Living Dreams

Domonique Bertolucci wants you to live your best life. Born and raised in Perth, the former fashion model's book Your Best life: the ultimate guide to creating the life you want (Hodder) provides a step-by-step guide and plenty of exercises to help everyone achieve their dream life.

The newly-released book has arisen from her four years as a professional coach.

"The book is an extension of the work I do," Ms Bertolucci said.

"The case studies are real and the exercises are what I would ask my clients to do."

With clients around Australia, the UK and the US, including individuals, corporations and small-to-medium businesses, the author said attitudes to life and business coaching had changed.

"I think more people are realising it's OK to get support," she said.

"It's not for people who are broken, it's for people who are mentally and emotionally happy wanting to get more out of their life or their business.

Top actors and sports people work regularly with coaches, she points out.

"If you want to be the best you can be, why wouldn't you work with a coach?" she said.

Ms Bertolucci modelled in Asia before moving to London.

"I arrived in London at the same time as the 'waif look' started, so not being a waif, I decided to retire gracefully," she said.

Her career change found her in investment banking in London for the next five years, developing a reputation for turning around dysfunctional and under-achieving teams.

In 2003 she resolved to chase her own dream.

She returned to Sydney and started up her coaching business, Success Strategies.

There are three keys to the dream strategy, she says: Know where you want to be; Know what you need to do and do it! In Your Best Life, Ms Bertolucci shows how to use these steps effectively, by creating a detailed plan of action, building motivation and staying power and creating the life you want.

Each chapter includes exercises, case studies and lessons to help overcome obstacles and work through the tough times to achieve the desired goals.

The author said there was a gap in the market for a book such as hers, despite the crowded self-help market.

"A lot of books boost your confidence, but they don't tell you how to get there, while a lot of business books tell you exactly how to get there, but don't inspire you to make the changes required," she said.

"My books works on the internal and external - what you need to do and what you need to become in order to get there.

"Nothing is more exciting than seeing someone achieving something they didn't think was possible. I think that's what's so exciting about the work I do is all the clients are very inspiring because they've made a choice to live their best life.

"It's not about being perfect, it's about being the best you can be."

Western Suburbs Weekly, June 2006