The Work Happiness Method: Master the 8 Skills to Career Fulfillment

Executive coach Grizont debuts with an ambitious if overstuffed guide to feeling more professionally fulfilled. Spotlighting eight “inner skills” to “help you take control where you can,” Grizont outlines how readers can boost resilience by keeping a gratitude journal; “refocus” on their priorities after setbacks by “trusting that growth is inevitable and being optimistic that it will work out”; and clarify priorities by brainstorming a personal “definition of success.” Interspersed throughout are useful exercises for setting small-scale goals and crafting a personal vision statement by imagining one’s ideal life five years in the future. However, the tips for drawing boundaries aren’t always practical, especially for those in more junior roles (for example, Grizont suggests responding to an unwanted weekly meeting invitation with a terse “Thanks for including me, but I have to sit this one out because I’m already booked”). While the sheer volume of suggestions tends to overwhelm, Grizont’s advice on how to “job craft” to customize one’s existing role is welcome, as is her balanced outlook that while no job is perfect, it’s possible to increase one’s day-to-day happiness by tackling “what’s within your reach.” Discontented professionals willing to pick and choose what works for them will be fortified. Agent: Jill Marsal, Marsal Lyon Literary. (Mar.)