My Newest Book Is for People Ready to Shift Career Gears
Why I wrote as a short career guide more than a long, boring book
Book cover designed by yours truly.
I’ve just self-published a new book: Shift Yourself, Change Your Career: A Practical Career Guide for Finding Purpose, Clarity, and Prosperity at Work. It’s short, direct, and built to help people who are struggling with their work, questioning their direction, or wondering what comes next.
The Source Material, My Experience, and That of Others
My newest book grew out of the conversations I’ve had with executives, professionals, and leaders who sit across from me, often frustrated, exhausted, or quietly desperate for clarity about what gives them meaning and where they might find it.
I kept seeing the same patterns: smart, capable people stuck in jobs that didn’t fit them, chasing opportunities that left them unfulfilled, or repeating the same mistakes in new places.
And worse, plenty of people without work are struggling to make ends meet while they find a job that doesn’t poke holes in their souls. Being unemployed is as bad as being employed without engagement, purpose, and the ability to go to work on Mondays without the temptation to leap out of the car window while hurtling down the fast lane.
I know the pain of that cycle, because I’ve lived it myself. For years, I made moves thinking the next role, the next project, the next company would fix everything. But the truth hit hard: if you don’t shift inside, no external change will make things better. That’s my motivation for writing the book.
Why I Wrote It
This book is a field guide for anyone who wants to stop repeating the same career mistakes and start creating a path that actually works. It combines decades of my own hard-won lessons and the recent emanation of the Clarity S.H.I.F.T. Method™ I’ve developed through coaching and mentoring.
It’s not theory. It’s practical, battle-tested, and designed for real people who are tired of running in circles. I wrote it from the heart.
Careers aren’t just about money or titles. They’re about identity, meaning, and quality of life. Too many people settle, and too many people wait until it’s too late to make the changes they know they need. If this book helps even one person find a better path, it will have been worth it.
Who It’s For
This book is for professionals at a crossroads or seeking the next gig because they got downsized for whatever reason. Maybe you’re:
Stuck in a role that feels like it’s draining the life out of you.
Considering a career change but unsure what direction to take.
Burned out from chasing success without finding fulfillment.
Or simply curious about what it means to align your work with who you really are.
It’s not just for people in crisis. It’s for anyone who senses there must be more to life than climbing ladders, hitting targets, or doing what everyone else expects.
Why It’s Short
I made this book intentionally short because the last thing busy people need is another bloated “career manual” full of fluff and filler. We live in a distracted world. Our brains and attention spans have been hijacked with extreme prejudice. If you’re struggling with your career, you don’t want a 400-page textbook.
You want clarity, direction, and practical steps you can take now. This book is designed to be read in one sitting, maybe two or three, and then re-read as needed. Think of it as a reset button you can carry with you.
An Excerpt from Chapter 1
Here’s a taste from the opening chapter:
“Have you ever left a job thinking it would be different this time? Only to find out, a few months in, that nothing had really changed? That’s because you carried yourself—the same habits, the same blind spots, the same fears—into the new job. The scenery was different, but the story was the same.
The truth is, most career problems aren’t solved by switching companies or chasing new opportunities. They’re solved by shifting the way you see yourself, your choices, and your life. Until you shift inside, nothing outside will change.”
That’s the heart of the book. If you don’t change yourself, your career will keep repeating itself. If you leave a dead-end job for the wrong reasons, you’ll still be yourself when you get there.
An Invitation
Shift Yourself, Change Your Career is available now. I’d love for you to read it, share it with family, friends, and anyone who might be looking for a gig that will fire them up.
Invite anyone you know who’s struggling in their work to check it out. My hope is that it sparks honest conversations about what really matters in our professional lives and gives people the courage to make changes they’ve been putting off.
If the message resonates with you, I ask you to do two things:
Read the book with an open mind.
Share it with someone who needs it.
The world is full of talented, passionate people who are quietly unhappy in their careers. It doesn’t have to be that way. With a shift in perspective, everything can change. And the best way to make the shift is by searching inside yourself.
I'm an author, mentor, and facilitator. Ask me how The Clarity S.H.I.F.T. Method™ empowers leaders and professionals to enhance communication, prevent conflicts, foster trust, and achieve alignment. Learn more at www.CliffordJones.com.