Former Scientist

Starting Over, Reinventing Yourself

To be successful in starting over you must discover three things:

1. Who are you?
2. What are you passionate about/what skills do you have?
3. How can you make money doing what you love?

I have provided a series of books that may help you get started.

Self Discovery

The first step in reinventing yourself is self discovery.

Please Understand Me II

Please Understand Me II: Temperament, Character, Intelligence is a great first step. David Keirsey provides a good framework around Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

The 9 Ways of Working

The 9 Ways of Working: How to Use the Enneagram to Discover Your Natural Strengths and Work More Effectively is a slightly different approach to personality. It is not as rigid as MBTI. It allows for how your personality may change under stress. It allows for how you may act when you are “on top of your game.”

Passion/Skills

These books combined with your experience should take you a long way into knowing what you are passionate about, the skills you are likely to bring to the workplace, and how you may fit in to the organization or “big picture”.

What Color Is Your Parachute? 2010

What Color Is Your Parachute? 2010: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers has helped people in transition for years. The 2010 update is no different. Buy it now.

Making the Money

The remainder of the books, any or all, will help you get started. Whether you decide to take another job or start your own business, you will need to assess who you know, what you know, and how that helps you accomplish your goals.