Several definitions of the word “retire” appear in the dictionary. Perhaps the most common is “to withdraw from office, business or active life, usually because of age.” For many people, the definition of the word “retire” might as well be written in a foreign language. It’s just not a viable option, with company pension plans disappearing and personal savings at an all-time low.
However, if you do have the financial resources to make a choice, how do you decide whether to retire or re-career?
If you ask Ken Dychtwald, he’ll tell you that he’s not sure if it’s a good idea to retire—a word, he notes, that’s also defined as “to disappear.” A renowned psychologist, gerontologist, and author of 14 books, Dychtwald has spent more than half of his 56 years studying his own post-war generation, the 78 million baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964. He’s also the founder of Age Wave, a U.S. based research and consulting firm that specializes in aging populations.
As quoted in a recent article for The Record, a New Jersey newspaper, he says, “Most of the studies that I’ve done show that about half of today’s retirees are bored out of their wits,” he says. “I think that the boomers are beginning to conceive of an entirely new model of retirement.”
Instead, he suggests it could be far more fulfilling to start a new career, perhaps completely reinventing oneself by taking adult education courses, returning to hobbies or crafts not pursued since childhood, or doing volunteer work. So if you decide to try a new career, how do you decide which is right for you? AARP, the world’s largest organization for people 50 and over, says to look inward.
The more you know about yourself, the better the chances of finding fulfilling work. This holds just as true for older workers looking at second careers as it does for younger folks. You have to look inward before you look outward. Identify and understand these three personal characteristics, and your best work fit will become clear.
1. Skills and abilitiesThe most common mistake people make in choosing a career is doing something simply because they are good at it. Remembering the happiest times in your life and the times when you felt most fulfilled are better indicators of your calling than just knowing what you can do. Yes, you must know your abilities, but recognizing them is just one part of identifying your vocation.
2. Personality traits Are you analytical and logical, or emotional and imaginative? Do you enjoy collaboration, or do you thrive when you’re working on a project in isolation? There is no right or wrong here, but understanding your uniqueness will help identify the best environment for you.
3. Values, dreams, and passions Are you motivated by position, status, titles, and money? By the constant search for new knowledge? Are you moved by beauty in nature and your surroundings? What activity have you found that, when you’re doing it, time just flies by? What are the things you enjoy most?
No matter how financially appealing or exciting an opportunity may appear, it must be an authentic fit that matches your unique personal characteristics in these three areas. Identify these characteristics and you will begin to see patterns emerge that will guide you in your search for meaningful, fulfilling work.
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