The transition from career to Chapter X is BIG. For many men, it’s one of the most destabilizing times of life. It’s the descent from Mt. Everest after reaching the pinnacle where you’re faced with “OK, so what’s next after I’ve reached the summit?”
What can match the gratification of one’s life work from entry to exit? You can look back over your career and plot the course from the beginning of your work life–and the trajectory of success.
In Chapter X, who you were (at least if using your past as a model), could be the wrong way to measure your “success”. The purpose is different, the motivations are different and the approach is different. You need another metric to measure progress.
I keep reminding myself that it’s baby steps to learn new things, to find what lights me up, to regulate expectations, and most importantly, to find joy in the process. It reminds me of the question: How do you eat an elephant?
Answer: One bite at a time!
Baby steps… you’re learning new skills.
