The momentum of the Great Wake-Up Call is soaring
Are you living your best life? In the real world, and not just on Instagram?
It’s a question that’s been gaining momentum throughout the past eighteen months as Covid woke us all up to the fact that we only get one go-around and there are no do-overs.
Gen Z and millennials may seem to be the most hashtag happy on the topic, but the 45 and over crowd has even more impetus to reflect, rethink, and redirect how they spend their time “on the back nine.”
Overworked, overstretched, overwhelmed, many overactive adults are simply over it. Realizing their life is now, midlifers are determined to make the most of it.
Michael Clinton speaks to this in his new book ROAR Into the Second Half of Your Life, suggesting that instead of the proverbial “midlife crisis,” we should be calling it a “midlife awakening.”
Now that our eyes have been opened, he challenges us to use The Great Reflection as a gift to make the rest of our days as fulfilling as we dream they can be.
It’s time to stop hitting snooze and make it happen.
Here’s how using the four steps to reinventing yourself by Michael Clinton:
R - Reimagine yourself: Something is going to happen to you that will force you to reevaluate your life. Take the time to think about where and who you want to be.
O - Own who you are: Accept and acknowledge your past, as well as the facts of your present.
A - Act on what’s next: Move forward and plan the next phase of your life.
R - Reassess your relationships: Think about the people you are surrounded with. Friends or foe?
WHAT'S UP ⬆️
The mid-life awakening is gaining momentum fast
America is getting older: In 2030, 1 in 5 Americans will be 65+. In fact, 10,000 people turn 65 every day. People are leaving their full-time jobs at record rates.
The Great Wake-Up Call touches on all 5 drivers of momentum:
Polarization: The traditional wisdom was that at 65, you were meant to start obsessing over gardening tools, but why should you retire when you can “refire,” as Michael Clinton calls it.
Innovation: Older generations have experienced things that younger folks haven’t, and they’re ready to use their experiences to start new chapters.
“Sticky” Issues: The older generation is asking: “Do I want to continue to do what I’ve always done for 10, 20, 30 years?” Or "Is there something I can do differently?"
Disruption: It goes without saying that the pandemic has upset our sense of normalcy... but we’re loving the more mindful mindsets.
Social impact: Many people who are making drastic changes in their life are being driven by the question: “What kind of impact do I want to make going forward?”
WHAT'S DOWN ⬇️
Letting factors like age, geography, or prestige limit what you can do…
We want to take control of our lives, make the most of our time and spend our days working towards pursuits where happiness is prioritized.
WHAT'S NEXT ➡️
It’s wake-up time.
Life as we knew it no longer exists, and we are going to continue to be asked to disrupt and evolve. Putting dreams in the backseat? Maybe not.
Watchout: Mom and Dad have $$$
Gen-alpha and Z get a lot of hype, but do they have $95tril to give away or use? I don’t think so. The Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, and GenX have purchasing power to buy whatever they want, and do whatever they want. In fact, those over 40 are 3x more likely to start successful companies.
Case Study: Learn from Patagonia
With a 4% turnover rate, Patagonia, is a model company for this mindful movement. According to Dean Carter, VP of Human Resources at Patagonia, their view is that “people are resources to steward, not resources for extraction and depletion”. They also retain almost all new moms with on-site childcare!
