I’ve heard from many men about the difficulty they have wrapping their arms around the idea of fulfillment during their post-career years. Yeah, I get it. We knew what was fulfilling in the profession where we spent decades of our lives.
The “wins” were pretty easy to spot.
During Chapter X, we knew what was fulfilling. But perhaps replacing it is more challenging, and with good reason. We haven’t accumulated enough experience to determine what is fulfilling. We’re working with an old definition that doesn’t quite fit our current reality.
Think back to your entry into your career. Did you have a clear picture of what fulfillment or success looked like? My guess is whatever your initial idea was, it went through some pretty significant changes as you gained experience.
Discovering what’s fulfilling to you in this chapter of life requires some rethinking, some redefining, and some rediscovering of the opportunities that abound. Just like life before, there will be trial and error, wins and losses (although I fervently believe losses are just a byproduct of fear and stubbornness), and plenty of learning.
Why would you expect to transition into a new life stage fully formed?
Like everything in life, it takes time and effort.
Thoughts?
