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The Portfolio Life: How to Future-Proof Your Career, Avoid Burnout, and Build a Life Bigger than Your Business Card Hardcover – April 18, 2023

by Christina Wallace (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 72 ratings
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You are more than your job. Optimize your happiness, bank account, personal growth, with this practical playbook to achieve sustainable work-life balance—perfect for readers of The Good Enough Job and What Color Is Your Parachute?

"An actionable guide to leading a balanced life." — Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Potential and Think Again

Pouring yourself into a single full-time job is the riskiest move you can make. Your parents’ advice to focus on one career path? It doesn’t work anymore, for reasons ranging from recessions to student loan debt, the gig economy, climate disasters, and a global pandemic (to name a few). We need a dramatically different relationship with work, one that allows us to define ourselves beyond our paid labor.
 
The answer? A Portfolio Life. An anti-hustle, pro-rest approach to work-life balance, a Portfolio Life is built on three tenets:
  1. You are more than any one role or opportunity.
  2. Diversification will help you navigate change and mitigate uncertainty.
  3. When (not if) your needs change, you can and should rebalance.
 
In The Portfolio Life, Harvard professor, serial entrepreneur, and self-described "human Venn diagram" Christina Wallace adapts tried-and-true practices from the business sector to help you eschew the cult of ambition and experience the freedom of building the flexible, fulfilling, and sustainable life you want. Drawing on research, case studies, and her own experience, she walks you step-by-step through the process of designing a strategy for the long haul. Because you deserve rest, relationships, and a rewarding career—not someday, but today. After all, you only live once.
 
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  1. Print length
    256 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Balance
  4. Publication date
    April 18, 2023
  5. Dimensions
    6.35 x 1.15 x 9.3 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1538710471
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1538710470
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"The Portfolio Life is the rare book that gives you both theory and practice. I hope you have the courage to read and apply Christina's timely advice!"―Chris Guillebeau, author of The $100 Startup and The Money Tree

"In a turbulent world, this is a guide to leading a balanced life. Drawing on her background as a serial entrepreneur, Christina offers actionable advice to help you anticipate—and navigate—disruption."

―Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Again and host of the TED podcast Re:Thinking

"Masterful. The Portfolio Life  challenges the traditional notion that work and life must be kept separate and provides a new model for leading a fulfilling life."―Greg McKeown, CEO of McKeown Inc. and New York Times bestselling author of Essentialism and Effortless

"The Portfolio Life is a manual for pursuing a prismatic, polyvalent life. Christina Wallace masterfully illustrates that you don't have to abandon your creative pursuits to advance professionally, and planning for one’s financial future shouldn't be reduced to just drinking fewer lattes or whatever. The Portfolio Life is an urgent, insurgent guide that empowers readers to live their lives—and manifest their careers- on their own extraordinary terms."―Sydney Skybetter, Dean at Brown University

"Your life is your enterprise. In The Portfolio Life, Christina Wallace masterfully shows you how to treat it as such, pursuing your personal and professional dreams to find happiness and success."―Arthur C. Brooks, Professor, Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School, and #1 New York Times bestselling author

Christina Wallace—and this book—are gifts to GenZ.  In a world that's never changed faster, but will never change this slowly again, Christina has written an essential playbook for how emerging adults can build big, brave, and beautiful lives.  She's the human Venn diagram she writes about, living and working at the intersection of head, heart and humor.  And while her own story is outrageously inspiring, she writes with humanity and humility that make her delightfully relatable. This book is the antidote to hustle culture, and a compelling case that durable success comes not from working harder and faster, but better and smarter.  If you are ready to get in the drivers' seat of your career—and life—but not sure how to start, this book is your roadmap!―Abby Falik, Founder & CEO of Global Citizen Year

"The Portfolio Life is the book I wish I had twenty years ago, when I was just starting out and thought I had to hide the creative parts of myself to be taken seriously in tech and business. Christina Wallace makes the brilliant case in this book that embracing your various skills, interests, and communities will actually de-risk your career, make you stand out from the pack, and offer you a life as unique as you are."―Randi Zuckerberg, Tech Entrepreneur, Author, and Tony Award-winning Broadway Producer

