an incredible writer that makes you rethink where you are and where you want to go. She helps you look back at your fundamentals based on your core nature, core skills, and core values and help you determine what may be a good fit for yourself. The book also goes on to help you figure out better ways to network and open up new possibilities in your career path.

One person mentioned on another review that they were disappointed to find out at the end that Ashley lost a business and hit rock bottom. I completely disagree. If anything, it helps solidify her ethos and show you a stronger path forward. If she hadn’t hit rock bottom and was only a success story - is that someone to truly learn from?

Lastly, the only reason I am not giving it 5 stars is because, at times, it can feel as if she is being a bit self promotional with her career courses. Yes, I understand that this book is a huge opportunity to advance her online business… but it seemed to cheapen the advice a bit.

Some sections I found interesting:
-Your career is a vehicle for self expression, an art form that helps you in the world.
-explore a new, more empowering truth, or story that can be used as a replacement for the outdated belief that isn’t severing you.
-Are you going to buy into the chaos by grabbing onto a plan for the sake of having one or are you going to sit in the silence and trust that you’ll hear the right answers when it’s time for you to hear them? You know, it’s like time zones. People in New York are eating dinner right now because it’s their dinner time… But it’s not our dinner time right now because we’re in Los Angeles and it’s a few hours back. Listen, we all have our own time in life. Trust yours. Don’t be mad that everyone in New York City is feasting right now. Know this: your dinner time is always coming.
-Let’s face it the truth can unravel your life, but what people don’t realize is that it creates a new, pure foundation, upon which to create a more fulfilling life. And such is our human experience, a process of letting go and sharing old versions of yourself, that no longer fit. And with that, adapting new ways to see the world.
-if you want clarity on what career path is for you, you must be willing to step into experimental collaboration with the universe. Engagement could be simple as reading books, or taking a course, or could be complicated, actually leaping into a job that you think you might like. Your willingness to work for clarity, to engage, will move you forward. After all, there is nothing powerful about being limbo. Instead, show up, make a commitment, and see what feedback the universe gives you. Remember, you can always course correct along the way.
-The more you say “no” to a life you don’t want, the more you will find opportunities that appear in support of the life you actually want.
-you’re not designed to live at rock-bottom. It’s simply a place that shows us who we are, and who are not. It’s a place that gives us with a blank slate to begin now, often because we have no other choice. It’s a place that teaches us to make friends with the divine unknown. The minute we do this, the minute we begin to lift off so we can take flight into our new venture.

[Willow · Rating 5 out of 5]

You Turn: Get Unstuck, Discover Your Direction, and Design Your Dream Career
By: Ashley Stahl
Narrated by: Ashley Stahl
Length of Audio: 9 h 21m
Pub date: January 26th, 2021
4.5/5

Read this if you...
feel like you're at a crossroads in your life
have been yearning to pursue your passion
are ready to redefine the limits you have set for yourself

What I liked:
I tend to really enjoy self-help books, but have never really taken the dive with those in the career advice category. One of my good friends and ex-coworkers recommended this book to me as he had announced he was leaving my company, and quite frankly, I felt like life was crashing down around me. This past year has been full of change and the unexpected - some amazing, some good, some bad - just as I felt I was finding level ground, another monumental change was thrown my way. Nonetheless, I was very excited for him and apprehensively ready to take on the challenge set before me. Life is all about persevering and being resilient, right?

Stahl's work isn't your typical career advice book because it not only helps you find a new mindset on your career path, but also life as a whole. From the moment I started the audiobook, I felt like the content was for me - like Stahl knew exactly what I was going through. While I still struggled and am struggling with mental blocks, she provided skills and tools to help me rediscover my core skill set, values, passion, and self-worth. The questions she asks throughout the book are hard-hitting, but helped me notice qualities of myself that I had buried subconsciously due to recent and past trauma.

If you have been feeling down or like you're in a rut, this is a book that will help you see the other side of the sunrise. It will help you work through the uncomfortable that you've put off for just a little bit too long. It will help you rediscover the self you once loved, but have felt like you've lost.

What wasn't my favorite:
I thought the exercises at the end of each chapter were really great, and helped me reflect on the content. However, I found myself wanting more. I think this would be a great book to have a supplementary workbook, so readers can engage that much further.

