Taking back America – One Vocation at a time!
The solution is YOU Inc.
Teaching and speaking for 2 weeks in China brought me to an epiphany. America is losing ground quickly with having no clear strategy on what to do to regain a strong economy. It was amazing for me to discover that in China growth is everywhere. Most people have health care and money left over. It's cheap to eat, affordable to buy apartments and cars are not really necessary because taxi is so cheap. Even more amazing I was feeling safer in the city of 7 million where I visited than in any American town. Why? No guns allowed. The police walk around unarmed. Yes, I know what you are thinking. Free speech is an issue there. In fact, this kind of criticism there might get me a few years of tough labor. Ok, so no place is perfect but for sure we have lessons to learn.
We don't produce anything anymore
Except war, that's it. And even now that is outsourced. I have a call into the president to intercept this new 30 billion on its way to fight more unnecessary war so instead we can use it for heath care for 47 million citizens without heath insurance. He hasn't called back yet. Do you know it costs us 1 million dollars per soldier in the Middle East? Any American company would go under quickly with this kind of spending per employee. Well, the only exception would be the Wall Street firms. But, then again I never understood the meaning to spend a lifetime just watching money go up and down. There is a small movement in congress to apply a small excise tax on all financial transactions (trading stocks, bonds, and derivatives). I would go a step further and enact in law that all tax collected from Wall Street go directly to paying 100% health care for all Americans. Health care problem solved and Wall Street and its behavior become socially useful. What a concept!
What are we doing?
We are waiting for the other financial shoe to drop. It will, and soon. Our greed for making money out of thin air has not stopped and unless we change behavior our current economic crisis will only get worse.
The solution is vocation
With this article I am launching a new program called "Taking back America - One vocation at a time". The emphasis on just job creation is short sighted. First, how many people really want to work on construction projects? The smarter approach is to fund people and programs directly to teach people how to have vocation - the work which will last their entire lives.
Let's start with you
You can start to take back America and be a role model right now. What services or products can you create and sell to others which would be useful and earn you an income. Even if you work for someone else thinking like an entrepreneur is what America needs right now. 150 years ago bartering was popular - people helping out each other. Guess what? In this down economy you can again find bartering clubs starting up again. The plumber donates 20 hours a month as the dentist does. They exchange services and help each other. No money is exchanged.
We need to be creative as a society
Violence just breeds more violence. The more we focus on the war against terror and live in fear the more fearful we will become. Instead, let’s focus on making a difference in our work for ourselves and others and we will get better results.
What can organizations do?
First, stop laying-off people. I wish firms were penalized 1 million dollars each for each person laid-off. This might turn around the focus a bit on people development rather than to lay-off people and then rehire those same positions one year later at twice the costs. With new job security people could again focus on work without fear. Make people development a larger priority than profit. That’s right, people over profit. We tend to roll out programs to motivate people to do more of what we want them to do. Instead if we invested time to teach people how to motivate themselves. They would be happier, more joyful and in turn their organizations which they worked for would benefit as well.
What can individuals do?
Start working towards vocation - that is doing work which you really love which will last a lifetime. What would this be for you? Start to produce something! Or start a service! Find just one customer. Prove to yourself what you have is valuable. If everyone did this, we would take America back. We would once again be a country which produces. If you don’t want to do it alone there are many smaller firms which would love your ideas. Do you know that over 80% of all firms in America have less than 10 people? Do you know that over 99% of all firms in America have less that 500 people? Do you know that 50% of these businesses are home based!! Is this enough incentive for you!
Can’t we all be like Bhutan?
I think the King of Bhutan was on to something when he decided that the national gross product of his country would be happiness and well-being. Wow, how forward thinking in 1972. America is now 38th in the world for life expectancy at 78 (75 for men and 80 for women) Australia is the leader at 80 on average.
We need to be more self sustaining
That’s right. And it starts with your work. Everyone over 40 right now should have multiple streams of income. This will help you to become more self-sustaining
How can you do your part to take back America?