"Whether you are just starting out in your career or you are considering a new chapter, put aside a day and read The Portfolio Life. Christina Wallace wrote a playbook that is equal parts inspirational and tactical, offering the mindsets and tools to craft a life that is gratifying, flexible, and sustainable."―Kathryn Minshew, Founder & CEO of The Muse, author of The New Rules of Work

"An indispensable companion for anyone eager to shape their life based on who they are rather than some predefined linear path."―Hubert Joly, author The Heart of Business, former Best Buy CEO

“Christina Wallace writes with a pitch perfect blend of analysis, story, and humor, examining the economic equation that has left a generation of young adults feeling stymied in their efforts to build a sustainable and fulfilling life. The Portfolio Life offers a new model for work and life that upends the notion they should have ever been at odds.”―Morra Aarons-Mele, Author of The Anxious Achiever, LinkedIn Presents podcast host, entrepreneur, wife, mother, tennis player, and Sondheim fan

"Few of us have one job for life anymore, or even one job at a time. In this wise and engaging guide, Christina shares strategies for creating sustainable, joyful careers that let us leverage all our talents."―Laura Vanderkam, Author of Tranquility by Tuesday

“This is the rare career guide that balances professional considerations against personal ones, encouraging readers to make time for activities even if they don’t directly relate to one’s vocation.” ―Publishers Weekly

"A must read! If you feels work-life balance is important, The Portfolio Life defines it in a far more effective and actionable way!"―Drew Scott, co-host of The Property Brothers

About the Author

Christina Wallace is a self-described "human Venn diagram" who has crafted a career at the intersection of business, the arts, and technology. She is currently a Senior Lecturer of Entrepreneurial Management at Harvard Business School and an active startup mentor and angel investor. She was previously cohost of The Limit Does Not Exist and co-authored New To Big (April 2019, Currency). A serial entrepreneur, Christina spent a decade building businesses in fashion, media, and edtech, including a venture inside the American Museum of Natural History focused on getting girls into STEM. She was a management consultant with the Boston Consulting Group and began her career at the Metropolitan Opera. Christina holds undergraduate degrees in mathematics and theater studies from Emory University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. She lives in Cambridge with her husband, Chas Carey, and their two children, Arden and Sebastian.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Balance (April 18, 2023)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1538710471
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1538710470
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.35 x 1.15 x 9.3 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 72 ratings

About the author

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Christina Wallace

Christina Wallace

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www.christinawallace.com

Christina Wallace is a Senior Lecturer of Entrepreneurial Management at Harvard Business School and the co-host of the podcast The Limit Does Not Exist. She was formerly the VP of Growth at Bionic. A serial entrepreneur, Wallace previously founded BridgeUp: STEM, a computer science education startup at the American Museum of Natural History, was the founding director of Startup Institute New York, and was the co-founder and CEO of Quincy Apparel. She holds undergraduate degrees in mathematics and theater studies from Emory University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. She lives in Cambridge with her husband Chas Carey and their two children.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
72 global ratings
engaging + full of practical examples
5 Stars
engaging + full of practical examples
The approach included in this book has been eye-opening and quite honestly freeing. I'm the father of two toddlers, and I balance a very busy career, which has its own ebbs and flows, so I gravitate towards an approach to my work-related future that fully integrates my family life, my need for free time and balance, and flexibility in general. As important as it is, I have rarely been interested in books that delve into these topics because they tend to be dense and uninteresting, but this is a an easy, really pleasant read. I highly recommend this one!
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Top reviews from the United States

Kathryn
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic, fresh approach with tons of exercises & great detail
Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2023
Verified Purchase
The Portfolio Life is a fantastic addition to the career advice canon (and I should know!). I've spent the last decade working and building in the career space and highly recommend The Portfolio Life. Why? Firstly, it's a phenomenal reframing of work/life balance that I think will really resonate. Work is a subset of our lives, not in opposition to it, and the Portfolio Life helps you think in a new way about your work/career/profession and its relation to everything else.

