As someone currently going through a career pivot, this book couldn’t have come at a better time.

BJ Coleman—former NFL player turned healthcare CEO—shares his journey from professional football to finding purpose beyond the game. He opens up about the uncertainty he faced after leaving the NFL and how he ultimately built a successful career in healthcare leadership. Through personal stories, powerful quotes, and chapter themes, he outlines the steps that shaped his own pivot process.

Each chapter ends with thoughtful exercises designed to help readers reflect on what they’ve just read and apply those insights to their own lives. I found these especially valuable—they’re worth taking the time to complete.

While this book may not have all the answers I need for my own career transition, it’s a strong starting point. It helped me clarify what I should be focusing on and gave me a renewed sense of direction. If you’re feeling stuck or unsure about your next move, I highly recommend giving this a read.

The Pivot is a nonfiction book written by the former professional football quarterback and CEO of a behavioural health company, BJ Coleman. The Pivot is a book for anyone going through a change or anyone needing to make a change. It is written in a conversational tone, almost as if having a coaching session. It provides an honest reflection based on the pivot Coleman had to make after the sudden end of his NFL career. The book is full of sports metaphors, but you don’t need any experience of having played sports to understand the concepts and lessons. It is thoughtfully structured, taking the reader through the journey that encompasses the pivot. Topics include mindset, grief, discipline, humility, value, and support systems. Each chapter ends with practical exercises and reflection prompts, making the book especially useful for readers currently undergoing life changes.

It is easy to read but gets to the heart of the matter. Life is hard, and life happens to us all, often unexpectedly. This is Coleman’s playbook on standing up when life knocks you down, getting your eye back on the ball, and setting yourself in motion to chase and pursue new opportunities, to not let failure or missed opportunities hold you back. The book highlights that during periods of discomfort, we need discipline, vision, and focus. Some reflections I’m keeping are the concepts of "Failing faster" and focusing on "Value over success". These concepts and perspectives are especially relevant in today’s world, where careers are evolving rapidly due to changing economies, politics, and the advancement of technology, highlighting that adaptability is key.

This book is recommended for experienced players and complete beginners alike, for anyone needing to make a change, or anyone looking for insight on making The Pivot.

"The Pivot" comes from a perspective of experience, making it a powerfully sound guide. BJ Coleman, who has known and experienced the harsh impact of a life-altering event facilitating the need for pivoting, comes to his reader fully transparent. He wholeheartedly lays bare his life experience with no shame, elevating the purpose of the work. Coleman presents from a position of empowerment.

From the end of a lifelong dream as a quarterback for the Green Bay packers Coleman like a phoenix, rose from the ashes. And it is this experience that is the foundation of the work, an offering of hope for others needing or desiring help to make a shift, to pivot successfully.

"The Pivot" is an open and honest exposition, an inspired guidebook that allows the reader to connect with the author and the message on a deeper level. It is also a blueprint for success, one that has been forged from someone further down the path. "The Pivot" is far from a well-organized bullet point list of musts or a checklist of things to post up. It's an interactive work urging the reader to do much more with what is being detailed and does so by taking the reader through practical exercises to guide the process.

The impactfulness of this book can be attributed to the authenticity and validity of the message. And from someone who is also in the process of pivoting from a major crossroads moment, I can say that Coleman hits the mark with this book.

An inspiring guide on embracing change and transformation in an uncertain world. At its core, the book argues that pivots—intentional shifts in direction—are essential for growth and fulfillment. BJ emphasizes resilience, purpose, and continuous learning as the foundation for successful pivots, while highlighting the importance of networks and courage in taking risks. Through personal anecdotes and practical frameworks, he illustrates how setbacks can become opportunities when approached with clarity and adaptability.

Unlike rigid roadmaps, BJ presents pivoting as a mindset—an empowering choice to realign actions with purpose rather than react out of desperation. The book offers actionable insights, reflection exercises, and strategies to help readers navigate transitions in careers, relationships, or personal development. With its conversational tone and cultural relevance, The Pivot resonates as both motivational and practical, encouraging readers to embrace change as a pathway to resilience and long-term success.