Second Acts is a guide to reinventing your life. Whether you wish to change careers, move to a more desirable part of the country, start a business, write a novel, or drop everything to pursue a life dream, Stephen Pollan offers a powerful message ofhope and guidance that has benefited his own clients. Through a series of exercises, you will develop a comprehensive "script" for your second act—a step-by-step action plan that will lead you to the life you've always wanted. “Stephen Pollan and Mark Levine show us that it’s never too late to stage a heckuva comeback!” - Al Roker “Second Acts teaches how to achieve what others think or say is impossible.” - Christopher Reeve “Your life need not be the same. You can have a second act, Pollan shows you how.” - Joan Lunden “Stephen Pollan has been a wise and knowledgeable guide in my own second act; he also happens to be my father-in-law, and his counsel and encouragement helped me convert my own fear and uncertainty into optimism and enthusiasm for continued personal growth. I am confident he can do the same for you.” - Michael J. Fox SECOND ACTS captures the changed career paths many of us will have; and shares the strategies needed to do it. - Susan RoAne, author of How to Work a Room Making your life significant during the Second Act can really make a difference for you and the lives of others. - Ken Blanchard, coauthor, The One Minute Manager “Inspirational stories” - USA Today “Pollan’s encouragement helped me convert my own fear and uncertainty into optimism and enthusiasm for continued personal growth.” - Michael J. Fox For anyone looking for motivation, encouragement and help in creating dynamic life changes, this book is a must read. - Keith Harrell, Life Coach/Author of Attitude is Everything “Equal parts inspiration and explanation, Second Acts is a road map for the journey to a better life” - David Nivin, author of The 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People Second Acts is a guide to reinventing your life. Whether you wish to change careers, move to a more desirable part of the country, start a business, write a novel, or drop everything to pursue a life dream, Stephen Pollan offers a powerful message ofhope and guidance that has benefited his own clients. Through a series of exercises, you will develop a comprehensive "script" for your second act—a step-by-step action plan that will lead you to the life you've always wanted. Stephen M Pollan is a New York City-based attorney, financial advisor, and life coach. Mark Levine has been Stephen Pollan's collaborator for more than eighteen years. Together they have authored numerous books, including the national bestsellers Lifescripts , Live Rich, and Die Broke , and most recently, Second Acts . They have been nominated for three National Magazine Awards. Excerpt Chapter One You Can Lead the Life of Your Dreams "There are no second acts in American lives." - F. Scott Fitzgerald Fitzgerald was wrong. You can have a Second Act. You can lead the life you've always wished no matter your age or stage in life. The dream you think has become impossible with advancing age, new obligations, or increased responsibility can be made real. The hope you've been deferring until a time when the stars are in perfect alignment can be fulfilled today. The goal you think out of reach because you've traveled an alternate path is still within your grasp. You can give up your job as a stockbroker and pursue your youthful dream of becoming a professional photographer. You can jump off the fast track and have a child, even though you're not married and have no intention of marrying. You can pack up your family and move from the suburbs to the country, giving up your harried lifestyle for a more idyllic one. You can leave a deadening retirement behind and go back to college to study art history. You can give up having a business career and instead stay home to care for your children. You can launch a business now, despite not having paid the dues the pundits demand. You have an opportunity, not just to reinvent yourself, but to become your true self; to give expression to your suppressed hopes and dreams; to take the seed you've kept dormant in the dark within you, expose it to warmth and light, and let it burst forth into life. Almost all of us have buried personal hopes and dreams. In order to please our parents, our friends, our spouses, our teachers, and our employers, we've molded our lives into what we think the outside world wants us to be. To win and keep our parents' love, we've acted in certain ways and followed certain paths. We've become lawyers because they wanted us to be professionals. We married and had children because they wanted us to give them grandchildren. We lived a certain lifestyle, or lived in a certain place, because we knew it would gain their approval. To become accepted, first by our friends, and then society at large, we have adopted certain attitudes and behaviors. Childre