1. La
Divina
Commedia
(4)
Creating
the
life
and
career
you
love
in
the
Second
Half
of
Life
By
Peter
de
Kuster
with
Falco
Valkenburg
Re-­Writing
Old
Myths
The
Journey
of
Michelangelo
Old
Myth:
Age.
Perception
versus
Reality
You
are
never
too
old
to
do
something.
Age
obstacles
are
always
due
to
the
myth
that
age
is
somehow
indicative
of
physical
condition,
mental
acquity,
wisdom,
maturity
and
other
necessary
trait.
Michelangelo
found
age
a
meaningless
factor.
He
re-­‐invented
himself
many
times.
From
sculptor
of
for
example
the
David
to
painter
of
the
Sistine
Chapel
to
the
architect
of
the
Dome
of
Saint
Peter.
And
worked
happily
ever
after
until
9
days
before
his
death
in
his
late
eighties.

2.
Michelangelo
worked
until
9
days
before
his
death.
In
his
late
eighties.
If
you
want
you
can
find
your
own
role
models
who
defied
age
and
created
a
life
and
business
they
loved
at
a
later
age.
Be
inspired
and
learn
about
their
strategies.
Most
of
all
learn
about
the
stories
they
told
themselves
to
remove
your
inner
barrier
of
‘age’.
Old
Myth:
Money.
A
Story
of
Choice
Money
can
transform
a
strenuous
uphill
climb
of
creating
a
love
and
work
you
love
into
a
leisurely
stroll.
But
you
probably
suspected
that
already.
After
all
you’re
reading
this
guide
because
you
feel
money
is
an
obstacle
to
your
Divina
Commedia.
Well.
We
have
good
news
and
bad
news.

3.
First
the
bad
news:
Money
really
does
matter.
A
lot.
No
amount
of
great
storytelling
is
going
to
change
that.
Money
may
not
buy
you
happiness…
but
it
sure
helps.
A
lack
of
money
can
bring
you
unhappiness,
both
through
physical
deprivations
–
not
having
enough
food,
clothing
or
shelter
–
and
psychological
pain
–
not
measuring
up
to
standards
of
success.
Let’s
be
honest.
Money
can
buy
you
things,
which
in
turn
provide
temporal
joy
if
not
happiness.
It
may
not
be
able
to
buy
you
health,
but
it
can
get
you
the
best
medical
care.
It
may
not
be
able
to
buy
you
love,
but
it
certaintly
makes
it
easier
to
get
dates.
And
although
money
may
not
automatically
give
you
the
life
of
your
dreams,
it
does
make
the
journey
there
a
lot
more
manageable.

4.
Michelangelo
was
a
good
businessman
who
earned
a
lot
of
money
throughout
his
career.
It
bought
him
the
financial
freedom
to
create.

5. Now
the
good
news.
Of
the
twelve
general
mythes
to
your
Divina
Commedia
,
money
is
actually
the
easiest
to
overcome.
Sound’s
crazy.
Most
think
the
opposite
is
the
case.
That
money
is
the
toughest
barrier.
It’s
not.
Let
us
explain.
Overcoming
money
obstacles
is
a
matter
of
choice.
After
meeting
our
most
rudimentary
requirements
for
food,
clothing
and
shelter,
everything
else
we
spend
is
by
choice.
And
your
money
choices
aren’t
just
about
spending
either.
You’ve
a
great
deal
of
control
over
your
revenu
stream
as
well.
Granted,
your
control
over
your
income
isn’t
total,
as
is
with
your
expenses,
but
it’s
greater
than
most
initially
believe.
What
do
you
do
with
the
furniture
which
doesn’t
fit
in
your
new
home?
You
sell
it
or
you
stall
it?

6. Maybe
you
turned
down
freelance
work
because
you
didn’t
want
to
work
in
the
weekend.
Could
you
work
a
parttime
job
aside.
Savings
in
a
bank
account
aren’t
earning
as
much
for
you
as
say
in
a
Apple
stock
–
the
pc
you
use
every
day
remember?
We
don’t
think
you
need
to
experience
pain
to
overcome
your
money
obstacles.
But
you
will
need
to
make
choices.
That’s
why
the
important
things
to
focus
on
now
is
that
you
really
do
have
control
over
money.
Turn
your
money
decisions
into
conscious
choices,
not
reflexive
acts,
and
you’ll
be
in
the
right
story
to
overcome
your
money
obstacles.

