How to Write Your Next Act

By Bill Kerig

About the Author: Bill Kerig is profiled in the Second Act story in our Spring 2026 VESTED magazine, Bill Kerig Won’t Stay Still.

Editor’s Note: Through his Traction Business Accelerator, Bill Kerig helps founders assess stagnant businesses, shift identity and strategy, and create promising futures. He says the steps he teaches his clients are the same for people looking to create their own second acts. Interested? Try the following exercise, straight from Bill.

The Setup: To start any journey, first you need to tell yourself a story about where you’re going and how you’ll get there.

For this exercise, imagine you are the lead character in an uplifting movie about the second act of your life (or third act, or fourth act, etc.). You’ve just watched the film festival premiere and now, you’re going to write the coverage, or synopsis, for a big studio that wants to make it a blockbuster. I’ll use myself and a current project to provide examples in italics.

1. Who? Succinctly describe yourself. Lifelong entrepreneur Bill Kerig… That’s enough. Backstory is boring.
2. Why change? What’s at stake? Write all the reasons you want to change, then edit them down to the most basic. … is afraid that if he stops challenging himself to create, he’ll shrink away from the world and die. (I know, a bit dramatic, but we’re setting up a drama here, so let your lizard brain bark.
3. What does the character want to do? This is pretty straightforward. Here’s mine: Hoping to redefine what it means to age adventurously, Kerig wants to create a YouTube channel for long-form, film-quality stories about people absolutely crushing their own second acts.
4. The problem with the plan is… Be honest about your weaknesses. But at 64, he’s ancient for a YouTuber, has never even uploaded a YouTube video, doesn’t have enough money to pay a team, and needs a distribution plan to find an audience.
5. But our hero does have… Luke Skywalker had the Force. What do you have? Show us your assets. What Kerig does have is a network of experienced colleagues who know how to tell successful stories in film, TV, and print. He also knows how to run startup businesses.
6. Who are your allies? A hero does best with three key helpers: a mentor, a coach, and a cheerleader. The mentor has accomplished something similar and will provide guidance from a remote vantage point. The coach has also done something similar but will get in the trenches with you and provide tactical, technical directions. The cheerleader will convey positivity, reminding the hero that they’re a hero after all. Guided by [insert mentor], he teams up with [insert coach] and enjoys the never-ending support of his wife of 25 years.
7. When? Make it specific, not something vague like “as soon as everything feels comfortable.” He shoots, edits, and uploads the trailer for the first episode by July 1, 2026.
8. How? This gives a high-level look at the grittiest details. For my scenario, that’s finding funding and distribution. Securing funding from [insert brand partner, investor, or lender], Kerig jump-starts distribution for the series by collaborating with [insert value-aligned brand or creator with a following].
9. Great! Now bring it home. Share the hero’s successful outcome. While hosting and directing the show, Kerig builds a brand and finds a community of like-minded adventurous souls.

Copy and paste each of your answers, in order, to form a paragraph. Save it in your phone or tape a printout on your bathroom mirror.

To see how my story came together, head to youtube.com/@billkerig, where you should see my new “Older and Bolder” series about over-50 adventurers.