[Joëlle F-C · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm surprised to see so many 3-star (and less) reviews! I loved this book!
- I LOVED that every chapter has practical exercises. I loved her angle on career and how she dissects it into multiple cores. It felt more multifaceted and with more possibilities.
- I LOVED the questions and reflections it brought to my attention
- I LOVED being part of the journey of someone allowing herself to TRY different things and not being bound to the career path you chose à 15.
- I LOVED that following her intuition brought different end games but that it all added up to her having more skills.

The only things I did not like were :
- some parts needed TW and a little more emphasis on priviledge
- the networking part wasn't for me at all (I skipped almost the whole chapter) but, at the same time, it did encourage me to talk about my situation to people I did not expect could help me. Ended up being really helpful for my pivot.

Highly recommend it you're, like me, always questioning your purpose and can't find your place in the workforce. I'd recommend this book to people who have experienced différent things already (I think you need to have a little introspection already started) but need clarity (have experience but not answers yet). I feel like some exercises can shed light on why things haven't worked for you in the past, so you can move forward in the right direction (just a few degrees from where you are now).

TL;DR : I go back to it often and re-read stuff, redo practical exercises to see where I am now and what changed. My book's full of post-it and highlighter (I had never done that to a book before!). That says it all! 💛

[Broken Lifeboat · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the parts of this book that talked about when and how the author knew she needed to switch careers and appreciated how she made the decisions. Early in the book, I was amazed how Stahl seemed to put my own career issues into words but this book gets harder to love as it goes along.

Generally this book is repetitive and reads like a memoir and then also a pitch for the author's career counseling services and then lastly, the author tries to manifest a new career as a poet by writing it out in her book. The author stops to check in with the reader often but it always comes across weirdly phrased- like Mr. Rogers.

It's not the most well organized or formatted book so it was tough for me to work through the exercises I found most helpful in my search.

You Turn is for upper management career hustlers and extroverts who love networking. While that's not where I want to be in my next job, this book gave me some great insight into preparing me on what I want to end up doing.

Worth the read for me but I probably could've skipped about the last half of the book and I definitely could've done without hearing about the author's lifelong privilege and first world problems.

[Roy Draa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that if written ten years ago I might have made some different choices...but then I am who I am and can only move forward.

Ashley’s writing (and by the end of the book you feel on a first name basis) is authentic. I have imparted to subordinates that you have nothing to learn from a “perfect leader” or someone who has it all together...because we don’t. You want to learn from the person who is transparent in their mistakes, misjudgments, and misgivings. Honesty and vulnerability are authentic and lead to trust, which is essential for a cohesive relationship. This book is authentic, vulnerable, and gains your trust. Recommend listening to the audiobook as performed by the author.

The exercises and takeaways are profound and help you different between who you are, who you think you are supposed to be (based on internal and external expectations, and how to think about work and how we relate to it.

Ashley takes you through her journey into life (it is relatable) and how she arrives at the wisdom she imparts through this book. Gritty, authentic, real. A must read...don’t wait until you’re forty to do so. Nevertheless, better to read this at forty than not at all.

[Zoya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Synopsis: _You Turn_ was recommended to me by my career coach as I am going through a major career transition. Ashley Stahl discusses her journey from college student to counterterrorism specialist, career coach, and author, along with practical career and job search tips along theway.

Thoughts: I am giving this five stars, because I think it takes some serious courage to share one's story with so much honesty and vulnerability. I saw that some reviewers questioned whether Ms. Stahl had the license to write a "career" book, given the downfall of her original Internet business. Frankly, it was refreshing for me to hear of another person's real struggles and that life doesn't end there (even if it ends up not being what we imagined!), rather than reading about a fantastic career rise that does not mirror reality for most average humans. I actually found it refreshing that the book doesn't end with her returning to a stereotypical career, but rather focuses on her discerning a path that focuses on her core nature.

Enjoy with some serious coffee!

[Hollie Connell · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are feeling stuck, unhappy or downright miserable in your job but aren't sure if this book is for you, I promise you, it is. Not only does Ashley explain WHY you are feeling the way you are feeling, but how to move forward with this new information. What you will learn about yourself in these pages, specifically the exercises, is profound. Reading You Turn awakened my being to the reality that life is too short to be miserable in your job -- and that you CAN achieve happiness in your career, so long as it is aligned with who you are at your core. I am so grateful for You Turn; it was the final nudge I needed to quit my job of nearly 6 years to pursue my personal happiness. BUY THE BOOK. LISTEN TO IT ON AUDIBLE. DO BOTH. Soak in as much of Ashley's journey and teachings as you possibly can, because I promise you, if you're reading these reviews in order to gain more clarity on whether or not this read is for you, this book will resonate with every fiber of your being.

