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Lucinda Jackson, a harried scientist and business executive, sets off to make a break from her corporate decades and have an "extraordinary" retirement. She launches into a five-phase "Project Escape," complete with a vision, goals, and a scorecard of success to deliver this next chapter. Soon, Jackson and her semi-reluctant husband of thirty years are off as volunteers to the government of the Pacific island country of Palau. But while Jackson got the girl out of the corporation, even the jolt of Palau can't fully get the corporation out of the girl. As she struggles through self-examination around purpose, identity, ego, marriage, and parenthood after years of investing so much in career, Jackson gradually learns who she is again. Whether you're thinking ahead to retirement or are already there, Project Escape provides an unvarnished but ultimately encouraging reference in navigating the "post-career" era.
About the author
Lucinda Jackson, scientist and corporate executive, spent eight years in academia and more than forty years with Fortune 500 Companies. After growing up on the West Coast, she received her PhD at Southern Illinois University and continued in science throughout her career, speaking worldwide on environmental topics, and serving on boards of academic, non-profit, and industry organizations. Dr. Jackson has published peer-reviewed articles, patents, and book chapters and is working on a book series about freedom after a career-dominated life. After Peace Corps volunteerism in Palau and teaching science in Mexico, Dr. Jackson and her husband returned recently to their home near San Francisco. They have three male-liberated sons who are scattered around the globe.
Summary
Trading in her hard-hitting, structured career life, Lucinda Jackson sets out for what she hopes is a purposeful, unscripted next act in a far-away island country. Adolescence, middle-age crisis—those eras are child’s play. Retirement is the real challenge.
Additional text
“With deep honesty and humor, Jackson took me on a journey of discovery: not only of another ‘world’ in the culture of the island country of Palau but also of herself—and of her long-term marriage. . . . This book celebrates self-reflection, rediscovery, adventure, acceptance, and love. It is an exciting, evocative, hope-filled journey not to be missed!”
—Margaret Davis Ghielmetti, author of Brave(ish): A Memoir of a Recovering Perfectionist
“Jackson decided against golf and cruises and chose a volunteer adventure in an ‘island paradise’ as a mature Peace Corps volunteer, selling her husband on her dream. Hidden within this great story—like the dog’s pill in the peanut butter—is a five-phase methodology for planning for one of life’s biggest events: retirement. I will recommend her book in my retirement workshops for the many men and women who so intimately mix self and career in career-centric lives—not just for the methodology but also for the entertaining story of self-imposed loss and ultimate personal discovery.”
—Dr. Bill Carroll, Certified Professional Retirement Coach and adjunct professor at Indiana University, Bloomington