7.
Old
Myth:
Duration.
Testdrives,
Mentors
and
Shortcuts
Today,
instant
gratification
isn’t
fast
enough.
We’re
used
to
getting
our
shoes
made
while
we
wait,
our
packages
delivered
overnight
to
anywhere
in
the
world.
We
pay
at
the
pump.
It’s
no
wonder
then
that
so
many
people
worry
about
how
long
it
will
take
them
to
create
a
life
and
work
they
love.
That’s
particularly
true
for
people
whose
Divina
Commedia
takes
them
in
an
entirely
new
direction.
After
all,
if
you’ve
been
a
financial
marketeer
for
twenty
years
and
are
planning
to
become
a
travel
writer,
it
appears
as
if
you
need
to
go
back
to
square
one.
And
that
would
mean
mean
you’ll
need
at
least
several
years,
just
to
get
to
the
level
in
your
new
field
that
you’ve
already
achieved
on
your
current
path.
Any
additional
training
just
makes
the
time
needed
appear
even
more
daunting.
But
there
are
a
couple
of
things
you
probably
not
factoring
into
your
time
estimates.
IT
NEVER
TAKES
AS
LONG
AS
YOU
THINK
To
begin
with,
there
are
ways
to
shortcut
.
You
make
testdrives
in
your
dreamjobs
with
mentors
who
are
already
successful
in
what
you
think
is

8.
your
dreamjob.
They
can
give
you
honest
feedback
as
to
whether
you
have
what
it
takes
for
this
kind
of
business
and
also
give
you
directions
as
to
shortcuts
in
developing
your
business.

9. In
fact.
You
are
more
mature
and
wise
today
then
you
were
when
you
started
your
first
act.
That
maturity
and
wisdom
will
speed
up
your
second
career.
It’s
like
the
difference
between
a
first
trip
into
a
city
of
Florence
and
a
second.
The
first
time
you
travel
here
you
don’t
know
what
to
expect.
Sure,
you’ve
read
guidebooks
but
that’s
no
replacement
for
actually
being
there.
The
second
trip
you’ve
learned
what
you
like
to
do
and
are
more
relaxed
about
the
experience.
On
your
first
trip
you
spend
lots
of
time
and
money.
By
the
second
you
use
your
resources
much
more
efficiently.

10. Believe
us:
your
Divina
Commedia
will
not
take
as
long
as
you
think.
We’re
not
saying
it
will
happen
overnight.
It
will
probably
not
be
the
long
ordeal
you
fear.
It
certainly
won’t
take
you
just
as
long
to
get
as
far
as
in
your
first
career.

11.
It’s
difficult
to
determine
ahead
of
time
exactly
how
much
time
you’ll
save
by
making
testdrives
in
your
dreamjobs.
When
you
can
enlist
mentors
like
Michelangelo
did
in
his
time
–
especially
when
they
are
powerful
individuals
like
de
Medici
–
you
may
be
able
to
trim
the
time
you’ll
need
to
invest
dramatically.
Ofcourse
there
are
some
situations
that
simply
can’t
be
sped
up.
Your
goal
should
be
to
make
the
time
required
manageable,
not
to
make
it
disappear
entirely.
Give
yourself
a
chance
to
enjoy
the
journey.
You’re
every
right
to
pause,
if
not
stop,
to
savor
a
cup
of
coffee
in
Gilli
at
Piazza
della
Reppublica
in
Florence.
You’re
on
the
path
to
the
life
of
your
dreams,
so
the
scenery
will
be
thrilling.

12. Old
Myth:
Physical
Condition:
Just
Do
It
Do
you
think
you’re
too
short,
or
your
nose
is
too
big,
or
you
don’t
have
enough
hair,
or
you
weigh
too
much?
If
a
certain
physical
condition
isn’t
required
for
your
second
career,
yet
you’re
afraid
your
own
physical
condition
will
be
an
obstable,
you
have
a
body
image
problem.
If
a
certain
physical
condition
is
required
for
your
second
career,
and
you
don’t
measure
up,
you
have
a
body
problem.
We
encourage
everybody
to
do
whatever
you
need
to
fix
either
of
these
obstacles.
Once
you’ve
been
able
to
start
living
the
life
of
your
dreams
you
will
see
that
your
attitude
toward
yourself
changes.
You
start
to
feel
good.
You
start
to
see
yourself
as
a
person
of
worth,
a
valuable
individual,
worthy
of
love
and
respect
and
admiration.
Maybe
your
physical
problem
is
all
in
your
head.

13.
Perhaps
it
came
from
some
youth
experience.
We
don’t
know.
What
we
do
know
is
that
once
you
change
your
life,
the
poor
story
you
tell
yourself
that
lies
at
the
heart
of
your
mistaken
body
image
will
be
improved,
and
you’ll
start
to
see
yourself
as
a
beautiful
successful
human
being.

