- When I was laid off in my 50s, I became stressed because I thought I was near the end of my career.
- But I realized I love working and traveling, so I decided not to set my sights on retirement.
- I’m now 65, traveling the world, running two businesses, and have no plans to retire.
During my time in a sales role for a large corporation, I had it all. I traveled extensively for client meetings, crisscrossing the US and visiting places like Italy, France, and Germany.
But I’ll never forget the trip to Vail, where I was literally skiing on the slopes when I received a call that changed my life. My company called to tell me I was laid off from my dream job.
I was immediately despondent, thinking I had lost my livelihood, and in my early 50s, any chance I had at long-term security — not to mention a plum job that fed my love of travel.
But most worryingly, I was only a little over a decade away from retirement age. I thought I was in the last stages of my career, but I had to rethink everything.
I always viewed retirement as the end goal
When I look back at my upbringing, I’m not surprised that my layoff felt like the end of the world.
My view of retirement began with watching my dad’s career trajectory as a postman in Buffalo. Every day, he came home exhausted after walking his route in all kinds of weather. He was miserable for the last 10 years. But he persevered because he believed that hard work and personal sacrifice were the keys to a decent living, and he dreamed of the day when he could finally retire and do the things he really enjoyed — like traveling and puttering in the garage.
He wasn’t the only one. I saw colleagues who were years ahead of me in their careers also dreaming of retirement as if it was breaking free from a prison they had found themselves in.
So, even though I loved my job and jet-setted around the world, I naturally assumed that retirement would look the same for me — an oasis at the end of a long, hard career.
That unexpected phone call in Vail felt like the moment everything changed, but when it really changed was just a few months later. I was given the opportunity to buy a consulting firm that focused on something I was highly passionate about. This would mean stepping out on my own for the first time and leaving the perceived safety net of corporate America.
Fueled by my long-held beliefs about retirement, many thoughts crossed my mind: Is buying a business a good idea? I was only 10 years or so away from retirement. This decision made me pause and question everything.
Finally, I realized that I’m healthy, really good at what I do, love learning new things, and am still passionate about my work. Why would I want to stop now?
The vision of retirement age has evolved
Little did I know that as a late-stage baby boomer, I was not alone in questioning my views of what was expected of me as I neared retirement age. When you think about it, long-held beliefs and systems are being redefined due to factors like increased life expectancy, societal shifts in how we work, and evolving lifestyle preferences.
Let’s take life expectancy, for example. In 1935, when the Social Security system was implemented in the US, women’s life expectancy was around 62 years old. I was amazed when I learned that number.
Today’s life expectancy is around 80, but realistically, those who care for their health can likely live well into their 90s.
I kept asking myself: What in the world are we expected to do for one-third of our lives if we retire in our 60s?
I am skipping retirement for now
I firmly believe that the traditional retirement model — retiring at a fixed age and living off a pension — is giving way to a more flexible, evolving way of experiencing “post-career” life. I believe this because I live it daily as a 65-year-old.
I currently run two consulting businesses and am on my way to developing my third. Travel is still a passion of mine, just as it was my dad’s. But I am not waiting till those golden years when I can cruise down the Mississippi on a riverboat with other retirees. I run my businesses as a digital nomad. Give me an internet connection and access to an airport, and I’m ready to go.
The best part is that I am also an evangelist for this lifestyle. As a business coach for online business owners, my clients are looking for a mentor who has figured it out. They are early adopters of this new paradigm, and I enjoy mentoring them into this new, vibrant, and fun era of their lives.
I can see myself retiring someday, but I’ll definitely have a coaching booth in my independent living facility where I charge for some career advice.
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