The Vocational Coach™
Group Coaching Program

In mid-life, we are expected to settle down, get ready for retirement, and even mentor others.

But wait. We have the second half of our lives waiting to be lived. We aren’t ready to settle down. After 20 years or more of working, we want to finally do more of what we love to do.

How do we get started? Who can help? Who will listen to our dreams?

These are small groups of people discovering how to do more of what they love in their vocational lives.

The Vocational Passion Network™ is a group-coaching program based on Craig Nathanson’s “Ten P™ Perfect Vocational Day” model and his book, “P is for Perfect: Your Perfect Vocational Day.”

If your happiness, sense of contribution, and self-esteem depend on doing work you feel good about and earning the income you require, you should ask yourself:

• Am I pursuing work-related activities that align my key interests and abilities?
• Is my work life meaningful and fulfilling?
• Do I feel like I’m leading an authentic life?
• Do I feel empty inside at the end of the day because my work life is not congruent with who I am?
• Am I passionate about what I do?

If you cannot answer these questions with an unequivocal “yes,” then:

The Vocational Coach™ Group Coaching Program will boost your work life toward a new set of possibilities, passion, and action.

The Vocational Coach™ Group Coaching Program draws from Craig’s 25 years of managing in corporate America, his 12 years of Ph.D. research on mid-life development cycles and work, and two years in private practice helping people in mid-life discover and do what they love. Craig also has experienced his own work-related transition in mid-life. During this time, he identified and created the “Ten P” model for vocational passion, which became the basis of his book, “P is for Perfect.”

The Group Coaching Program takes Craig’s system further, providing a goal-oriented program that combines elements of book-study circles, mastermind groups, and support teams. The focus is placed on helping you implement your own personal roadmap toward doing more of what you love in your vocational life.

As a participant, you will concentrate on defining, documenting, and moving toward the concept of your own perfect vocational day. You will learn the tools to build a step-by-step plan toward having vocational passion, FINALLY doing what you love, and living a more authentic life.

The program is based on proven strategies that can help you do what you love and earn the income you require – at the same time. Any mid-life professional in any industry can leverage The Vocational Coach™ group-coaching system. Even if you’re already practicing these principles, you will find lots of specific strategies, support, and resources that can be added to your ongoing efforts.

Here’s the best part: Getting vocational passion does not require a lot of time or money. All you need is a proven system, a steady guide, and a method of accountability. These will help you get started and then stay in motion.

Testimonials:
“I’ve been working with Craig weekly for several months. I am continually impressed with how intuitive he is. He always has my best interests and objectives in mind, even when I veer off track. I've read the books ("P is for Perfect," "Zen and the Art of Making a Living," "What Color is Your Parachute," "Career Guide for Creative and Unconventional People," etc.) and I've met with other career counselors. I've gone to university career centers, spent hours online, and done work on my own trying find a career that combines my passions, talents, and experience. I can honestly say, I've never been so on-track than with Craig. I feel incredibly lucky to have found him. I profit from his career and interpersonal wisdom. My sessions with Craig are absolutely the best investment I have made in my vocational life. Anyone who is not satisfied with their vocational life WILL benefit immensely from working with Craig.”

– Lance A. Wexler, California

"Clearing the fog, enhancing personal and career clarity, showing how my ideal career is attainable. Now! These are just a few things that describe the value of working with Craig. In a short amount of time he has helped me become focused and guided me toward my goals. I highly recommend him."

– Jim Goebelbecker, Boston

Who is the Group For?

The Vocational Coach Group Coaching Program draws from the “Ten P” vocational passion system. It’s ideal for those people between the ages of 38-60, or those who have worked 15 years or more in professional jobs or careers.

The program can also be beneficial for stay-at-home moms who, for a variety of reasons, have decided to now pursue their life's work. Creative people who are already pursuing their passion but are having trouble making ends meet will also benefit.

The program focuses on setting goals and achieving results. It is structured around the unique needs of the mid-life professional.

You can benefit from the program if you meet these criteria:

• Have 15 years or more of professional work experience. (In all industries, all areas, all parts of the world.)
• Are ages 38-60. (Some people, give or take a few years, may join the program based on their background.)
• Are willing to commit and invest now to move toward greater happiness and personal alignment in your work related life.
• You desire greater fulfillment, meaning and happiness.
• Are open to sharing and helping others in a group and online setting.

Many people will experience similar challenges as they go through vocational transition, i.e. financial, emotional, and relationship challenges. Self-evaluation and the ability to help and accept ideas from others is a critical component of this program, in a guided and safe setting.

Members don’t have to be in the same industry, the same city, or even the same country. Usually it’s better if they aren’t. It’s amazing how much a person seeking to be freelance technical writer, for example, can contribute to someone seeking to be a financial adviser, and vice versa.

This program is not for everyone. It's for people who have achieved a reasonable level of personal development, based on their work experience, age, and professional success. They are ready to take their lives toward greater personal integration and meaning in regard to their work.