14.
Is
your
second
career
a
physical
impossibility?
Physical
condition
is
the
one
barrier
that
potentially
could
be
insurmountable.
Certain
second
careers,
by
their
very
nature
require
specific
physical
characteristics.
Like
flexible
arms
and
fingers
with
a
long
reach
for
massage.
On
the
other
hand,
some
dreams
may
be
very
difficult,
due
to
physical
obstacles,
but
aren’t
necessarily
impossible.
For
example
just
because
you’re
overweight,
or
balding,
doesn’t
mean
you
can’t
go
on
a
stage
to
inspire
people.
Not
only
could
you
change
your
condition
but
alternatively
you
could
pursue
opportunities
to
reach
out
with
your
story
to
people
with
the
same
obstacle.
People
have
an
innate
sense
about
where
to
draw
the
line
between
what’s
impossible
and
what’s
difficult,
but
possible.
If
you’ve
gotten
this
far
in
the
travel
guide
of
Florence
with
a
goal
that’s
a
physical
impossibility,
it
means
one
of
three
things.
Perhaps
you
don’t
really
want
to
succeed
at
your
second
career,
and
as
a
result,
have
chosen
a
goal
you
know
can’t
be

15.
reached.
Maybe
you’re
in
deep
denial
about
your
own
physical
limitations.
Or,
it
could
be
that
you
really
haven’t
done
a
good
job
of
getting
past
inner
obstacles
and
telling
yourself
a
story
which
will
give
you
the
energy
and
determination
you
need
to
pursue
your
dream.
If
you
discover
that
there
are
options
to
overcome
physical
barriers
don’t
create
new
problems
for
you,
that’s
great.
Throw
out
the
ice
cream
and
head
over
to
the
gym.
If,
however,
your
efforts
to
overcome
your
physical
obstacles
will
create
or
increase
money
or
duration
barriers,
don’t
worry.
You
can
tackle
those
as
well.
If
you
want
your
dream
so
much
that
you’re
ready
to
change
your
physical
characteristics,
you’ve
clearly
got
the
determination
to
overcome
anything.

16. Old
Myth:
Consent
and
support.
How
much
do
you
need?
Amazing
how
people
remain
hungry
for
other’s
approval,
no
matter
their
age
or
level
of
success.
Unless
you
truly
need
another’s
consent
or
support
in
order
for
your
second
career
to
succeed
–
say
you
need
a
partner
to
pick
up
the
slack
with

17. child
care
–
getting
it
isn’t
essential.
Sure,
it
would
be
nice
if
everyone
you
care
about,
and
everyone
whose
opinion
you
value,
agreed
with
everything
you
were
doing
and
was
pulling
for
you
to
succeed.
Unfortunately,
human
relations
aren’t
that
simple
or
straight
forward.
People
who
love
you
may,
because
they
honestly
disagree
with
you,
or
because
it
fills
some
psychological
need
in
them,
refuse
to
support
your
efforts.
Support
is
nice,
it
is
not
a
requirement.
Michelangelo’s
family
was
ashamed
of
his
choice
to
become
an
sculptor
which
was
not
highly
valued
in
their
social
circles.
If
you
let
nonessential
consent
and
support
deter
you
from
your
Divina
Commedia,
you’ve
no
one
to
blame
but
yourself.
This
is
your
life,
not
theirs.
Do
you
want
to
be
happy
and
live
the
life
of
your
dreams?
If
so,
you’ve
to
stand
up
for
yourself
and
go
for
it.
You
want
to
lead
your
life,
the
one
that
resonates
deep
within
you,
not
the
life
others
think
you
should
lead.

18. Old
Myth:
Education
is
Overrated
The
importance
of
formal
education
is
overrated.
Perhaps
because
we
are
too
far
removed
from
the
time
when
Michelangelo
learned
everything
on
the
job
from
his
mentors/rolemodels/heroes
who
went
before
him
and
were
successful.
Do
we
need
a
degree
to
be
a
successful
entrepreneur?
No
we
don’t.

