Robert, a divorce attorney in his late 40's, wanted out. He was tired of dealing with bickering and unhappy clients, and weary of courtroom politics. He had been dreaming about other careers for years, and even had a file drawer full of newspaper clippings, magazine articles, and lists of the various careers he'd explored. Several sounded interesting: managing a bed and breakfast inn on the coast, becoming a winemaker, working for a non-profit environmental organization, teaching and writing. His file kept growing, and so did his discontent. Robert was on the verge of making a breakthrough but suffered from analysis paralysis.

His wife finally put her foot down. She told him that it was time to stop talking and start taking action. She recommended the Clarity Quest program, and he responded enthusiastically. He felt that if he had a little more data to analyze, he would be able to make a well-informed decision about what to do with the rest of his life.

About mid-way through the Clarity Quest program, Robert started taking long walks in the evening along a trail through the woods near his home. Walking helped him unwind from the pressures of the day and get quiet enough to listen to his inner thoughts and feelings. He had many new insights about the careers he was contemplating. Some made him feel tense and anxious and gave him a heavy feeling in his gut. Thinking about others made him feel joyful and excited.

During his week-long retreat, Robert did a lot of walking and listening. He used this inner guidance to gather the courage to take the first concrete steps toward a new career. He selected three areas to explore: teaching, environmental lobbying, and managing a bed and breakfast inn. He'd already collected a lot of data but felt that he lacked real life experience in these areas.

He gave himself a time limit. In six months, he would make a final decision. He knew a professor at the local university and offered to be a teacher's assistant without payment. He committed to spending one night a week with the professor, and all he asked in return was the opportunity to observe and learn. Next, he signed up to work on a committee at the local environmental group so that he would meet members and learn first hand some of the challenges that they faced. The last item in his action plan was to spend four weekends at popular bed and breakfast inns along the coast. He scheduled appointments to talk to the owners and learn about the challenges and opportunities.

Robert had finally broke free of analysis paralysis. He'd used his inner guidance to determine what he wanted, and then followed up his insights with action.

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