Welcome to the download page for “The Circle: Careers with Impact” which has reflections from my journey. If it helps your thinking about work then please help me get the word out! More info on ways to do that and some reviews are below.
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“This book helped me reflect on my journey and inspired me to think deeply about how I can align my career with my purpose and values. It also reminded me that I am the leader and driver of my own life and this perspective reignited my excitement for the future.” Jasmine Muhlmann
Request for help: If this book helps you out in any way would you please consider taking the image above or a photo or screen shot of part you liked! My thanks to the early reviewers for their feedback and comments below. Feel free to send a review to add by emailing me at stevenmoe@parryfield.com
Steven Moe
2025
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Comments from those who have reviewed
Steven’s book is a powerful distillation of his own lived experience and the insights he’s gathered from many thoughtful guests on his podcast. It’s a brilliant, concise guide to finding meaning and purpose in today’s complex world. I’ve already recommended it to friends and family.
Daniel Bullen
Reading The Circle: Careers with Impact by Steven Moe was timely. I had just finished it as I was navigating this transition, and it brought with it a sense of reassurance and alignment. It reminded me that there is strength in servant leadership, and beauty in integrity-led change. Thank you, Steven Moe, for holding space for these conversations. I’m closing this chapter with gratitude, clarity, and conviction. I know the kind of impact I want to have — and I know who I’m becoming. Din Bandara
I believe things happen for a reason. Receiving Steven’s “The Circle” could not have come at a better time. It’s as if Steven has gone into my brain and printed the reflections that I’ve been having over the past year about the law and whether this is the career and life that I want. The best thing is that he articulates his experiences and learnings in such a nice and simple way. It’s a tricky journey when you’re detangling many factors of life (predominantly unhealthy and unsustainable) that get you to where you are but this book sets out clear and actionable steps that anyone (not just lawyers) can apply in their own lives. Thank you Steven, I feel less alone 🙂
Shaanil Senarath-Dassanayake
Steven Moe provides an enlightening perspective for integrating purpose with work; an easy read with some absolute pearls to implement and share. My key takeaway was the reminder that to have studied a profession and be able to work is a privilege, and we have a responsibility to serve others with the fortune to do so.
Katy Studer
Too often in this busy world, life takes over. The Circle is a timely collection of practical insights to help keep your work journey in check. It’s an incredibly useful and enjoyable read for anyone, of any age, wondering how their career fits with their personal lives. Thanks again Steven Moe for the provocative, deep thinking.
PAUL BROWN
Boardworks
I have been able to advise and mentor hundreds of young professionals and college students during my 30 year career. The advice and insights offered in this book are spot on and deeply relevant for all who want to pursue a life with purpose and meaning.
Rob Gailey
Wish I had read this book 50 years ago! I particularly liked the breadth of sources you reflected on (from Brene Brown to Peter Drucker and so many others!) as well as your own personal journey! My congratulations to you on this excellent resource for people of all ages!
Dr John Vargo
Have just finished reading The Circle. I love the content and the messaging in there. I have worked in a business for the last 23 years where things like ‘work life integration’, ‘purpose’ ‘passion’ ‘being more afraid of missing an opportunity than making a mistake’ have been our ethos. Yet we so often found ourselves as outliers in an ecosystem that still focuses on traditional paradigms and thinking. On my recent IoD CDC programme I was reminded again of this. The messages you are making in The Circle are so critical to bringing our best selves for us individually, for our businesses and for our country. The more this message can get out there the better. Well done.
Pete Floris
This book invites us to deepen our thinking on our work. For me it stimulated thoughts on my life, not just work, beginning with source of identity and how we define our identity vs accepting our identity as a given; the importance of clarity of purpose and value; the danger of the “work-life balance” misconception; the simple but profound power of the Japanese ikigai philosophy; and many more. Importantly, the book not only has numerous recommendations and pieces of advice (the “what”) but takes the time to explain the “why” – and does it in a very enjoyable manner, with support from Socrates, President Roosevelt, and Robert Louis Stevenson amongst others. Thanks again Steven I will now send the book to my two children who are in early stages of their careers.