You should embrace the following principles:

• You know that you want to get more out of your work-related life and aren't willing to settle for “just a job,” or “just a career.” You want to do work that leads to a vocational life where you never have a need to retire.
• You assume responsibility for your success and take a proactive approach to creating a better second half of life.
• You want to follow a proven system, instead of reinventing the wheel.
• You are willing to invest in your success by getting professional help rather than going it alone.
• You know that you don't have all the answers and accept advice, support, and assistance of others.
• You are willing to set goals and be held accountable.

How It Works

This is a six-month program consisting of 12 sessions, structured as mini-workshops. Groups meet about twice a month for 90-minute teleconference sessions, held via telephone. Sessions will be recorded and made available as Real Audio files.

The “How to Discover and Live your passion 365 days a year’’ workbook will serve as a blueprint for the group. Everyone will be provided a copy. The workbook will give the group sessions structure, and will provide participants with the same common denominator.

Each participant will be expected to complete on-line The Vocational Passion Assessment,™ which you'll submit prior to the first group session. Craig will receive your assessment and provide feedback and advice on where to specifically focus your energies to get the most from the group. Additionally, each participant will be expected to complete a short survey providing background information prior to the start of the first session. This information will only be shared with Craig as a way of providing more information to assist each participant .

Once the group starts, you'll be given resources to review and homework exercises to complete before the following session.

Although your efforts will take many forms, underlying and guiding them are ten principles that go to the heart of the “Ten P” model:

1. It is important to define and live your purpose.
2. To follow your heart, it is key to define and follow what you prize most in your life.
3. A healthy perspective for yourself and those around you is critical for self-development.
4. You have the ability to create more possibilities for yourself in your vocational life.
5. It's up to you to define your place or role in the world that you wish to contribute to.
6. Having a strong position or attitude on a daily basis is necessary for a successful journey.
7. A person must follow their passions to be fulfilled at work in the long run.
8. If you define your perfect vocational day, you can begin to move toward it.
9. Strategies will be necessary to face the emotional, financial, and relationship challenges that may occur when going though a mid-life vocational transition.
10. It takes daily practice, discipline, and courage to give yourself permission to put together a self-authentic life.

As a participant, you'll look for ways to apply these principles to your life and reach out in all directions. You will develop a coherent answer to address all Ten P's, a personal roadmap toward doing what you love, a marketing plan, a clear map of how your goals and passions relate, strategies for dealing with personal challenges, specific steps to take to move toward what you want, and individual and group feedback to help you get there. Additionally, you'll define creative ways to do what you love and make the income you require.

Although you'll be following a system, you will tailor it to your particular goals. You may choose to focus on a few key areas, such as honing your marketing skills, defining a personal roadmap, creating short- and long-term goals, getting clear about your passions, or just using the group as an opportunity to get feedback and ideas on your plans.

What You'll Get

Although each participant will have a difference experience, here's what you can expect from participating in the Group Coaching Program:

You'll create a realistic strategy tailored to your priorities. With feedback and support from the group, you will develop your own plan. You'll no longer be daunted by the enormity of the challenge or not knowing where to begin. You'll know where to focus your energies.

You'll clearly articulate your ultimate benefit. We'll help you work on your unique vision and give you steps to go toward your perfect vocational day in a way that feels timely, clear, and achievable.

The group will keep you focused. By associating with others on the same path, you will stay motivated to do what it takes to be successful. When we get together, we'll review the actions that participants committed to at the last meeting, as well as the results or where they got stuck. Participants then commit to new actions based on their progress.

Accountability is at the heart of the coaching program. As a participant, you will make commitments and share them with the group. Your fellow team members expect you to follow through on goals you established. If you get stuck, we'll help you. But if you keep showing up with excuses, we'll call you on it.

Another bonus is support. Groups will draw from the collective wisdom of all members. They put everyone’s expertise together! When you hit a roadblock, talking about it with group members for a few minutes may be all you need to get back into action. Groups will provide a source of networking, prospective leads, and resource sharing.

Other benefits you can expect:

• You will take specific steps toward the vocational life you desire.
• You will overcome past hurdles and challenges.
• You will define and gather around you the right type of support that you require.
• You will define a financial strategy that supports your vision of your perfect vocational day.
• You will finally take steps to define and follow your passion, creating a second half of life that is authentic and filled with more meaning and fulfillment.
• You will expand your ideas, contacts, and networking to gather support.
• You will see visible progress and a sense of new possibilities and opportunities will emerge.
• You will gain greater self-confidence and awareness of your talents and how they fit in the world around you.
• You will see your ability to relate to others around you improve as you gain greater self-awareness.
• You will have a new appreciation of money and your confidence in earning it in a way that is right for you.
• You'll start to live an authentic life in your second half.
• You'll eliminate the need for retirement and for waiting on one day to finally be happy and/or do what you love.

Tons of Free Resources!

For the duration of the program, participants will have access to many proprietary resources of The Vocational Coach.™ These are literally worth thousands of dollars if purchased separately and will save you a lot of time and energy:

Members-only online community. Participants have access to Craig's VPN online community. This is a way for members to get expert advice and support from Craig and other program leaders, as well as feedback from other group members.