In addition, the book is a perfect blend of case studies, research, and Christina’s experiences in a highly readable (and actually really funny!) format. You know how many books are amazing in chapter 1 and then kinda stretch out to fill enough pages to charge for a full book? Yeah, this isn’t like that. Somehow Christina keeps adding value in every single chapter. The last section is as powerful as the first, and that’s rare in the world of business and career books.

One recommendation - grab a package of post-its as you read, because you’re going to need them to get the most out of the exercises in this book. I found it really helpful to highlight, flag concepts, and jot down ideas and answers. Pick it up - you won't regret it!
3 people found this helpful
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Robert
5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding book-changed my perspective!
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2023
Verified Purchase
The book is very well written with plenty of practical examples and tangible takeaways and considerations. This book reframed my thinking and really influenced me to set out on my own portfolio path working in multiple part time roles instead of the traditional one full time role. Highly recommend if you are thinking of that switch as well!
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BobOReily
5.0 out of 5 stars engaging + full of practical examples
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2023
Verified Purchase
The approach included in this book has been eye-opening and quite honestly freeing. I'm the father of two toddlers, and I balance a very busy career, which has its own ebbs and flows, so I gravitate towards an approach to my work-related future that fully integrates my family life, my need for free time and balance, and flexibility in general. As important as it is, I have rarely been interested in books that delve into these topics because they tend to be dense and uninteresting, but this is a an easy, really pleasant read. I highly recommend this one!
Customer image
BobOReily
5.0 out of 5 stars engaging + full of practical examples
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2023
The approach included in this book has been eye-opening and quite honestly freeing. I'm the father of two toddlers, and I balance a very busy career, which has its own ebbs and flows, so I gravitate towards an approach to my work-related future that fully integrates my family life, my need for free time and balance, and flexibility in general. As important as it is, I have rarely been interested in books that delve into these topics because they tend to be dense and uninteresting, but this is a an easy, really pleasant read. I highly recommend this one!
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6 people found this helpful
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Quanying
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
Reviewed in the United States on July 30, 2023
Verified Purchase
Christina is not only a talented writer but also a great professor in Harvard Business School. I am learning a lot from both her book and her class. The book teaches me how to plan my life better and achieve my dreams. seriously taking away many of my anxieties. Highly recommend!
3 people found this helpful
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Alex C
5.0 out of 5 stars Packed with wisdom and tips
Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2023
Verified Purchase
The Portfolio Life is a must read! Christina Wallace looks beyond just one job track or career to imagine a life that has nuance, richness and meaning. Her approach to looking at your life as a portfolio helps derisk the future in this ever changing and unreliable economy. I learned a lot and will be gifting this to friends!
2 people found this helpful
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CJ
5.0 out of 5 stars A Guide for the Work/Life World of Right Now!
Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2023
Verified Purchase
Everyone encourages readers to maintain a work/lifebalance. Christina gives concrete steps for how to strive for that balance while reaching for your goals. I love that she includes examples of failure and people who found the courage to reinvent themselves! Life is short! This book will help you find work and a life that you can love!
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CJ
5.0 out of 5 stars A Guide for the Work/Life World of Right Now!
Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2023
Everyone encourages readers to maintain a work/lifebalance. Christina gives concrete steps for how to strive for that balance while reaching for your goals. I love that she includes examples of failure and people who found the courage to reinvent themselves! Life is short! This book will help you find work and a life that you can love!
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4 people found this helpful
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JP
5.0 out of 5 stars Don't hesitate to get this book!
Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2023
Verified Purchase
Christina has written a gem of a book. The buzz around this book is real for a reason. She masterfully shows you how to design a future that works for you. Filled with helpful advice and steps, she shuns platitudes, gets real and helps you design a life that lets you be in control.
4 people found this helpful
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Alex Weber
1.0 out of 5 stars Privileged garbage
Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2023
I made a rule of thumb that I would never again read a book by an author who describes themselves as a "serial entrepreneur." I made the exception for this book because I am interested in the topic of a portfolio career and there are only a few books on this topic. I made a mistake.
4 people found this helpful
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