Books and Resources - Short Introduction
Here you’ll find the core resources that tease out Future Life Stories, opening up possibilities you may never even have considered.
From Scary to Fun offers a new way to think about how you want your life to be in the future. The Workbook will enable you to explore your own questions more deeply, including how you want to spend your days happily and profitably. And if you want to create a plan, you can – knowing that this stage of life is wonderfully experimental, and you can change direction whenever you like.
The Power of Play is a gentle, free starting point for reconnecting with something vital that invariably brings fun and energy.
None of this is about following a system. It’s about finding your own way – at your own pace – with simple tools that will help you to develop your thoughts in the way you wish to.
Feel free to explore in whatever way that works for you.
The Power of Play
Before you design your future, it helps to remember who you were before your life became structured
Play isn’t something we grow out of. It’s something we lose — and can reclaim.
The Power of Play is a short, warm guide that explores how play shapes us through childhood, young adulthood, work, family life, and into this new stage of freedom. It invites you to look at your own “play history,” notice what has faded, and rediscover what brings you joy, energy, and connection now.
It’s light, but it can go surprisingly deep if you want it to. Many people have told me it helped them reconnect with parts of themselves they hadn’t thought about in years.
I once gave it to a friend on a London commuter train. He read it straight through – not the ideal environment for reflection – and suddenly burst out laughing. I joined in. We received some magnificent stony looks from our fellow passengers.
The laughter was the point
I got it wrong for so many years, not having enough fun. It’s a mistake that I do not intend to repeat.
It’s free to download - no strings attached - and I only ask for your name and email so I can send it to you.
The Book - From Scary to Fun
Most people don’t say much about this stage of life. They talk about holidays, grandchildren, hobbies and keeping busy. But underneath, many are asking quieter questions.:
· Why does retirement not feel quite as good as expected?
· Will my days have shape and meaning?
· What other avenues might be available to me?
· Am I making the most of this freedom I’ve worked so hard to earn?
· What might my next phase of life look like?
· And perhaps the biggest question of all: What do I actually want now?
Those are the questions that sit behind From Scary to Fun.
From Scary to Fun is based on a simple idea: the future does not have to be left to chance. By asking the right questions and exploring what matters most to you, it is possible to create a future life that feels more meaningful, enjoyable and authentically your own.
It’s a practical, human guide to navigating the psychological transition into what can easily be the most exciting part of your life. It’s not about retirement planning or financial strategy. It’s about those deeper questions.
Inside the book you will find reflections, and simple tools that show you how to work things out — at your own pace, in your own way. A central feature which people seem to like is the wealth of real examples (with names changed) of people’s personalities, energies, hopes, strengths, successes and failures. They give you a guide – something to compare yourself with if you wish to do so.
The book has received excellent endorsements from people like Rory Sutherland and Dave Algeo, who recognised the value of approaching this life stage with warmth, and a wider ambit than the two great myths.
The Workbook and The Birkman Method®— A Deeper Exploration
The From Scary to Fun Workbook is a companion resource for people who want to go further — not in a heavy or demanding way, but in a thoughtful, spacious way.
It’s designed to help you:
reflect on what has worked for you and what hasn’t
explore what energises you now
imagine what you want next
mould a future that feels like you
This isn’t homework. It’s a place to think. A place to notice what matters. A place to design your future with intention and curiosity.
It dovetails with the book and contains lots that will help you. It’s your space — and your story.GG
G0ing Deeper - Optional Premium Offer
I came across The Birkman Method® purely by chance, and what a find it was.
Many years ago, when my daughter was about 7, she had a birthday party. One little boy on the front row slept through the entire performance of the Magician, which led me to talking with his Dad when he collected his son. We met a few times afterwards. It turned out that, amongst other things, the Dad was qualified in The Birkman Method® and I ended up taking the Questionnaire. Whoa! The feedback was dynamic – multiple “aha” moments. 6 months later I was at the Birkman headquarters in Houston, Texas doing my own initial Birkman training.
It is a brilliant (Rolls Royce) tool with which to really understand yourself at a deeper level – your strengths, motivations and energy patterns. I have used it for nearly 20 years for a variety of business and social purposes. It is especially good in major life-change situations – particularly those where your personality has a major bearing on who you are and what you may wish to do.
I have probably given about 200 feedback sessions, including e.g. a post-University student who took the results and convinced his own father that he needed to do something entirely different to what was “planned”; and a husband and wife couple for whom it was pivotal in ending their low grade “war” and enabling them to move on together.
For those who want to dive deeper, I offer the Birkman Method® questionnaire. It’s a great way to gain deep insight, but it is not a requirement to enjoy a fulfilling Future Life.
Any feedback will be provided by knowledgeable and trusted partners, because it’s not something I can devote enough time to personally.