Never Too Late: Ten Tips for Changing the Course of Your Life [Paperback]

There's a Japanese term discussed in "Never Too Late" that struck me in a profound way: "Yakudoshi." It is composed of "yaku," meaning calamity, and "doshi," meaning year. The word denotes the salaryman's 40th birthday, when he finds out whether or not the last twenty years of his professional life have made him worthy for advancement. If he gets promoted to a coveted managerial position, he's a success. But if he has been found wanting, he's permanently stuck at the peyon level. For women, the Yakudoshi age is 32. If they are still single, they're in the same castaway boat as the men who've been passed over for promotion. That ain't ichiban.

My own Yakudoshi moment is this year. Although my workplace destiny is not on the line, turning the big four-oh makes a guy sit up and evaluate his life (especially if he's still single). I certainly don't want my birthday to mark a calamity. As a result, I've been on the lookout for some books to help me make sense of, and prepare for, this milestone. "Never Too Late's" subtitle of "10 tips to change the course of your life" caught my eye. Normally I'm skeptical of any book that proclaims a set number of steps or principles will alter my reality. But I was hooked after a quick skim-through, so I bought it.

The author's fortieth birthday was a major turning point for him. Mr. Sheppard was overweight, burned out, and his marriage was in trouble. So, he decided to revamp himself by following his wife to Japan and starting a whole new life. He dove into Japanese culture, revitalized his marriage, and got fit by bicycling the length of Japan (about 2,000 miles). From these and other experiences came "Never Too Late." The title reflects the author's belief that one can reset the course of his or her life at any stage.

Accomplishing change is what the ten tips are for, and each gets its own chapter. Titles such as "Endurance," "Geography," and "Travel" indicate an area of life that lends itself to personal alteration. The chapters end with an Executive Summary, Action Plan, Dialogue Box, and Caution Box. These sections are designed to help you explore the chapter's main point and make it your own. To further emphasize his message, the author intertwines his own experiences with a fictional story about Jud, a man going through his own existential crisis. Per his father's dying request, Jud embarks on a worldwide journey. He follows his dad's posthumous instructions, left to him in a set of numbered envelopes. At the end, he is a man transformed for the better - as we hope to be.

Although his tips are common sense, Mr. Sheppard conveys them in refreshing and interesting ways. The book is Christian-based, but I didn't find it to be preachy or overspiritualized. I enjoyed Jud's fictional adventures as much (or more) than the author's real-life anecdotes. But both inspired me to take stock of my life and see where changes are needed. More importantly, I felt that he gave me permission to "think outside the box" and consider taking some scary, but necessary, risks. His ideas provided definite food for thought, and I feel better equipped to face my "Yakudoshi" moment. Recommended.

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