New Book Unveils Five Principles for Redefining Success, Navigating the Shift from Wall Street to Purpose

Durham, North Carolina – October 16, 2025 – More than half of all professionals report job dissatisfaction, while students graduate burdened by debt and lacking clear direction. This scenario highlights a pervasive issue of untapped potential. Sarah D. Carlson, a former Wall Street lawyer who transitioned into a career coach and professor, suggests that Henry David Thoreau aptly described this as “lives of quiet desperation.”

Her proposed solution? A critical skill frequently neglected by academic institutions: self-advocacy.

In her forthcoming book, Carlson presents a practical and impactful framework intended to guide students and professionals away from unfulfilling paths and towards lives driven by purpose.

“The world is not improved by either arrogance or subservience,” Carlson asserts. “True power resides in humility, which strikes a balance between these two extremes.”

Carlson’s message is both timely and deeply rooted in her personal experiences. After graduating from Harvard and securing a prestigious role defending major banks in the aftermath of the financial crisis, she found herself profoundly unfulfilled. Her quest for meaning led her from corporate law to a tent in Haiti, and eventually into the classroom, teaching and coaching students at prominent institutions such as Duke and Emory.

“I observed brilliant students, weighed down by debt and uncertainty, struggling to find their way,” she recounts. “I became determined to answer a single question: Why aren’t the most academically accomplished students always the most successful graduates?”

Her conclusion: they are unaware of how to claim their own power.

Carlson argues that self-advocacy serves as the crucial link between inherent talent and emerging opportunities. It is not about superficial self-promotion or seeking external validation, but rather about understanding, embracing, and effectively conveying one’s worth so that others can recognize it as well.

The book outlines five essential principles designed to help readers:

• Clarify their identity

• Claim their true desires

• Communicate their value

• Trust in their intrinsic merit

• Align actions with purpose

This is achieved not through flawlessness or outward performance, but through genuine presence and self-trust.

Carlson also introduces tools such as the “Douchebag-to-Doormat Scale,” a humorous yet effective method for readers to identify the optimal balance of self-advocacy: neither too much nor too little, but precisely right.

“Many people mistakenly believe humility means diminishing oneself,” she states. “However, authentic humility involves recognizing the full scope of your gifts and confidently asserting them, without exaggeration.”

To further support readers, Carlson provides a complimentary Self-Advocacy Quiz, which allows individuals to assess their current position in the process—whether they are just beginning or already confidently embodying their values.

With “The Five Principles of Effective Self-Advocacy,” Carlson is doing more than merely launching a book; she is initiating a movement. This movement aims to help individuals cease performing for external approval and instead embrace lives lived with genuine purpose.

About the Author:
Sarah D. Carlson, JD, is a former Wall Street lawyer who transitioned into a career transformation coach and a professional development professor. She has taught at esteemed institutions like Duke and Emory, coached hundreds of individuals across various industries, and now leads a mission-driven business dedicated to helping people discover and live their purpose.

Book Title: The Five Principles of Effective Self-Advocacy: Your Guide to Claiming Your Power
Release Date: September 2025
Website:
Quiz:
Media Contact: Sarah D. Carlson | sarah@sarahdcarlson.com