The Vocational Passion Assessment.™ This powerful assessment will give you new insight and will help serve as a foundation to build on.

Audio programs. Participants have access to all past audio archives at a members-only website. You'll also attend all upcoming tele-classes, free of charge, for the duration of your participation in the Group Coaching Program.

The Vocational Passion workbook. Participants have access to a step-by-step exercise guide to use in each session and throughout the program.

E-mail feedback. Participants have unlimited e-mail access to Craig through the duration of the program, for individual feedback and review.

Copies of the book, “P is for Perfect” and the CD, ''How to discover and do what you love,'' one recent tele-class CD, and collateral.

The Vocational Passion e-zine for those in mid-life, delivered monthly to your in-box.
Reduced rates on other Vocational Coach products and services.

Special Bonus sessions:

• Craig has recently licensed the material for the new program and book, Get Hired Now!™ and each participant will receive as part of the program, the Book, Get Hired Now!™ by CJ Hayden and Frank Traditi. Craig will focus the last two sessions ( 3 hours) to help participants:

• Identify job and or start-up opportunities which support your goals

• How to organize and prioritize your job and or start-up search activities

• How to stay motivated in the face of frustration and rejection

• (Included for each participant will be templates and worksheets to help get started)

• Reduced rates on other Vocational Coach products and services.

Testimonials:

“Craig helped me focus my energy on what I love to do rather than on just finding another job. With his guidance and counsel, I have begun going down a path I never would have thought of on my own. He's been a great coach and mentor.”

– Minna Vallentine, The Reading Doctor

“Craig believes in his simple formula: people plus passion equals success and contentment. In my case, he knew that life had beaten me up but that I had a talent worth sharing. He knew that if he simply plugged me into his formula, I would find my way. But Craig is more than the formula. He is a people person. He also knew that the only way I could hear his message is if he offered me his hand. So he did for me what he yearns to do for all he comes across. He offered me that hand and accepted no excuses, gently but firmly reminding me that I am a gift to the world waiting to be unwrapped. Thank you, Craig, for caring, for sharing, and for living your personal passion by helping people identify and become one with theirs. The world will be a better place because of those you touch, for they in turn will touch the world.”

– Cat Marrs, singer/actress, motivational speaker, producer, and activist, California

“A belief that I wrote down in an exercise with Craig was: ‘There are a lot of people out there willing to help me.’ I’m definitely finding this to be true. First, there was Craig. He was willing to help push me out of a zone of comfort/sleep and into something I love to do. A friend is designing my entire magazine, after turning down a high-paying animation job to help. And, since starting the magazine, I’ve had several key players introduce me to virtually every person on their contact lists. So I already have tremendous connections going in the community. Accessible Content Magazine has the potential to be the ‘center of gravity’ for its industry, and it’s because people know the value of it and they find me to be a good guy to work with. I think I acted at the right time! When I’m helping a writer fine-tune their story for the magazine, it feels so good. I really think I’m getting aligned with I what I was meant to do. It’s just like Craig said, when I get e-mail now, it's about MY business and it’s fun to get every one. Thanks, Craig, for all of your encouragement and support. I haven’t said, ‘Oh god, I quit my job,’ in a month. Instead, I feel that I have really started something!”

– Matt Vande Voorde, publisher, Accessible Content Magazine, California

Session Two starts Thursday, November 3rd, 2005

There will be 14 total scheduled sessions for the group, approximately two sessions per month. See dates below. Although members are expected to participate in live sessions, each session will be recorded and posted online as a Real Audio file for review throughout the duration of the program.

The program will follow the course of the book, “P is for Perfect” with room for improvisation.

1. We'll focus on strategies to help you define and start to move toward your perfect vocational day.
2. You'll create your own strategy and personal roadmap as we explore creative ideas how you can discover and do more of what you love in your vocational life.
3. Finally, we'll help you "reach out in all directions," to gather personal support as well as develop your own sense of direction and plan which helps you build a more authentic life.

Program Schedule:

All program sessions are held Thursday late afternoon’s, early evenings and run approximately 90 minutes, starting at 4pm p.m. PST., 7pm East Coast time.

November 3
November 17
December 1
Holiday Break (On-line discussions will continue)
December 29
January 5th
January 19th
February 2nd
February 16th
March 2nd
March 16th
March 30th
April 13th
April 27th
May 4th (Graduation!)

Investment: The Group Coaching Program is priced to be affordable. You can pay in one of two ways:

A one-time investment of $999. (All major credit cards are accepted.)

Or

Monthly payments billed to a credit card of $199.

email Craig for more information at craig@thevocationalcoach.com

or call 925-240-0770 today!

Special Offer!!!

Only the first 12 people who enroll will be able to participate in session 2 as the sessions are structured to be small groups. There will be a waiting list for the next session expected to start in the spring of 2006.

Sign up by October 1st and receive Free the last 6 tele-class shows (CD’s)  from Craig Nathanson (How to make meaning and money in mid-life) with over 6 hours of energy and ideas from Craig as well as from his multiple guests who have made positive change in their lives!  ACT NOW for this special offer!!

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