Dr. Lisa Severy, Phoebe & Jack Ballard
Don’t be a minor character in life’s story…be your own hero!
Our world is changing at a faster pace than ever before. New technologies, global communications,
diverse populations and shifting expectations drive the changes that impact our
daily lives. This rapid rate of change
leaves many of us feeling uncertain, overwhelmed and confused.
Many have choices; yet we lack a
systematic and conscious approach to make the important kinds of quality of
life decisions we face in this changing world. Often bouncing from one turning
point to another without any sense of control; when we finally stop for a
moment and think about life, we long for meaning. Turning
Points offers a systematic approach to understand our life themes, take control
of the next chapter, and be the hero of our story.
Turning
Points will help you identify your qualities, interests, experiences, successes,
dreams and values
so you can better understand and anticipate change. Taking the time to review
these aspects of your self helps bring the important things to consciousness. This in turn can lead you to a life plan that will satisfy you and give your life
meaning and purpose. Personal discovery will empower you to
navigate your life transitions. You will
develop a mission and context for the many decisions you make as you navigate
your turning points.
Be the hero of your own life story. Take
control of your Turning Points.
“Promise me you’ll always remember. You’re braver than you believe,
stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think,” -A.A. Milne
Turning Points was founded in the early 1980's by Phoebe and Jack Ballard. The Ballards had experienced Jack's retirement from a 35 year career in corporate America, and they were interested in assisting their friends and contemporaries in maximizing quality of life during their retirement years. The result of this effort was a series of training seminars and two books, the second of which was entitled: Turning Points: Create Your Path Through Uncertainty and Change.
In 2003, Jack and Phoebe’s son Mike joined them in their quest to help bring these concepts to a broader audience. While developing a new online Turning Points tool, Mike met Dr. Lisa Severy, the newly appointed director of Career Services at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Sharing a passion for narrative career counseling and helping individuals maximize potential through thoughtful career transitioning, the Ballard-Severy collaboration developed naturally. Together Mike and Lisa taught a number of workshops for CU alumni in transition and, over time, the concept for a third book focusing specifically on career transitions emerged.
While writing, revising, and editing this new project, our new creative team experienced a monumental turning point of our own, the passing of Jack Ballard. Despite the enormous impact of his loss, we decided to continue with the book in Jack’s honor. We believe he would be proud of the result and feel privileged that he was able to participate in its development.
Turning Points continues to grow and receive recognition for contributions to the field of career development. To find more about Turning Points, please go to www.TPNavigator.com.
PREFACE
The world is changing at a faster pace than ever before. New technologies, global communications,
diverse populations and shifting expectations drive the changes that impact our
daily lives. This rapid rate of change
leaves many people feeling uncertain, overwhelmed and confused.
Increasingly,
Americans are looking for ways to self-direct and manage their personal life
transitions - their turning points -
including change in careers, finances, health maintenance, family, friends, and community
relationships in a balanced and congruent way. Once
considered a linear process, planning for the future is quickly becoming a more
fluid process and people are looking for various ways to be in charge of their
own lives.
Most people have many choices; yet
they lack a systematic and conscious approach to make the important kinds of
quality of life decisions they face in this world of change. People bounce from one turning point into another
without any sense of control. When they
take a moment to stop and think about life, many long for a sense of the
meaning of it all.
Turning Points offers a
systematic approach for identifying your qualities, interests, past
experiences, dreams and values that can help you to better
understand and even anticipate change.
Taking the time to review these aspects of your self will help bring to
consciousness what is important. This in
turn can lead you to a life plan that will satisfy you and give your life
meaning and purpose. Through your own personal discovery, you will
be empowered to take charge of and navigate your life transitions. You will develop a mission that provides a
context for the many decisions you make as you navigate your turning points.
These strategies are now offered in
a “hybrid” workshop format through colleges and various organizations
throughout the United States. The hybrid format mixes text books, online exercises
and experiential group processes to appeal to a variety of learning
styles. This format has proved to be
both fun and effective for mid-career transitioners.
The ideas presented in Turning
Points are the culmination of years of practice, research, and theory in
the realms of personal and career growth and development. Core concepts include:
• Free
Agency – No matter who you get
your paycheck from, you are the only one that can manage your career. If
you’ve got work today, so much the better, but keep an eye on the news.
There are trade associations for just about everything – including the public
sector. If you’re looking for work, be aware and open to all of your
options. While you might prefer the “security” of employment, other
avenues exist to find opportunity.
