A few years ago after a workshop, a lady came up to me expressing some deep concern that she was running out of time.
As we started chatting, I discovered that she was very ambitious, wanted to achieve much more by way of position and responsibility in her career, but at the age of 49, she was running out of time.
This took me by surprise if I’m totally honest, because I’d never really looked at it like this. When you think about it, in most of the Western world, population demographics presents a major problem. So many people, and a growing proportion of the population, is no longer willing or able to work. And that’s going to get very much worse.
But there’s another way of looking at it.
What we’re potentially talking about is that a growing proportion of people are simply economically inactive. This can be a choice, and you can plan for it.
So another way of looking at it, another way of framing it, is that your life challenge is to remain economically active for the full duration of your life, while you are physically able to contribute to the world in an economic way. Just because you stop a career in a position in a company, doesn’t mean to say you have to stop being able to earn money – but it does take planning, it takes preparation, it takes a degree of determination. More than anything, it takes the idea, the vision, the dream, the belief that you can be economically active right the way through your life.
For instance, look at many of the famous people in our society.
David Attenborough, in his 90s, still going strong. The passion, enthusiasm that he has for his work, is inspirational. If he’s found his passion, doesn’t actually see it as work, yet can remain economically active, why can’t you?
People with severe physically disabilities have gone on being economically productive well beyond where they were expected to live.
Stephen Hawking died recently at the age of 76. Diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in 1963 (at the age of 21!). Unable to speak and paralysed he continued working until he died 55 years after his diagnosis.
These are just two outstanding examples of what is possible.
Now, I challenge you – instead of thinking that you are heading up towards a fixed retirement, think about how you are designing your working life, your exciting adventure so that you can have a longer, more fulfilling, richer, enjoyable life.
You have the choice!