Dr. Fred and Dr. Frank asked Michael about midlife change and transition. He also talked about his new book and his take on happiness.
Dr. Fred Michael, you have a diversified professional background? What had you transition to being a coach?
Dr. Frank We dispel the notion of a midlife crisis and prefer to address midlife as a time of transition. You've gone through the transition process as it applies to your career. Would you share with our listeners what that experience was like for you?
Dr. Fred You just published "Do more great work: Stop the busy work. Start the work that matters." You must be excited about that. How does this book go beyond your first book, "Find your great work"?
Dr. Frank Your core message is that most of us do far too much good work (useful, productive work) or bad work (a waste of time, energy and life) and not enough great or meaningful work. For many midlifers and beyond searching for encore careers, finding satisfying and meaningful work is a priority. What message do you have for them?
Dr. Fred When midlifers go through a transition, they tend to have difficulty with what's referred to as the "neutral zone." It can be a very uncomfortable place to be. There's often a sense of being stuck. One aspect of your work is assisting people in getting unstuck. Would you share how you do that?
Dr. Frank Your "Do more great work" book offers 15 short exercises as road maps for doing great work. For midlifers and beyond who've had several different careers, which exercises are particularly relevant?
Dr. Fred There's a glut of information on happiness. In our view, what that usually indicates is that people don't really have a handle on it and how to get it. There's a lot of seeking going on and not much happiness. What's your view on this?
Dr. Frank You bring a "light touch" in what you offer. Fun and play are important aspects of life. They're related to creativity and living an "invented" life. What frames of reference and practices can midlifers experiment with so that they're in a more creative space?
(Workman Press, 2010) is a revised and expanded version of 
Shifting Gears at Midlife: a transformational e-course.