19.
We
are
not
saying
a
theoretical
background
and
historical
knowledge
aren’t
helpful
to
launching
your
Divina
Commedia,
only
that
they
are
not
as
important
as
practical
experience.
To
a
large
extent
the
need
for
education
isn’t
itself
an
obstacle,
but
the
cause
of
other
obstacles,
particularly
money
and
duration.
You’ll
have
greater
success
at
trying
to
mitigate
rather
than
working
to
eliminate,
education
obstacles.
Do
all
you
can
to
minimize
how
much
education
you
need
or
to
discover
shortcuts.
Then,
spend
the
bulk
of
your
time
working
at
eliminating
any
resulting
money
and
duration
obstacles.
Old
Myth:
Timing
and
Location:
Create
Your
Own
Legend
Do
you
believe
there
is
a
best
time
for
you
to
lauch
your
second
career?
Maybe
you’re
a
professional
with
a
working
partner
and
two
children
in
high
school
and
you’re
thinking
about
starting
a
business.
But
you’re
hesistant
because
you
don’t
think
now
is
the
right
time.
You’re
waiting
for
the
stars
in
the
sky
in
Florence
to
all
line
up
perfectly.
You
will
think
that
will
happen
in
six
years
when
your
children
are
both
out
of
school
and
your
partner
will
be
ready
for
retirement.

20.
Perhaps
you
think
there’s
only
one
place
from
where
you
can
start
your
new
life.
It
could
be
that
you’re
a
consultant
living
in
the
Netherlands
whose
dream
is
to
write.
You
think
you
cannot
achieve
your
Divina
Commedia
because
the
only
place
where
writers
can
have
inspiration
for
their
art
and
being
noticed
is
in
Italy.
You’re
divorced
and
share
custody
of
your
children,
making
a
move
problematic.
Both
reactions
sound
reasonable
and
mature.
But
if
you
take
this
approach
to
your
second
career,
you’ll
probably
never
succeed.
Why?
Because
you’re
not
taking
responsibility
for
your
own
success.
There
are
better,
but
no
best
times
Thinking
the
timing
isn’t
right
for
launching
a
Divina
Commedia
is
very
common…
and
it’s
always
an
internal
rather
than
external
barrier.
Yes,
there
could
be
better
times
than
the
present
to
change
your
life.
Perhaps
it
would
be
easier
to
make
a
transition
when
your
children
are
out
of
college.
Maybe
things
will
be
smoother
financially
if
you
work
three
years
for
a
boss
and
save
some
money
before
you
start
a
business.
It
seems
to
make
sense
to
wait
for
the
best
possible
moment
to
launch
your
Divina
Commedia.

21. But
that
moment
doesn’t
exist.
There
is
no
best
moment.
Yes,
there
may
be
better
times.
In
fact,
there
will
always
be
better
times.
…
and
that’s
the
problem.
If
you’re
waiting
for
your
kids
to
graduate,
why
not
wait
for
them
to
get
jobs,
or
to
get
their
own
apartments,
or
to
get
married,
or
to
buy
their
own
house,
or
to
have
their
own
kids?
Waiting
for
the
economy
to
rise
sounds
like
a
good
idea.
How
high
must
it
get
for
it
to
be
high
enough?
The
economy
could
always
go
higher
and
that
would
make
your
second
career
even
easier.
And,
if
it
has
a
setback
while
you’re
waiting,
well,
it
will
bounce
again.

22. If
you
start
waiting
for
a
better
time,
you’re
apt
to
keep
on
waiting.
Wait
on
the
possibility
of
improved
circumstances,
and
you’ll
wait
forever.
There
will
always
be
a
better
time
to
launch
your
second
career.
But
there
will
never
be
a
best
time
to
do
it,
and
there
is
never
a
bad
time
to
follow
your
dream.
By
all
means
do
what
you
reasonably
can
to
make
raising
the
curtain
as
easy
and
painless
as
possible.
If
that
means
waiting
until
you
get
your
bonus
before
leaving
your
job
or
delaying
a
relocation
until
your
five
year

23. old
goes
away
to
study,
that’s
fine.
Just
don’t
look
for
a
perfect
moment.
At
some
point,
in
order
to
launch
your
Divina
Commedia
and
live
the
life
of
your
dreams,
you
need
to
step
out
from
the
wings.
Sure
it’s
a
risk
when
you
finally
hit
your
mark
and
the
stage
lights
go
up.
But
if
you
don’t
take
that
risk,
you
lose
your
chance
at
happiness.

24. We
all
know
of
people
who
have
been
waiting
for
a
perfect
opportunity
to
come
around,
and
who
have,
in
the
process,
frittered
away
their
lives.
It
may
be
the
graying
woman,
always
waiting
for
the
perfect
man,
who
now
feels
love
has
passed
her
by.
It
could
be
the
ambitious
coworker
whose
always
been
waiting
for
the
right
time
to
strike
out
on
her
own
but
never
has.
We
don’t
want
you
to
be
someone
who
is
always
waiting
for
your
‘real
life’
to
begin.
We
want
you
to
live
that
dream
life.