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book when I had stopped teaching and was considering a new career. As an educator, it seemed this book (And the podcast) is geared toward the business world. I then stumbled into a job on accident that I am not in love with. Not one to leave a book unfinished, I came back and completed it. After hearing about her experiences, she got into the meat and bones of making yourself stand out. I really appreciated the portions that where she reflected on skills that make you stand out in general and building contacts. I loved the chapter about building your elevator pitch and one chapter mentioned grace and being willing to accept the surprising things that lead you down your path. That happened to me in this new job I am doing and that really resonated. Overall, I felt her story was interesting, it was very much autobiographical in a way that proved that she was worth giving job coaching and then her tips and skills seemed helpful and interesting.

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

For people trying to get to know themselves and to figure out how to move forward or change careers, this book is a must! I engaged with all the questions and exercises throughout the book. The actionable and profound exercises help you discover who you are, define better your skills, find what really interests you, identify blocks around money, befriend your limiting beliefs and learn how to deal with the fear and doubts that come with making changes in life.

Loved every second reading this book. The book is captivating. Ashley's story is interesting but more importantly, inspiring. Her writing is so intriguing and so clear.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to find more clarity in their lives!

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ashley Stahl is the real deal -- a coach who works as much from the heart as from the head. It is hard to add a fresh perspective to a field that has been so fully covered as career counseling, but Ashley provides real, personal, and practical examples of finding your way in a style that rings true and is easy to implement. Her ideas are current and effective and useful to everyone -- not just job seekers.

I found this book by listening to her guest appearance on Tori Dunlap's "Feminist Finance" podcast where I was convinced the two of them could easily take over the world and run the place better than ever.

I am so thankful for fresh voices like Ashley's (and Tori's). They both have podcasts and they are both brilliant.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

As my career started to make waves this year I wanted to be deliberate and considered about ‘where to and what next?’.

We are flooded with cliches like 'follow your passion’ and 'do what you love'. I figured this out years ago though - social justice, work for a mission beyond myself. But how? I’ve been doing that for the last fifteen years, but it still didn’t feel like I really *knew* what I wanted in my career.

Stahl shares her own journey of going from counterterrorism professional at the Pentagon to career coach, and the toolkit that got her there. The best learning was be your own coach; look at career as a constant evolution as opposed to a linear experience. After all, the best career is not one where you only do what you love, but one where you honour who you are.

[Amanda Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed it & the practical exercises. She is very honest & a great wordsmith. She’s willing to put her mistakes out there & share where she went wrong. Yes, she goes bankrupt & loses everything- but she learned to trust herself more on that journey. I am only giving it 4 because sometimes it did feel a little too “just follow your gut” type of advice. My biggest issue is knowing which one is my “gut instinct” & which one is “fear/imposter syndrome”- she does try to break those down. It gave a lot of good ways to rethink, & I’m excited to continue learning from her on her podcast. (I learned about the book on Financial Feminist podcast & loved the way she connects to the audience)

[Anna Cabrera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clearly this book is not for everyone. But if you are thinking about career change or just starting out, I believe many of the exercises will be helpful in teasing out “what are my skills?” And “what do I value?” When you are in the throes of considering big changes, these are hard issues that often confound people. I have already mentioned this book to two friends who are at this crossroads. I also appreciated this book as a memoir. The author’s voice is clear, authentic and engaging. I have also remarked to friends how rare it is to have an author be such an engaging reader. As someone who mostly does audio books, the narrator can force me to leave a book unread.

[Zack Quaderer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book belongs on everyone's wish list if they do not already have it. Ashley gives some fantastic insight into taking control of your life and career and moving in a direction that nurtures you as a person. The writing in this book is very easy to read and flows very well. The experiences that Ashley writes about from her own life give a great view of what the process looks like while also making the book very entertaining and human.

I have and will continue to recommend this book to everyone and will use it as a continuing resource in my own life.

[Pam · Rating 2 out of 5]

The exercises in this book are helpful, as thinking about your career systematically is a good idea. There are even some things that really helped me! So could still be worth a read depending on your capacity. BUT this book is secretly a memoir, and fairly annoying at that. And (I don't think I can spoil a nonfiction book but just in case, a note from near the end):at the end of the book the author self-reflects that her mission in life is not to be a career coach, but to ~ tell stories ~ and be a writer. Come on!!.