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Most people over the age of 40 will experience this “change in
philosophy of life” as they approach retirement age, and in some
careers, with retirement coming in their early 50’s, this shift will be
something that is even stronger. As those of us in this demographic face
our own mortality we continue to ask the question: “What are we going to
do with the time that’s left?” This is being referred to as the
“Theory of Continuity” where you stop looking at the end of a
particular career as a time to sit back and wait to die, but rather as a
time to look to what you will be doing next. Since most people living
today can expect to be healthy and vibrant well into their late 70’s and
80’s, there is still a whole lot of living left during one’s normal
retirement years.
And while the baby
boomers are changing the way we look at retirement, there are tremendous
implications for the younger generation currently in secondary and
post-secondary schools and for those who are just beginning in their own
desired careers.
For years we have been
telling young people that the job market will open up as baby boomers hit
retirement age. Now that the baby boomers are arriving at this place in
their life, they are about to change the entire way we look at retirement.
Many of them are financially secure and can now look at employment as a
way of finding fulfillment and making a positive contribution in ways that
perhaps they always wanted but were unable to because of other
commitments. This shift is going to have a remarkable affect on career
planning for our youth and is something that will have to be addressed by
our education institutions.
Imagine what it will be
like for business owners who are facing the prospect of hiring a new
graduate from college who has absolutely no experience, is expecting to
receive a high starting salary, and despite all of the time and money you
invest in training him, is likely to leave you the moment he finds
something better. On the other hand, this same business owner could
outsource the work to one or two baby boomers who already come with
decades of experience, are willing to work “on demand” whenever the
owner needs them, during any time of the day, for a much lower salary, and
since they are at a stage in life when they have no desire to move away
from their current home, will likely be available for as long as the
business owner needs them. Who do you think is going to get the job?
When you speak with
people from the baby boom generation you will find some common paths to
happiness. Many of us indicate that that as we get older we discover that
the secret to life comes from living in the moment, making the people you
love a higher priority, and understanding that happiness comes from the
inside, and not from material possessions. We find that no matter at what
age we are right now, when we look back over the path we have followed it
is what we “gave to the world, not what we took from the world” that
gave us the most satisfaction. Now that we are more financially secure and
do not have the pressures that we faced while raising families and meeting
our responsibilities to our former careers we can spend the rest of our
days in more meaningful activities doing what we always wanted to do.
In many ways, life is
just beginning for people in their 50’s and 60’s. It is as if you are
entering a second adulthood with all of the advantages of the life
experiences you have gained during the first 50 years. Many of us have
often said that if we only knew when we were younger what we know now, we
may have done things differently. Well, the reality is that most baby
boomers still have a good 25 to 30 years of good productivity left inside
them. I know many people in their late 70’s who are still going strong
and still making tremendous contributions to society.
And so, here I am at
the age of 57, “retired” from teaching for the past six years: the
writer for The Vision Paper; the director of public relations for a
shopping centre; publisher of a community web site; one year into the
creation of a tutoring agency; two weeks into a new venture as a radio
host; “working” seven days a week; and my wife and I still have time
to enjoy our granddaughters, our children and our leisure activities
together. If you had told me that this is where my life would be when I
was 25 years old I never would have believed you. I can’t wait to see
what my life will be like a year from now, but I do know one thing –
whatever it is that I am doing, it is going to be my choice and it is
going to make me happy.
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