Andrei Link
I enjoyed reading your paper and was challenged throughout about the intersection for me re my identity and work roles.
Overall I thought this is a lovely sharing of your journey with great opportunity to pose questions and be reflective of your own journey when you are reading.
The word that kept coming to me was authenticity – how do we be our own authentic self wherever we are at work, at home, with our hobbies. I agree and prefer your word of integration rather than balance. From time to time all our lives are chaotic, just ask anyone who has a major health scare – balance is definitely out the window and the focus quite rightly is on healing.
When we are clear about what we value and what our responsibilities are at work, home or elsewhere it enables us to make better choices about where we spend our time or how we choose to be in the world.
Values – I loved the ikagai model, i did not know this and it made sense to me. I realised many years ago that relationships, variety and doing meaningful work for me was important – the what and who for was not a driver. This meant that I have worked in quite diverse areas but the common theme is positive impact in the community and with people.
Service, accountability for my own behaviour, fostering self-awareness are all important aspects to me. The section on graduates may have started with “it is not about you”. I laugh when I think about a graduate session I was at and all these men came to me and asked what I could do for them. I employed the one who asked what did I need?
Loved the section on best advice you ever got. I have been very fortunate to have had great mentors, family and friends who cared enough about me to challenge me and tell me when they thought I needed it.
Thanks for sharing
Pam Elgar
Steven points out when we view work only as a means to support life, we risk undervaluing its potential to enrich our identity and drive meaningful change. Thank you Steven, Work/life Integration is a term I wont quickly forget.
Dean Warwick
In the work that I do, I often talk about, and help teams create principles. Rules are dictated and to be followed, principles are co-created and agreed to. Steven’s book is like conversing with yourself and co-creating your own principles, an agreement between your current and future selves on the impact you want to have in your world.
Tim Davidson
As I host a podcast all about careers for lawyers in Japan, I found this book to be useful because it highlights what I discovered only later on in my own career – contributing to a community and giving back to others through mentorship are what matter most. If you read this book early on, you’ll gain insights that can shape your direction from the start. It offers a grounded yet inspiring framework for aligning your values with your vocation. I especially liked the sections on Community and Mentorship because they spotlight how you build your network and give to others is what ultimately makes the most impact, not just on your career path, but also on shaping your character.
Catherine O’Connell
Wow this book really resounded with me. Former Australian High Court Justice Michael Kirby was famous for telling aspiring lawyers to be “joiners” – open to opportunities to be involved in extracurricular or extra-vocational pursuits to add balance and colour to one’s life. Nothing is quite so vibrant as finding purpose and self actualisation in work. Stepping away from transactional corporate law/in-house legal and into charity and social enterprise consulting helped me achieve precisely that. I commend the book to anyone seeking to find curiosity, passion and joy in all aspects of their lives.
Will Rosewarne
Steven nourishes us (of all ages) with wisdom from hundreds of inspiring people interviewed for his Seeds Podcasts. It is such a lovely homage to them and a treat for people wishing to make better decisions about their career outlook. What most inspired me? The mindset of seeing failure as the nutrient needed to grow a seed, our career, our direction, filled with exciting possibilities when we let ourselves be defined by our purpose rather than our title(s).
Dani Rius
This book is full of pearls of wisdom about thinking of work as a vocation, rather than just, “This is what I do” for work.
Moe starts with thinking about our Identity: “Your identity should not be defined by what you do, but who you are.”
He then proceeds to challenge the notion of “Work and Life Balance” versus “Work/ life integration”, the latter then lays the ground to start talking about being focused on the impact we can have through our work. The chapter on “Purpose and Values” is very practical and helped me think about clarifying a framework for the most important values in my life and work integration.
The chapter on developing seed habits, or building good habits, was the stand-out section for me.
Focusing on small steps and setting out on a long journey “in the same direction” – not perfectly – with the help and encouragement of collaborative mentors and mentees in my life is pearl-like wisdom. The reflections around measuring one’s success by authenticity and vulnerability – augmented with personal examples from Moe’s own life – have been hugely encouraging, and again a challenge for my own personal growth.
In this book, Moe also challenges the reader with a mindset shift: thinking about, “What am I building” in this life? And, am I building a life with purpose? What is the purpose?
