I know you.
You’re in your forties or fifties, and you’ve basically been in the same job for a couple of decades.
Now you’re getting a little itchy because while you’ve remained in place in the company around you, the way things “get done” in your office has evolved.
You feel like the times have gotten so far ahead of you that you can’t catch up.
So now you’re just waiting out the clock, hoping to hang on until you can press control-alt-delete one final time, log off forever, and retire.
While I understand how this kind of mindset comes about, I think it’s absolutely nutso.
First of all, as football teaches us, when you start playing the “prevent defense,” they usually run all over you. You’re going to be taken advantage of.
(How many times have you watched a game where you thought your team was safe, but they sat on the ball, and ended up losing?)
Secondly, you might not even make it to that magical retirement day. If your company has to start cutting dead weight, how safe do you think you’ll be?
When you stop moving, you start dying.
I’m telling you right now: THE PAINT ISN’T DRY.
You’re going to be around for another few decades. How will you fill that time?
What would be exciting for you at this point? What would you like to master now? Maybe you can do it within the same company, just in a different department?
There are so many ways to reinvent yourself.
Take a class, pick up a new hobby, meet some new people.
Or start a new business. The biggest group of new entrepreneurs in this country comprises people between the ages of 55 and 65!
And I’m not lecturing here! I’m doing this myself.
I know that in a conventional sense, I’ve “made it." But I’m not dead yet and I’m not interested in shriveling up.
So I’m trying to forge a second career for myself – with this blog, with my speaking, with my books.
I’ve changed some of my mentors.
I’ve changed the way I eat.
And on and on.
What about you? How are you keeping your life fresh?
If you’re not, what’s stopping you?
If it’s fear, then I suggest you plow ahead, into the unknown, and experience that fear turning into excitement.
It’s like Billy Joel sings in this cheesy but wise song:
Don't forget your second wind.
