If you are over 60, society labels you as over the hill. The message is clear: it’s time to think of retirement and getting out of the way for the younger crowd. And many Boomers embrace the message. They find a place to retire, play shuffleboard, and prepare for the downhill ride.
Don’t buy culture’s lie which proclaims at over 60 you are all washed up.
Barbara Beskind works in the hip Silicon Valley at IDEO; the company which made Apple’s first mouse. She’s a designer who works with company engineers as they design products for older adults. Barbara is having the time of her life. And, did I mention, she is 90?
Barbara refused to accept the concept of coasting down Old Age Hill into the Land of Oblivion. She saw an episode of 60 Minutes where David Kelley, the founder of IDEO, talked about the importance of diversity on a design team. Instead of dismissing herself as being too old to work for the hip company, she wrote and asked about employment. Several days later the company contacted her. And now she is part of their design team.
Did you see what she did? She had an idea, took the initiative, and acted on it. And now at 90 she is still contributing to society and making a living. Barbara Beskind is my new hero.
When I turned 50 I did the math and realized with a jolt over 50% of my life had disappeared. I still recall the despair of concluding I now lived on the backside of life’s mountain. But I’ve discovered life over 50, and now over 60, is a bad thing only if you embrace the lie which tells you it’s time to coast.
As Boomers transition out of their old jobs and into a new life they need to look for opportunities to make a difference in their world.
What are you going to do with the rest of your life? The temptation is to sip lemonade by the pool and watch endless episodes of Seinfeld. But Barbara reminds us the ride down Old Age Hill need not lead to a meaningless life.
If you are at a change point in your life I encourage you to be like Barbara. Take the initiative and scan the horizon looking for opportunities.
- What skill set do you have which can be used to help an organization succeed?
- What young person around you needs a friend and mentor?
- How can you make your corner of the world a better place?
- Is there a group of people at church your age which you can rally so they become an asset to the pastor?
- Does the local hospital need your volunteer services?
- Is there a way you can help the less fortunate who stand on the street corner?
I believe life after 60 is filled with opportunities to invest your life in making the world a better place. It is criminal to spend the last third of life absorbed in frittering the days away.
Not me. I’m doing my best to leverage my experience and skills to contribute to society, not suck it dry.
Thanks Randy for the swift kick in the rear end!
Now, I like road biking. And I love to coast downhills. But the payoff in doing so is in direct relationship to the hill that’s climbed. So coasting in this sense is the payoff, the amount of rush that’s related to the amount of work. And I like this kind of coasting.
As opposed to your use of coasting … wherever the wind might push you, passively putting up with a life lacking purpose. No thanks.
I’ve many more hills to climb. Right now I’m working on getting back in school for my teaching cert. I’ve mentioned it before and I’m getting more and more excited about it as I downshift and prepare to climb that mountain.
Thanks for the motivational “kick!”
Keep these motivational blogs coming! I really believe you have been given a message for us “over the hill” gang! Now that I’ve entered yet another milestone decade it does seem that our culture wants to kick us to the curb so to speak. And we buy into that message I fear! Let the younger generation do it because we’ve worked hard and it’s their turn; we “deserve” to kick back and rest…or coast as you so aptly put it!! Since retirement at 61, I admit that has been my mindset more than not. I desire to change that…I remember the excitement and mental stimulation of learning something new, exploring new worlds and stretching myself to get involved with those younger generations and I want that again! This will be my new goal with much prayer needed to get me “moving” in that direction instead of coasting!
Have you figured out I am finally catching up on my reading?? I am not on the computer on a regular basis. Enjoy reading your blogs. I have no desire to slow down. We have a restaurant that we frequent because of the senior discounts!! :) It has become somewhat of a ministry. We come across all sorts of people, often the employees need a listening ear. I have become somewhat bold in my “old” age and have surprised myself. In conversations we have had the opportunity to pray for the manager’s mother, and his wife. In these times he discovered I graduated from Olivet!! It seems his sister graduated from there as well and he had never met another graduate from there. I made it a point when we had a family gathering there to introduce brother Mike to him and now he knows of 2 alumni!! :) We talk and are friendly with our servers and right now Tamera comes too us quickly if she has a problem. It started with praying for her stepfather in Florida. He has oral cancer and is not expected to live. I asked her if we could pray that someone might be led to him that he might find Christ as his Savior. She came rushing up last week and she was fearful that she might have cervical cancer. I boldly, stood there with her, put my hand on her shoulder and briefly prayed for her and her situation, I am praising God for giving me more boldness for Him.
One of our younger managers was moved to Jackson, Michigan to an Old Country Buffet. I messaged brother Phil and gave him the particulars about Paul and his fiancee. Paul had been at the Old Country Buffet in Mishawaka and they closed that restaurant, too much competition from Golden Corral that was less than a half a mile away. He had a Christian lady that worked there who gave him a Bible with his name on it. He was proud of that Bible. Enough! Praise the Lord He is NOT done with me yet!!!
Sounds like you have a great ministry!!