Retire….or, Evolve?

I hate being lost. I was out in the woods earlier this year and got distracted. The path went down and then seemed to disappear. Nothing was familiar. It was getting dark, and I did not like it.

Think about the last time you felt lost. That’s how a lot of people feel who sell their businesses or lose their careers.

I think of this incident every time I work with a client who has “retired”, or whose role has changed. Our society celebrates retirement. ( BTW, Who thought of that term? Notice it has the word “tired” – what’s up with that?)

Business owners work for years toward the ultimate goal of selling their business, banking their proceeds, and getting to those things they’ve dreamed of – for years.

Others have contributed time, talent, and hope that there would always be a place for them within that community. Heartbreak is the result of those kinds of disappointments.

A lot of people have created companies, or roles, that play to their strengths. Leaders in those companies have wickedly good business talents.

They’re equipped to navigate any market fluctuation, or disruption, to lead, to inspire. They are not equipped to handle empty, meaningless days…for years.

It’s not surprising for those gifted leaders to discover that the skills that brought them success on Wall Street, don’t translate easily to life out of the C-Suite. They’re lost. It sucks.

Unlike my “off the beaten path” experience, it isn’t easy to navigate retirement. Here’s a plan to start your “retirement” with a strategic plan for success.

5 Steps to Your Easy, Effortless and Enjoyable First Week:

1. Set up a document, journal, or record an audio of the following: your values, principles, purpose and vision for the rest of your life.
2. Set up a new email address and calendar
3. Redesign the profiles in your LinkedIn, FB, Instagram and Twitter accounts (as well as your local organizations). Highlight your intentions, goals and issue an invitation to connect with others who share those interests.
4. Review your contacts. Pull the names of those people you would like to stay in touch with, had always hoped to know better, or that you find particularly interesting. Make contact with each over the next 6 months.
5. Schedule daily movement. Put it on your calendar.

Just so you know, these aren’t the steps to retirement. These are the steps to an ideal evolution – THE Evolution of YOU.

If this sounds like how you’d like to create that next chapter of life, schedule a Chemistry call with me.