Wanted: Chemistry Life Coach

Clicking around on LinkedIn yesterday, I ran across a promoted blog post by Fast Company, titled "8 Signs You've Found Your Life's Work." I thought, 'Hey, that sounds a lot like me,' and checked it out. Written in flowery motivational-ese, it says a lot without saying much. And the writer? Owns her own self-help firm. [Sigh]

Life. Yeah, there's an app for that.

Can anyone tell me when the "life coaching" industry vaulted into the popular ethos? I understand that Benjamin Franklin and Dale Carnegie got things going, and Stephen Covey's Seven Habits sprung partially from these works. Web 2.0 allowed a leveled playing field and hyper-democratization; anyone with a smartphone and 15 minutes became a self-proclaimed guru. Thus, we now have Lifehacker, a blog devoted to using software and gadgets to improve oneself, and even an app (Epic Win) where you transform humdrum activities into a video game (While playing E.W. you earn "XP" for completing daily tasks, and unlock prizes and boss fights for 'quests' such as washing your clothes or getting to work on time).

Waxing on motivation brought to mind some particularly grueling grad school moments. There wasn't always much time for foresight or personal development, what Seven Habits might have called "Quadrant 2" activities. But instead of writing essays, taking personality quizzes, or structuring schedules, what if we could get some useful career advice?
Then it hit me: Chemistry Life Coaches!  Here's a potential example:

Client: "So, uh, how do I become a better chemist?" 

Life Coach: "Write more papers. Read literature. Give posters."

(See, the job basically writes itself!)

Seriously, though, who do you ask for advice about professional scientific development? Your grad school mentor? C&EN articles? Former bosses? Grad-school buddies?

Let's see - 'Symposia for Dummies,' Chapter 1...

Perhaps the blogosphere fills that role for now - Chemjobber has a good thing going, and I've certainly seen Ash and ChemBark post about some soul-searching topics. I also note that ACS hosts quite a few development webinars and events at National Meetings. I'd argue, though, that there's still quite a vacuum to fill with trustworthy advice and "how-to" booklets.

So who'll step forward to create "Labhacker?" "Epic Tenure?" Write that first book, "How to Succeed in Chemistry (While Really Trying)?"

I'll be waiting.