Teaching to ‘live by design’

From high-powered real estate executives to a member of “The Real Housewives of Orange County,” Newport Beach-based motivational speaker Tom Ferry has spent the last seven years of his life coaching people on how to find direction in theirs.

Now he hopes to take his message to a wider audience.

His new book “Life! By Design: 6 Steps to an Extraordinary You” will be released this spring by the publisher Random House. With the economy still in recovery mode, many people are starting new careers or trying to figure out what to do next with their lives, Ferry said.

“What I really want to do is teach people to live by design,” Ferry said. “People are living in a coma. It stops people from really experiencing life, having great relationships and having careers they are passionate about.”

Ferry’s dad is noted motivational speaker Mike Ferry. Tom Ferry was president of his father’s company for five years, before striking out on his own in 2003 to make a name for himself in the motivational speaking industry. Today, he lives with his wife, Kathy, and sons Steven, 8, and Michael, 10, in Corona del Mar.

From his hilltop home, Ferry can see the house he grew up in across Newport Harbor.

“I was a hellion, a knucklehead kid,” Ferry said. “I’ve been at rock bottom before.”

As a rebellious teenager, Ferry managed to get kicked out of both his parents’ homes and more than one high school, he said.

He eventually earned his high school diploma from the Costa Mesa continuation school, Back Bay High School.

Costa Mesa mom Jennifer Young, founder of www.mostwanteddead beats.com, which tracks parents who don’t make their child support payments, said Ferry helped her focus her career goals when she was starting her own business.

Now she has a book of her own in the works.

“He’s really good at helping you organize your thoughts and move forward,” Young said. “He helped me figure out what steps I should take to be more effective.”

Ferry’s new book takes a look at the obstacles people have to overcome to be successful. Addiction is a big roadblock, Ferry said. In the book, Ferry breaks down how people’s addictions to other people’s opinions, anger, the past and worry can sabotage their life goals.

“You can never be free of these addictions, but you can become more aware of them,” he said.

On The Web

For more information on Tom Ferry’s new book, and a schedule of his upcoming speaking appearances, visit www.tomferrybook.com.