Is It Too Late to Run Away and Join the Circus?: Finding the Life You Really Want

By Marti Diane Smye and Marti Smye

Do you suspect a downsizing outbreak at your company? Do you wonder why you ever made the choices you're stuck with? Whether the culprit is corporate upheaval or gnawing discontent, you will likely face a hard fact at some point in your life: the need for career change. In Is It Too Late to Run Away and Join the Circus? Marti Smye, Ph.D., gives you targeted tools to take charge of change--and match your strengths, your beliefs, and life's realities to your dreams.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0028620585
• ISBN13: 9780028620589
• Release Date: September 1998
• Publisher: MacMillan Publishing Company
• Length: 274 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Is It Too Late To Run Away and Join the Circus?

Marti Smye, Ph.D. says that "between 1980 and 1995, 4.6 million Americans were downsized, smart-sized, right-sized, merged, purged, dehired, or rationalized out of their jobs," adding that "nothing I've read says it won't happen again." She wrote Is It Too Late To Run Away and Join the Circus? Finding the Life You Really Want, to help people plan for the inevitable changes in their employment status. Her book, however, has nothing to do with preparing a resume or getting through an interview. It's about group dynamics and how organizations work, and how you, as an individual, can determine where you best fit. Her goal is to help you "get a jump on the trend and start now to organize your work around satisfaction, serenity, and self-esteem. You don't have to be at the mercy of technology, economic decisions made five time zones away, or someone else's manifest destiny." The key is to start planning your future now. Exercises and quizzes throughout the book help you pinpoint current trends and how they will potentially affect you, what you want to accomplish and how you plan to accomplish it, what motivates you, what discourages you, and your personal history, dreams, and abilities. The bulk of the book teaches you how to be your own consultant and fit your plans, goals, and needs into the appropriate corporate position or self-employment opportunity. She emphasizes that "matching your belief systems is more important than matching your skills." Leaving no ground uncovered, Smye also shows readers how to apply her principles to their personal relationships. All readers will find Is It Too Late To Run Away and Join the Circus? helpful, because as Smye says, "change is not an option: it is going to happen to you." Whatever kinds of changes await you, her book has the practical techniques, encouragement, and humor needed to make turn those changes into a satisfying new life.

YOU CAN ALSO BE THE CIRCUS RINGMASTER!

This is an absolutely fabulous book! No, it is never to late to run away and join the circus, as a matter of fact, you can even be the "ringmaster" if you choose. You can do anything you want to do as long as your goals are realistic and achieveable. In teaching entrepreneurship and business management, one of the first key factors students need to eliminate is the fear of trying, the fear of failure. This will be one book that will definitely be on my list of recommendations. It does not matter what your age is or your current occupation, if you are not happy where you are and feel "stuck in the same rut," you should definitely read this book. The author has a ton of suggestions on how to "get out of that rut," and find fulfillment in your life. Filled with works sheets, case studies and encouragement, Syme has researched her book well and presented the information is a straight-forward, easy to understand manner.

Inspiring you to ACTION

Is It Too Late to Run Away and Join the Circus? is a passionate book that inspires you to action. If you have ever considered making a career change, starting your second life or just plain daydreaming of running away to join the circus this is the book for you. Eloquent, articulate and easy to follow steps from an international celebrity with a practical common sense approach. This book is a must read.

Is It Too Late to Run Away and Join the Circus?

This is one of the most enjoyable books I have ever read. I am a voracious reader and was unable to put this book down. Marti Smye uses great life-changing samples/examples and has a wonderful way with words. I will be telling many of my friends and co-workers about this reading!

Interesting perspective about redirecting one's life

Marti Smye has written a book for all of those 40 somethings and 50 somethings who are re-thinking how they want to spend the rest of their lives. Included are a number of very good exercises that provoke thought and are realistic in the application of the results and conclusions that are drawn. All in all, excellent and practical.