When you have a job, even a high-c-level job, you're an employee.
Unless you're an entrepreneur, your fulfilling career requires little from you in the areas of risk, commitment, and faith.
Think about it. When you're an employee, there are relatively few variables you have to evaluate day-to-day. Most of your day is filled with
"givens".
Even if you LOVED your job, you were still following an established map; someone else setting the direction, providing certainty, and security.
When you leave work, you have an ending point. You may have a financial starting point. You probably also have a few destinations in mind (id: bucket list "to-do" items). But, I'll bet you don't think about all the "givens" that become choices; choices that depend on your map.
When your retirement "honeymoon" (Phase 1) wears off, it becomes crystal clear that you need a new "map".
(Phase 1 of the 6 Phases, YouTube & ebook, if you're interested.)
How will you live your life, day-to-day, year-after-year as an engaged, vibrant individual? Creating that map is up to you.
Like an entrepreneur birthing and growing a thriving business - when you retire, YOU are an entrepreneur, birthing and growing a new life where YOU can thrive.
It's a mindset.
PERIOD.
Even though it's almost 6 years old, this article by Executive Coach, Danny Creed explains it so well.
He writes this for someone building a business or a career, not a life. Still, read it and replace the words "work", "payroll", and "income" with "guarantee" - you'll get it.
If you're a woman who has left a long career and is embarking on a new beginning, this perspective will encourage you as you begin to (re)build your life, post-career. You can read the entire article here, but...
Going from employee of a business to entrepreneur of your life requires a mindshift; a paradigm shift. You have to change the way you think about:
1. Sacrifice:
When you retire, the people, places, and things in your life are there because of who you were and the map you followed over the last 5, 6+ decades. Everyone and everything is comfortable with the map and with the you who followed that map.
Change can be scary for you, but it can be a downright threat to others close to you. As you begin to think and do things differently, be prepared for pushback, communicate well, and set boundaries.
2.
Faith:
As mentioned above, everyone in your life may not have the same motivation and confidence in your new journey. You have to have "unfailing belief in yourself" even when it feels like no one else believes in you and you're totally alone.
(Tip: You're not alone. So very many women experience this, including yours truly. Still, it's not fun.)
3.
Persistence:
The world isn't fair. The world doesn't own anything to anyone. Intention is good, but it's only the tip of the TIPPY-TOP of the iceberg.
(My take... hat-tip to Barbara Sher & Bari Baumgardner)
4. Risk:
Living authentically, on your terms is risky, as discussed specifically, in #1 above. You have to be prepared for consequences, expected and otherwise. Think long and hard about potential consequences. Those that you are not willing to take on will require you to compromises that will be required of you in that event.
5.
Commitment:
You have to be committed to all of it; the sacrifice, the faith, & persistence. Change will be difficult for some to accept.
To be fully committed to your dream, value(s), purpose, or committed to finding any or all of these, you have to be willing to:
Yay you, if you're one of the fortunate ones who sailed smoothly from a fulfilling career to a fulfilling, engaged, vibrant next phase of life.
Many of us, however, have to make it happen. It's time to cowgirl up.
All it takes is a bit of Gumption & Soul.
