Redirecting.work
Diana Place:
Extraordinary Ordinary Women and the Moments That Redirect Their Lives
Diana Place has never followed a straight career path. She describes her life as an inward spiral - a sort of coming home, a series of pivots guided not by a plan, but by instinct, curiosity, trust, and a deep interest in human behavior and creating community.
Her early career began in advertising in the 1980s, a field that offered opportunity but was also steeped in sexism. Despite success, she reached a moment of clarity, asking: "How can I make a difference in this life?" Selling products through ads was not it. She left to start a cause-based marketing agency, applying her skills to nonprofits and social issues. The work aligned with her values but cause-marketing and social responsibility was not yet widely embraced in the corporate world in the early 90s and she returned to corporate life.
She joined America Online during the early days of the internet. She didn’t even have an email account back then in 1996, but believed that the internet was going to be important. She was drawn by the promise that using it, she would be part of something that could help democratize information and foster connection. From there, her path continued to evolve. She stepped away to have a child at 41, explored photography, and later created Global Design Post, a business she built over four years.
Then, in 2018, everything changed. "As she approached sixty, four lightning-strike events converged at once. A rare cancer diagnosis, the loss of a business, an empty nest, and a milestone birthday. Together they prompted a question she could no longer ignore: What did she truly want to do with her “one wild and precious life?" (inspired by the poem by Mary Oliver, a favorite of mine too). The convergence forced her to pause in a way she never had before and brought her clarity about what she was here to do.
Transition Process
Diana’s transition process was deeply internal. During recovery, she had a defining realization– an aha moment: “I’ve got a clean slate, this is my Third Act” even before that language was widely used. It was this AHA moment that inspired her to immediately google “third act” and discover an inspiring TED talk by Jane Fonda about possibility in life’s third act.
She understood with deep clarity what had been calling her all along. She knew how she could weave her passions, experiences, talents and hard-won wisdom into something meaningful, to dedicate herself to an important need to help reframe aging as opportunity rather than decline.
Looking back, the clues had been there all along. Diana had spent decades following breadcrumbs: community building, storytelling, connection, creativity, and helping people see new possibilities. The pivot wasn't toward something entirely new; it was toward what had quietly been calling her for years. She noticed a consistent thread of her activities: bringing women together. She also saw how differently women approached this stage. Some embraced possibility, others followed more traditional retirement paths. She saw both a gap and a calling.
From that insight, she created Third Act Quest, focused on sharing the stories of what she calls “extraordinary ordinary women.” Not celebrities, but everyday women in their 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and beyond, choosing to live with purpose and possibility.
Her approach evolved. What began as in-person workshops shifted during COVID into virtual storytelling events, expanding her reach. These gatherings grew into filmmakers and storytelling experts in her “333 Collective,” a community grounded in connection, generosity, and shared exploration.
She’s grateful for the support she’s had. A close friend helped secure life-saving cancer treatment. Her teenage daughter and a circle of friends provided emotional strength. Longtime friends and early 333 Collective members became champions of her work. These relationships sustained her.
Equally important was an internal shift. Diana recognized her tendency toward overwork, calling herself a “productivity junkie.” Her latest pivot required her to change that pattern. She chose not to scale too quickly, integrating the work into her life rather than letting it take over.
Current Direction
Today, Diana’s direction is clear. Through Third Act Quest, she is working to change how we think about aging, focusing on connection, inspiration, and possibility. She rejects retirement as an endpoint, preferring “realign, reignite, and remember.”
Her work includes live storytelling gatherings called AHA! Third Act Stories, experiences where women share the moments that sparked change. A recent gathering, QUEST 2026, in Santa Fe brought together 55 women, with 25 sharing their stories on stage. The experience, filled with storytelling, reflection, connection, and joy, marked a defining moment of success.
She is expanding the AHA! Stories Project in a number of ways to counter ageism and inspire people of all ages: the AHA! Stories Vault of story videos, smaller, AHA! salon-style gatherings, an AHA! Stories card deck to help people uncover their own AHA moments, and plans to create a film. She’s already received promises of support in that endeavor from her community. At 66, she is pursuing a dream she first imagined as a child.
At this stage, her business is in a growth phase. But beyond financial goals, for Diana, success is already present. She measures success in community, connection, and impact. “If this is all I ever did, it would make me genuinely happy.”
Advice to Others, especially those looking for their AHA moment
Diana’s advice centers on inner alignment.
Go inward. Make space to see the “good, bad, and ugly.” That is where clarity begins.
Trust your internal guidance, the combination of head, heart, and gut.
Reposition fear. “Put fear in the back seat.” It can come along, but it should not drive.
Remember rather than reinvent. Reconnect with who you were before expectations and societal narratives took hold. One way is to reflect on yourself at age five, before those layers formed.
Challenge cultural assumptions about aging. Rewrite those stories. Stay open. Stay connected to what is true for you.
Her guiding question is simple: As Mary Oliver says, “Tell me, what is it that you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?