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Career Clarity Success Stories
After spending
ten years trying to 'figure it out' on his own, Ed and I started
working together. His journey from Semiconductor
Marketing to Inn Keeping is inspiring and shows that even
when things look bleak, there's room for a breakthrough.
(This success
story was recently selected as one of six stories published
in the 1st Edition of Coaching Success Stories eBook by Milana
Leshinsky--The following is an excerpt from the full
story.)
'When Ed first came to see me, he was quite unhappy
with his work as a Product Marketing Manager for a hi-tech
company in
the Silicon Valley. In fact, he'd been unhappy for quite
some time. Although Ed's career had progressed quite well over
a
20 year period, his value system was becoming more and
more at odds
with the demands of the corporate world.'
'Ed had been trying
to find a new career on his own for at least ten years. Although
he hadn't hurt himself financially
by staying
in a job he didn't like, he did experience huge losses
at a personal level due to his unrewarding job and work environment.
His self-esteem
had plummeted, his health had suffered, and his standing
in
his field had steadily declined.'
'As Ed and I worked through each step of my Career Clarity
Program, we began to clarify what worked best for Ed in
terms of his work
environment, his work colleagues, and his lifestyle. We
also explored his passions and interests and began brainstorming
new career options that fit his needs and his personal
style.
On
the surface, all was going well. Ed had definite interests
that tied to the values he couldn't express at work. As
a result of
the brainstorming phase of the Career Clarity Program,
Ed determined that his number one choice for his next career
was to own and
operate a Bed and Breakfast.'
'As we defined his ideal work
situation, however, I began to notice Ed knew more about
what he didn't want and what
he didn't
think was possible than what he truly desired.
For instance, Ed stated quite emphatically that he and
his wife would
never sell their home in the Bay Area, nor would they ever
move.
Their living location was non-negotiable, which made it
impossible for him to pursue his ideal work.'
'Now, five
years later, Ed and Dawn continue to own and operate the Butterfield
Bed and Breakfast in Julian, California (NE of San
Diego) they purchased in 1999. They recently purchased a neighboring
house to add a private cabin to their B&B complex. Thankfully
their Inn survived both the 2002 and 2003 fires in the Julian
area.'
I've
just learned that Ed and Dawn's Inn was voted as one of the
Best
Bed and Breakfasts in the Southwest and West Region for 2004-2005.
Congratulations! If you are ever in the San Diego area and
want to spend some time outside the city, look them up.
To read how Ed moved beyond his limited thinking,
download the Coaching Success Stories ebook at: http://www.coachingsuccessstories.com/download.html
Ed's story begins on page 4.
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