My name is Geoff Curtis, and I am the author of Embracing Your Own Purgatory. I wrote this book because I discovered that the most transformative periods of my life happened not during my greatest successes, but during the uncomfortable in-between spaces I had spent decades trying to avoid. After facing my father’s death and losing my corporate identity through an acquisition, I realized that my obsession with constant productivity and achievement was robbing me of essential growth opportunities. I wanted to share what I learned about finding meaning in uncertainty and help others recognize that these “purgatory” periods aren’t problems to solve, they are spaces to embrace.

My hope is that, in reading this book, you will discover how to recognize when you’re in your own purgatory and learn to find productivity and purpose within uncertainty rather than constantly running from it. In this book, I hope that you learn to embrace discomfort as a pathway to authentic self-discovery. Ultimately, I want this book to help you understand and navigate life’s inevitable transitions with greater wisdom, resilience, and self-compassion rather than fear and avoidance.

In this book, you’ll learn about identity reconstruction and achievement redefinition:

• The Five Types of Purgatory: identity, expertise, purpose, achievement, and relevance purgatories that we all face during major transitions.
• The Difference Between Running and Waiting: How to distinguish between productive action and avoidance, and when to embrace the discomfort of uncertainty.
• Career Achievement and its Hidden Obstacles: Why defining yourself through professional achievement creates vulnerability during transitions and how to build a more robust sense of self.
• The Emotional Impact of Imposed Versus Chosen Transitions: Understanding why losing control amplifies the difficulty of change and how to process these experiences authentically.
• Redefining Achievement in Purgatory: Moving from external validation to internal fulfillment and finding new metrics of success that serve your authentic self.

You will love this book if you are tired of the constant pressure to have it all figured out, if you have ever felt lost between who you were and who you’re becoming, or if you’re ready to stop running from life’s uncomfortable transitions and start learning from them. This book is for anyone who has experienced the anxiety of career change, the grief of lost identity, or the fear that comes with stepping into the unknown and wants to discover that these difficult spaces can be the most transformative periods of their lives.

Embracing Your Own Purgatory is a nonfiction book that speaks to high-achieving professionals in career transition and anyone facing major life changes who are looking at redefining success and identity and finding meaning beyond professional achievement for the first time.

The book is written in two sections:

Section 1: contains the introduction and Chapters 1-5. This section explores the devastating impact of the professional identity crisis and how our careers become so enmeshed with our sense of self that losing them feels like losing ourselves entirely. You’ll discover the stories we tell ourselves to maintain control, the search for purpose that often becomes another form of avoidance, and the moment when our carefully constructed façades begin to crack revealing both our vulnerability and our potential for authentic growth.

Section 2 contains Chapters 6-11 and conclusion. This section examines how to redefine achievement and purpose while navigating purgatory’s emotional landscape. You will learn the crucial difference between running from discomfort and waiting productively, how to process the unique challenges of imposed transitions, and why embracing uncertainty becomes the pathway to discovering your most authentic self and finding sustainable fulfillment beyond traditional career success.

My Publishing Journey: Where Your Support Goes

I’m publishing Embracing Your Own Purgatory with the support of Manuscripts Press, an innovative platform that provided me with a full publishing team to bring this book to life.

This summer, I’m working closely with:

• A revisions editor, copy editor, and proofreader to refine and elevate every story in the book
• A marketing strategist to help me connect with new audiences and make the book’s message reach those who need it most.
• A cover artist and layout editor who will ensure the final product is visually stunning and professionally produced.

I’ll be releasing Embracing Your Own Purgatory in multiple formats:

• E-book, paperback, hardcover, audiobook.

Launch Perks & Exclusive Packages

Everyone who purchases a perk to a book launch event will receive:

• A physical copy (paperback) or digital copy (ebook) when I publish in early 2026
• The opportunity to have your name or organization featured in the Acknowledgments section of my book (“with Special Thanks to”)
• Early access to the Introduction and select excerpts near the final draft
• And more surprises along the way

Other Ways to Support

• Share the presale campaign on Facebook or LinkedIn using #EmbracePurgatory and tag me to help spread the word.
• Recommend the book to five people—friends, coworkers, or family—who are ready to challenge comfort and reinvent their lives.

Thank you for all your support,
Geoff Curtis

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About the Author

Geoff Curtis is the founder of Marshall Curtis Communications and former c-suite communications executive. During his nearly 30-year communications career, he has worked domestically and internationally in various roles in both agency and corporate settings. Geoff is a committed mentor and coach to young professionals and undergraduate college students, and is an avid philanthropist committed to education equity and access.

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