How do I decide what to do with my life when there are so many things I want to do?

It is conventional wisdom that there is one true path in life for each of us. But what about those with a wide array of interests, a dynamic curiosity about the world, and an ever-renewing wellspring of passions? Margaret Lobenstine calls these people “Renaissance Souls,” and in this groundbreaking book, she offers a life-planning strategy in tune with their dynamic, change-loving personalities. Renaissance Souls often get stuck, moving from entry-level job to entry-level job, degree to degree, or hobby to hobby, unwilling to settle on just one thing to do “for the rest of my life.” Or, after achieving success in one field, they yearn for new challenges and begin looking around for something different. Yet they are also afraid that if they pursue their changing interests, they will have to give up on financial security, becoming “a jack of all trades and master of none.”

The Renaissance Soul, the first book devoted to this personality type, not only shows that it’s possible to design a successful, vibrant life built on multiple passions, but also gives readers the practical advice to do so. Lobenstine arms the reader with powerful life-design strategies, including how to:

*Understand the exciting and powerful difference between choice and focus

*Transform your day job so that it carries your dreams forward

*Manage your time the Renaissance Soul way

*Thrive on many interests without feeling scattered

*Get paid for your passions

*Learn a new field without going back to school

*Get inspired by Renaissance Souls from ancient times to the present, from Leonardo da Vinci to Ben Franklin to Oprah Winfrey

Stocked with creative exercises, relevant resources, and interviews with successful Renaissance Souls, this profoundly inspiring guide will show readers the way to a richer, more fulfilling life—big enough to embrace all their dreams.

"Some people just can't seem to settle down: they jump from career to career, from interest to interest; they chafe at being pinned down to one job or self-definition. This need for variety and love of finding new challenges, says career and life coach Lobenstine, can be a positive trait. Lobenstine's aim is to help such people find ways to pursue their varied interests without feeling overwhelmed. Her 'focal point' strategy suggests picking a small number — usually four — of interests to pursue for now, interests that might be exchanged for others at a later time. And the author proposes various ways to integrate one's career into these focal points: if you're passionate about your work, it might be one focal point; for others it might be a way to pay the bills while they pursue other interests. One inexperienced older woman with a longstanding desire for a career in the art world found a clerical job at a museum, where she had access to curators and an opportunity to volunteer her graphic skills. Lobenstine has identified a situation rarely addressed by self-help books, and her advice is sensible, concrete and do-able. Agent, Betsy Amster. (On sale Jan. 10)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

“Can’t decide which life or career path is right for you? Maybe you don’t have to! In The Renaissance Soul, Margaret Lobenstine offers inspiration, advice, and practical tips for people with more than one burning passion.”

—Laurence Boldt, author of Zen and the Art of Making a Living

“I’m so grateful this book has finally been written! I need, my clients need, the world needs this incredibly helpful, practical, life-changing guidebook for those of us with a multitude of passions and aptitudes.  Please, get this book into the hands of every person you know who is a Renaissance Soul.  You could change their lives!”

 

—Jennifer Louden, author of Comfort Secrets for Busy Women and other books in the bestselling Comfort Book series

“The Renaissance Soul will help highly innovative and creative people find ways to make their many dreams come true. I’ve already begun using its wonderful ideas and practices with clients.”

 

—M. J. Ryan, executive coach and author of The Happiness Makeover

“An intelligent and refreshingly innovative book that offers a multi-dimensional vision of vocation. It will help many on the road to creative career transformation.”

 

—E. H. Rick Jarow, author of Creating the Work You Love and Alchemy of Abundance

This guide lays out a winning strategy to maximize life and career success for the dynamic and change-loving people the author dubs "Renaissance Souls." She shows that it's possible to design a successful, vibrant life built on multiple passions and gives readers the practical advice to do so.

How do I decide what to do with my life when there are so many things I want to do?

It is conventional wisdom that there is one true path in life for each of us. But what about those with a wide array of interests, a dynamic curiosity about the world, and an ever-renewing wellspring of passions? Margaret Lobenstine calls these people Renaissance Souls, and in this groundbreaking book, she offers a life-planning strategy in tune with their dynamic, change-loving personalities. Renaissance Souls often get stuck, moving from entry-level job to entry-level job, degree to degree, or hobby to hobby, unwilling to settle on just one thing to do for the rest of my life. Or, after achieving success in one field, they yearn for new challenges and begin looking around for something different. Yet they are also afraid that if they pursue their changing interests, they will have to give up on financial security, becoming a jack of all trades and master of none.

The Renaissance Soul, the first book devoted to this personality type, not only shows that it's possible to design a successful, vibrant life built on multiple passions, but also gives readers the practical advice to do so. Lobenstine arms the reader with powerful life-design strategies, including how to:

*Understand the exciting and powerful difference between choice and focus

*Transform your day job so that it carries your dreams forward

*Manage your time the Renaissance Soul way

*Thrive on many interests without feeling scattered

*Get paid for your passions

*Learn a new field without going back to school

*Get inspired by Renaissance Souls from ancient times to the present, from Leonardo da Vincito Ben Franklin to Oprah Winfrey

Stocked with creative exercises, relevant resources, and interviews with successful Renaissance Souls, this profoundly inspiring guide will show readers the way to a richer, more fulfilling life--big enough to embrace all their dreams.

MARGARET LOBENSTINE founded Alternative Approaches, a career and life-coaching business, fifteen years ago and has worked with more than five thousand clients. A Renaissance Soul herself, she has created three successful—but entirely different—businesses. She lives with her husband in Amherst, Massachusetts.