With Purpose: Going from Success to Significance in Work and Life

I waited until the day after my recent birthday to read Ken Dychtwald's inspiring new book, With Purpose. Some how, some way I've come to the stage in my life where I am looking back on where I've been and am now looking ahead to where I want to go. While I still feel like a kid inside, life has brought me to a new stage, complete with new challenges, new accomplishments, new joys and certainly new goals. I finished the book in almost one sitting and feel like I spent the time with Ken personally. His writing style and use of anecdotes paint a perfect picture of the points he is making and gave me lots of ah-ha moments to reflect on. I walk away from this book with a renewed commitment to try and make the most of every day, to be open to the people that come into my life and to look for ways to help others - which will in turn help me to make the rest of my life fulfilling and satisfying. I will be recommending this book to many others.

I found With Purpose to be a very thought-provoking and inspiring view of working and learning in the second half of life. Dr. Dychtwald carefully balances the stories of his own personal discovery with practical advice and information for all of us to live with more purpose. His writing style is engaging and fun. I found many of his examples and resources good starting points to act on the ideas presented throughout the book. I highly recommend With Purpose to anyone exploring the next chapter in their life.

"With Purpose" helps answer the very timely and relevant question of the Boomer generation "what's next?" Retirement, at least as our parents knew it, holds zero appeal any longer. In fact it is worse than that, it is downright frightening. As we transition from one phase of life to the next, we need new guideposts along the way. This book helps provide those and can inspire people to think about making a difference in a bigger and bolder way. It did so for me.

Although there is a current flood of books related to the topic of life's purpose, with new ones appearing every day, I believe that Dr. Dychtwald has managed to find a unique niche. He has astutely avoided many of the tenets that cause fashionable readers to shy away from considering life's greater meaning and the purpose that lies beyond our aging process. "With Purpose" is a refreshing new approach to an age old dilemma; is there a mission to our later years; and if there is, how might we derive revitalization during the years that typically divert to decline. Written from an autobiographical, as well as philosophical perspective, "With Purpose" provides a combination of method and theory, as the author has been able to draw from both personal experience and his training as a gerontologist and psychologist. In the same discerning style of Dr. Dychtwald's previous books, "With Purpose" has captivated the defining questions of the aging adult in contemporary society as they navigate the journey from a significant mid-life into meaningful maturity. Recognizing that significance is an attribute which needs to be decided from within, so too is our sense of purpose. Unlike many other authors of this genre, Dychtwald does not take it upon himself to provide "the purpose" for his reader, but rather has the etiquette to merely light the pathway to self-discovery. It is not that "With Purpose" avoids the connection of spirituality; it rather allows it to prevail without accosting the reader with endless persuasion and personal bias. The reader is urged to recognize the need for later life examination; then given the tools and motivation while being allowed the luxury to construct their own vision towards purposeful aging. "With Purpose" is a must read for those of us who have acknowledged our own inner questioning of what's next. It is all the more commendable for arriving on the shelves at precisely the time and conditions that it speaks to; boomers on the threshold of senior citizenship in a world gone amuck. Could it be that a generation entering adulthood while questioning authority must now face their golden years while defining a new mission and designing their own sense of purpose?

Dr. Ken Dychtwald has written more then a book but provided a meaningful and powerful insight that has a message for everyone given the current state of the world. Too often we lose track of what's really important in our lives. We have so much and give back so little. What is a life with purpose all about? It certainly transcends the toys and material wealth that success brings. This book with this so timely a message, engages us to rethink our lives. With Purpose touches our soul and speaks to our authentic self. Ken captures this insight in way that enables the reader to go with the author on a journey of discovery to find and express their purpose. His excellent book challenges us to review our lives, regardless of the stage of life we are in and consider new innovative ways we can each live with more purpose through reaching out beyond our limited boxes. In this turbulent times, With Purpose has truth to it that will touch everyone that reads it. I suggest everyone read it and send it to a friend.