In the midst of or considering a career change?
In-Transition with work or another key area of life?
Ready to find renewed purpose, passion, & direction?
You’re in the Right Place
And I’m glad you’re here. I created this website and blog as a place to encourage your process of finding and creating your Brilliant NEXT lifework.
You probably noticed right away that this isn’t your standard career website. We tend to use metaphor a lot; talking about life/work transition as a “journey” or “adventure,” and about renewal of purpose as finding “New Fire.” If that’s not your style, humor us. I think you’ll find the resources here to be of real and practical value for the life/work changes you want to make.
New Here?
If you’re new to Brilliant NEXT, I encourage you to read through the LifeWork Renewal 101 blog series, and to get your free copy of the Career Renewal Special Report using the “Tell Me More!” button in the sidebar to your right. You’re also invited to join in our monthly no-charge Q&A Support calls.
Beyond Job Search
You won’t find a lot of material here about job search. While the site does give attention to aspects of job search specific to major transitions, most of you reading this are already fairly skilled with the job search process. (I’m happy to point you to resources if this is an area that’s a current challenge.) You’re probably good at making things happen in general, and have likely accomplished some interesting things in the work world.
Now you’re ready for more. You’ve outgrown the last thing and, maybe for the first time, aren’t clear what’s next. Or you have ideas, but the way forward isn’t clear.
You’re not Alone
Beyond supporting you with my own experience and words, this site is a conversation – a community with other bright people traveling their own renewal journeys. Just hearing that other smart people aren’t sure of their direction is surprisingly affirming. Their comments, and yours, are at the very heart of My Brilliant NEXT.
In fact, you’ll find that “Community” is one of the main themes woven into Brilliant NEXT. In addition to participating in the blog conversation, you can join in our monthly no-charge “New Fire Circle” calls, and jump into the conversation on our Facebook page.
Speaking of Themes…
These are the major ones you’ll find here at Brilliant NEXT:
LifeWork Renewal
This is a term I began using during my years at Centerpoint Institute for talking about the process of finding renewed clarity and purpose during major transitions.
The central message here is that renewal is an important and natural process of growth. And that, while uncomfortable by nature, we can learn to work with this process to find “New Fire” and create our Brilliant NEXT.
The Time Between-Dreams
This is my favorite way of describing times of major transition and renewal. This period that precedes new clarity is normal, and disorienting, and of great value. You can read more about that in the second post in theLifework Renewal 101 series.
Spirit
I used to step lightly around this one, and water-it-down. That was a disservice and I’m over it. The important truth is that renewal is spiritual by nature. Stepping into new growth as a person during these times is what opens us to the increased brilliance we then bring to our NEXT work and life.
Nature
We include this key theme in two ways. Since renewal is intrinsic to nature’s rhythms and abundance, it is rich with metaphors and teachings for our own renewal process. I’m also a big advocate for using nature as a catalyst and environment for renewal. (Many of the ways I coach people take place in a retreat or wilderness setting.)
Community
We already touched on this, and you can read more in a post in the LifeWork Renewal 101 series. This is will play an even bigger role at Brilliant NEXT as we grow.
Again, welcome! I look forward to knowing you and sharing your journey as you find and follow your Brilliant NEXT.
Warmly,
About Rikk Hansen
A long-time renewal coach, I guide adults who are questioning their direction yet know they want to create a work & life that blaze with purpose.
Here at Brilliant NEXT I create resources, and lead intensive group & individual programs (both online and in nature/retreat settings) specifically for professionals who are seeking renewed passion, clarity, and direction for their work & life.
The Longer Version…
I began serving as a career coach several years before coaching was a recognized profession. In 1992 I co-founded Centerpoint Institute in Seattle. Centerpoint is a non-profit that’s received recognition from Richard Bolles and other career-change leaders, and became a central resource for adult career change in the Seattle area. (Centerpoint continues to thrive under the talented leadership of Carol Vecchio.)
After moving to a place I love dearly in the mountains near Yosemite, I enjoyed coached people nationally by phone – yet never really thrived in a private practice setting. After my son was born, I spent several years creating leadership development and mentoring programs for American Indian tribes. It was interesting work with good people.
Brilliant NEXT was born from a renewal period of my own and brings me full circle to my first love, supporting people in their journey through major life and career transitions.
My past clients have included hundreds of talented people who outgrew old work/life roles; traveled through a “Time Between-Dreams” to find renewed clarity of purpose; and went on to create satisfying & successful NEXT lifeworks.
I admit to being an unrepentant Mac guy, a cat person living (by marriage) with a pack of dogs, and, most gratefully, the happy and imperfect dad to my nine year-old son. In those rare moments I’m not coaching, writing, or parenting, I might be found wandering the local mountain streams with my camera, or lost in a good scifi/fantasy book.