To end with a simple quote, towards the end of this book Moe writes: “You are a leader. Think of yourself as a leader right from the outset because you are – at the very least lead one person, yourself. So start there and that mindset will help you grow and contribute.”
Richard Roodt
Steven, I’m grateful for the opportunity to review your book which is thought provoking and insightful on multiple levels. It was the phrase “you are the driver of the car that is your career” which particularly resonated with me. This simple analogy aligned well with the snippets of career advice at the end of the book and is one I will continue to reflect upon. In addition, this is a truly valuable resource to share and discuss with mentees – thank you.
Dr Ainsley Goodman
Steven’s reflections in The Circle are a generous and timely invitation to rethink how we define success.
His call to integrate purpose, creativity and long-term impact into our work resonates with my own commitment to building regenerative futures.
This book is a thoughtful companion for anyone navigating how to lead with clarity, care and courage in complex times.
Rebecca Mills, Founder, The Lever Room
This book has it all — stories, advice, practical tips, and above all, validation for those of us pursuing careers with impact. At a time when society seems to value more and faster and financial success above all else, “The Circle” encourages us to stand tall in our values and purpose. It inspires us to set goals for being the change we want to see. I love the reflections and invitations to ask ourselves key questions about who we are, what we do, and why we do it.
Some of the identity questions remind me of a kōrero my cohort at Leadership New Zealand used to have about “Ko wai koe? Ko wai au? Ko wai tātou?”. In other words, asking ourselves who are you, who am I, and who are we? This was a challenge for ourselves as we considered who we need to be as leaders in Aotearoa.
Reading your book provided a welcome chance to reflect on these important issues… so thank you!
Kathy Dedo
I’ve just finished reading The Circle: Careers with Impact by Steven Moe . It’s a compelling reflection on how purpose, identity, and values evolve throughout a career—and how they shape the way we lead and serve.
For me, aviation began as a childhood dream, I once aspired to become a pilot. That dream took a different path, with my first role post-university at an airport, guided more by curiosity than a structured career plan. Fifteen years later, I was appointed to my first aviation board—a full-circle moment I never anticipated.
What resonated most was Steven’s insight that identity should be grounded in who we are, not just what we do. As a governance professional, this is a powerful reminder. The best board contributions aren’t just technical or sector-based—they stem from integrity, long-term thinking, and a commitment to stewarding value for future generations.
In governance, we often operate like cathedral builders, laying foundations for outcomes we may never directly witness. The Circle captures that long view with clarity and care, and I believe it will resonate with those of us navigating leadership roles in complex, evolving environments.
William Batten
I’ve just finished reading ‘The Circle’ by Steven Moe.
I finally got around to reading this book because I’m finding myself doing a lot of reflection on the purpose of my business and work.
This book is like modern wisdom literature. Like sitting in a room full of wise old people all talking about work and career. Sit. Listen. Reflect.
Tim Sterne
I had the privilege of reading an advance copy of Steven’s new book!
Here’s a summary of my takeaways:
– This book begins by exploring the importance of defining identity by who we are rather than what we do. It challenges the concept of “work-life balance,” suggesting instead a focus on work/life integration and the impact we have through our work.
– The chapter on clarifying purpose and values offers practical advice for aligning personal values with life and work.
– A standout section for me was how Steven discusses building good habits through small, consistent actions, emphasizing support from mentors and mentees.
Steven also encourages the reader to measure success by authenticity and vulnerability, powerfully using personal stories as examples.
Richard Roodt
“What are you going to be when you grow up?” was a common negative self talk question I used to ask myself.
Thankfully I finally solved that issue ( partly by changing my self talk!). But gosh I wish I’d had some of the wisdom in this short insightful book at an earlier age. Some great practical insights within.
Craig Fisher
Thanks for sharing your insights and learnings- it is indeed impactful to see how our compass directs our life experiences. You are lucky to have found this early on in life and I think this book can help others to think and explore their own compasses in life.
Laina Raveendran Greene
Thanks for mentioning the book in your newsletter Philanthropy New Zealand!
Thanks for the mention in your newsletter Global Alliance of Impact Lawyers!