Figure out what product or service you can create and sell to at least one other person? Just imagine if every person over 40 did this? Now, that’s vocation creation and a better focus than war and terror, don’t you think?
I love our country!
I really do which is why I have launched this program. It's a small part which integrates with my work and just might make a difference for one person at a time with their work and their life. You can do this too with your work and I'll be cheering you on as you go. One vocation at a time!
I'll be cheering you on as you go - Craig Nathanson
Eleven Steps to FINALLY loving your work after forty
Step One: Envision exactly what would be just perfect for you!Many people stop on this first step by their negativity. But no one is going to do this except you.Take some time and create a picture in your mind of the work which would be just perfect for you. Is it working in the health field, with children, painting, writing or creating marketing campaigns? Separate the money at this stage or you will NEVER move to the step 2. Of course, there will be steps to get to this perfect state. What would that look like for you?Step Two: Write down your plan to get thereWhen you write down a plan, your whole life and activities start to align around what you want. Then you start to figure out how to reach your goals. All of a sudden daily activities start to align and make sense. You start to be clearer about which opportunities to say yes to and which to turn down. Once written down you have something to refer to daily especially when you encounter others who don’t support your plans.Step Three: Talk to others about your plansThis is not a process of ego. In some ways it doesn’t matter who you talk to. Strangers on the airplane are the best for the start. They listen and ask questions while you get to practice your new elevator speech about your life. When you talk to others about your plans you commit yourself and start to believe that what you want is possible. This is really important. You are not talking to others to get their views. You have to be strong emotionally and resist to the negative view.Step Four: Take small steps dailyImagine you just started an exercise program. The first 4 days you jog slowly. You start to feel sore but good at the same time. Then you decide to take a week off. You lose all the momentum and fitness gained in those first four days. The same is true for vocational passion. You need to take small steps daily. For example, if you decide you want to be in the marketing field, don’t let a day go by without reading an article on marketing, talking to someone about marketing or marketing something yourself. These activities build new habits around what you want vs. perhaps old addictions which are no longer helpful for you in your life.Step Five: Measure your progressFinancial experts will advise to make a budget and keep track of your spending. They claim this helps to place focus on where your spending is going. Again this is true for moving towards your vocational goals. To keep track of your daily activities and progress will help as you move towards new goals in your life. Then you can examine what is working and what is not working, so you can make corrections as you go.Step Six: Celebrate small progressUsing the above example, you decide to subscribe to an on-line marketing forum with other marketing professionals. For a week, you log on daily and discuss the world of marketing with others. It feels good to be involved with others who share your passion of marketing. At the end of the week you have new ideas and are feeling pretty good about your progress. Ok, time to celebrate in a healthy way. Maybe for you this means going out to a nice dinner or maybe a movie or buying a new CD or your favorite newspaper. The point is these small celebrations will reinforce your progress and encourage even more progress. This is very different than the rewards you used to have in the past when the organization allowed you to wear jeans on Friday for work performed- how humiliating!Step Seven: Change course when neededAlong the way you will run into challenges and roadblocks. You may need to slightly change course. I have many clients who start down the road to one passion then suddenly discover this was not what they expected. Don’t be afraid to make change mid-stream. These are usually small changes but enough to keep the dreams alive and moving forward. The most important thing is to be aware of and recognize when change is needed. One can usually tell if they listen careful to their INNER signals.Step Eight: Get a new teamIn many cases, the path towards a new vocation will require a new team or just a new commitment from the same team! Approach your existing team of friends, family and professional contacts and let them know your new path and direction and ask for their support, ideas and encouragement. If you run into anyone who doesn’t support what you want, let them know in a nice way you may have to drop them from the team down the road. This is the hardest thing to do with a spouse who isn’t thrilled with your new plans in mid-life. The key to a strong relationship is to support each others’ dreams and desires. Without this, there is no longer a strong foundation in the relationship to fall back on during challenging times. This is the time when a new team or member is needed. Surround yourself with only people who support