Life Has Two Halves
Used to be, you got a job, and kept it for life. You retired, collected your pension, traveled, and eventually you died. It was a good life. Longevity in a job was desirable, even applauded. You craved security, health insurance, and a pension. That required long term employment from one company. Those years are long past, and I, for one, am glad. The idea of having the same job for 40 years is way too much predicability and repetition for me. But that’s just me. I never looked to do one thing all my life.
I believe that life has two halves. If the first half of your life is devoted to achieving success, the second half may be a journey to significance. That makes more sense, considering that we are living longer, and still productive. If retirement comes at 70, what will you do until death at 90? Wait? Distract yourself? Annoy your children?
We have an opportunity to do something useful and significant, whether it’s addressing world hunger, global warming, or something in between. Having had a successful career, fulfilled responsibilities to family who depend on us, secured our retirement fund, we are free to re-invent ourselves, set new priorities, and give time and energy to our dreams through our creativity and process of invention. The road to re-invention might be rocky. Along the way, you get bruised by life: divorce, financial set-backs, wayward children, lost opportunities, death of a close relationship. Not everyone suffers equally, but everyone suffers.
The second half of your life will be different from the first half: you don’t have the same energy as a 20 year old, and the clock is ticking. There is less time; you don’t have forever to get important things done. Make a meaningful life out of an ordinary one. Efficiency is the key. You can no longer afford time with toxic people, or distractions with social medial. Life doesn’t owe you health and happiness in retirement. If offers you opportunity, meaning, and a feeling of still being needed.
The second half of your life is your legacy; how will you be remembered? As someone who depended on society, or someone who contributed to future generations with their knowledge and technology. No longer manufacturing or farming, knowledge is the new Power, but we are still people with needs. Children are still starving, they still need an education, they need shelter, disease is still rampant in many parts of the world, human rights are still ignored, wide open spaces need preserving, historical landmarks require help, and curiosity keeps calling. What about that coffee place you always wanted to open? Hopefully, you were not defined by your job, without outside interests.
Finishing life well is completion of the other half of the circle of your life. You don’t have time to succumb to illness, lethargy, and boredom. Get up, take care of yourself, start moving, and be grateful that you have a second half of life. Will it be significant?
The answer to that question defines Aging Intelligently.