and encourage your development at this stage of your life. Don’t settle for anything less!Step Nine: Change your environmentIt is amazing how just a small or large change in environment can make a difference in your progress. Burdened by a large mortgage, perhaps a move to a less expensive area will make the difference. Perhaps moving to a new office or part of the house will create the same effect.Start with the criteria which would be just perfect for you with regards to the environment. This should include where you live, how you live and what stuff you live with. Sometimes just getting rid of old junk and things can create a lighter backpack for your new life.Step Ten: Change your financial stateMoney is such a personal topic. Start with a clear understanding of what you need vs. what you want. There is a difference. How much money do you need to make, net after taxes to do the work you love? It is amazing to me how many people don’t have a good idea as to their monthly cash flow and expenses. Where can you lighten the load? Start with small things and work your way up. Don’t expect miracles. Stay away from traditional advice like saving for retirement. This should be the first idea to throw out. Cash out your savings for death (my word for retirement) and use now to fund your way towards doing what you love. You won’t die or go homeless at this step. You need to free up all resources now. So many people I work with are scared of losing their money and this fear prevents them from living in the present and making a better life now vs. saving for someday which usually never comes as life tends to get in the way.Step Eleven: Continue learningContinue learning and improve your self-awareness. This is key to future development and a sense of calmness about your path. Start a journal. Just before bed each night, answer the question, what did I learn about myself today. There will always be something you learned. Read this journal every 30 days. You will see your progress. This is what I call the compounding of self-awareness which is much more valuable in mid-life than the compounding of money. If you follow JUST money then after losing your work you are left with nothing. But if you follow a path towards doing work which you love, you may lose money but you will always have the work to do which you love!I’ll be cheering you on as you go!Craig Nathanson
Craig Nathanson is the author of "Don't JUST retire and die: A new approach to your life and work after 40" and he is a coaching expert who works with people over forty.Visit Craig’s online community at http://www.thevocationalcoach.com where you can take a class, get more ideas through Craig Nathanson’s books and CD’s, get some private coaching over the phone or skype or in Craig’s office, or read other stories of mid-life change and renewal.Craig lives and works in Petaluma, California. His office is located at P.O Box 2823, Petaluma Ca, 94953. You can reach him at 707-775-4020 or at craig@thevocationalcoach.com.
Having trouble finding one job? Get five instead which is much easier and here’s how!
Have multiple streams of income
In this economy the idea of having just one job doesn't make sense. First there is much competition for a single job. Second, once committed to just one job, independence and flexibility is taken away. The best strategy in this economy especially for those over 40 is to have multiple streams of income. This gives one the best sense of security. If one stream of income doesn't work out, there are many others to turn to. I suggest the number five as a target to aim for. Why? No scientific reason other than you can keep track of them on one hand. This approach, of course, takes a whole different thought process.
One of the best ways to start is to search on the various job sites under part-time work. I recommend indeed.com. Also start to look at sites like guru.com and elance.com which give people the opportunity to bid on work and offer themselves and their talents.
Align all work around a central theme
It is important for focus, energy, and momentum to look for five sources of revenue which all relate to one another. For example, I had a client who was a high school teacher and decided to leave because of new stress on teachers. She still loved to teach. Today, she helps high school seniors to discover what they want to do in their life and to find the best colleges for them. She has a coaching business helping high school students who are struggling with grades. Her third source and core business is developing training programs for teachers as part of their in-service training days teaching them how to communicate with students better. Her fourth and fifth sources of revenue are working part-time for others. She is a substitute high school teacher for 3 districts 3 days a week. She likes the challenge and no longer has the state testing pressure. Her other part-time job is working for a text book company selling textbooks to high school teachers. This keeps her close to her target audience and customers. Her overall revenue after 2 years of developing is slightly higher than she made as a full time teacher. Now she has to pay private health insurance and she gave up her "retirement"but she is happier now with no need to ever stop doing what she loves. Recently she told me that she was considering a sixth source of revenue which is assisting teachers on the path and process to teach overseas.
Establish You.inc
Like the example above, this same opportunity is available to you. First, you must think through which abilities and interests align the best. This is where you should focus. You will surprise yourself with the ideas you come up with. It is much easier to get 5 sources of revenue and customers then just one traditional job which lock you into a time, place, and a salary! So outdated for those over 40!
Establish a niche
I have one client who loved working with old classic cars. Fast forward today and he has multiple streams of income around this passion. He organizes downtown shows of old cars. He actually fixes other people's old cars. He acts as a broker helping people to get the spare parts they need for their vintage cars. He works one day a week at a junk yard. He likes being outside and this also gives him access to new parts which come in. He works 2 days a week changing tires at a local shop. While this doesn't relate directly to his love of old cars, he knows how to fix tires and this part time job keeps him around cars!
Find new ways to work
Start with a business card. What would you call yourself? What would your tagline be? What would your marketing flyer look like? What products and services could you develop and sell to others. Which part-time jobs could you combine in similar areas?
It all starts with a sense of purpose and path
Focus in areas where you feel deep interest. It is very important especially after 40 when you start feeling a sense of urgency around your work and what you do.
Over 40 the OLD way of looking for just one job no longer makes sense. The new way is to create multiple streams of income. This is important in mid-life as the need to explore, to travel, and to be creative rises to the surface. Getting just ONE job is hard work- Getting five is much easier!
I'll be cheering you on as you go - Craig Nathanson
Having Trouble Finding One Job? Get Five Instead Which Is Much Easier And Here’s How!
Have multiple streams of income
In this economy the idea of having just one job doesn't make sense. First there is much competition for a single job. Second, once committed to just one job, independence and flexibility is taken away. The best strategy in this economy especially for those over 40 is to have multiple streams of income. This gives one the best sense of security. If one stream of income doesn't work out, there are many others to turn to. I suggest the number five as a target to aim for. Why? No scientific reason other than you can keep track of them on one hand. This approach, of course, takes a whole different thought process.
One of the best ways to start is to search on the various job sites under part-time work. I recommend indeed.com. Also start to look at sites like guru.com and elance.com which give people the opportunity to bid on work and offer themselves and their talents.
Align all work around a central theme
It is important for focus, energy, and momentum to look for five sources of revenue which all relate to one another. For example, I had a client who was a high school teacher and decided to leave because of new stress on teachers. She still loved to teach. Today, she helps high school seniors to discover what they want to do in their life and to find the best colleges for them. She has a coaching business helping high school students who are struggling with grades. Her third source and core business is developing training programs for teachers as part of their in-service training days teaching them how to communicate with students better. Her fourth and fifth sources of revenue are working part-time for others. She is a substitute high school teacher for 3 districts 3 days a week. She likes the challenge and no longer has the state testing pressure. Her other part-time job is working for a text book company selling textbooks to high school teachers. This keeps her close to her target audience and customers. Her overall revenue after 2 years of developing is slightly higher than she made as a full time teacher. Now she has to pay private health insurance and she gave up her "retirement"but she is happier now with no need to ever stop doing what she loves. Recently she told me that she was considering a sixth source of revenue which is assisting teachers on the path and process to teach overseas.
Establish You.inc
Like the example above, this same opportunity is available to you. First, you must think through which abilities and interests align the best. This is where you should focus. You will surprise yourself with the ideas you come up with. It is much easier to get 5 sources of revenue and customers then just one traditional job which lock you into a time, place, and a salary! So outdated for those over 40!
Establish a niche
I have one client who loved working with old classic cars. Fast forward today and he has multiple streams of income around this passion. He organizes downtown shows of old cars. He actually fixes other people's old cars. He acts as a broker helping people to get the spare parts they need for their vintage cars. He works one day a week at a junk yard. He likes being outside and this also gives him access to new parts which come in. He works 2 days a week changing tires at a local shop. While this doesn't relate directly to his love of old cars, he knows how to fix tires and this part time job keeps him around cars!
Find new ways to work
Start with a business card. What would you call yourself? What would your tagline be? What would your marketing flyer look like? What products and services could you develop and sell to others. Which part-time jobs could you combine in similar areas?
It all starts with a sense of purpose and path
Focus in areas where you feel deep interest. It is very important especially after 40 when you start feeling a sense of urgency around your work and what you do.
Over 40 the OLD way of looking for just one job no longer makes sense. The new way is to create multiple streams of income. This is important in mid-life as the need to explore, to travel, and to be creative rises to the surface. Getting just ONE job is hard work- Getting five is much easier!
I'll be cheering you on as you go - Craig Nathanson
Craig Nathanson is the author of "Don't JUST retire and die: A new approach to your life and work after 40" and he is a coaching expert who works with people over forty.
Visit Craig’s online community at http://www.thevocationalcoach.com where you can take a class, get more ideas through Craig Nathanson’s books and CD’s, get some private coaching over the phone or skype using webcam or in Craig’s office.
A new year is the time for a new approach to work
Good. Then you won't need permission from your parents to read this article. If you are under 40, I give you permission now! I would guess if you are over 40 you have begun to question your life and your work. Good. This is normal and healthy. Perhaps you have also started to question your contributions to society. Perhaps your accomplishments for this period of your life have not reached up to your internal or external expectations. That’s ok. Life tends to get in the way as we are making plans. And, this is the right time to deal with the disparity between where you are and where you expected to be in your life. This is important now so you can change your internal expectations to the one that suit you better at this point of your life. This can be a magical process. Do you experience sometimes that you are no longer young? This can generate an awareness of who you are, what you have done and where you might be going. It’s normal from time to time now to sense a recognition of your own mortality as this can drive new healthy change. This is an invaluable time to ask yourself key questions around what is most important and whether your lifestyle aligned to your values and sense of identity.
If your answer is no, you are not alone. Most people don’t find meaning in their work. Many people afraid of failure continue to work harder at jobs which have no meaning. This overemphasis on productivity and sense of doing things which are not personally rewarding causes their inner conflict.
This is the most important lesson to learn from. For example, don’t go back to jobs which didn’t provide joy or meaning. Don't go back to jobs which you didn’t enjoy or lowered your self-esteem. Don’t go back to jobs which you didn’t feel made a difference to yourself or others. For sure don’t go back to jobs JUST for the money as this has a way of catching up to you. You will spend the money you earn faster than you can earn it and then the emptiness of the work will set in.
This usually requires risk, courage, and an openness to change in one’s life. Why not? What have you got to lose or gain? What could you do which would be completely different with regards to your work? What small steps might you take now to get started?
What can you become an expert at? Being really good at one thing vs. average at many things can raise self-esteem and give one especially those over 40 a greater sense of self and contribution in the world.
This is not just for fun. Even if your goal is to work for someone else, the process of thinking through what you could make as a product or service and then selling this to just one other person can create even more possibilities in your life and work.
The world of learning is unlimited. For each idea which you want to pursue you will find many people already doing this. Within seconds you have the world’s knowledge to pursue new learning and new ideas.
Let me help. Decide what you want to change in your life and work now. Define WHY you want to change. Define how your life will be different if you do change. Define what your life will be like if you don’t change. Take one action now which will start to build new habits.
Why not? It might just be the right prescription for a healthier and happier life.
I’ll be cheering you on as you go-Craig Nathanson and Happy New Year-2010!
Which work is JUST right for you now?
Notice I said “now”?Before 40, it is easier just to accept any work. After all it pays the bills, gives us a job title and a sense of belonging in the world. The problem with this after 40 is that it becomes too easy to settle into a mundane life. It put one’s life on hold until there is a crisis which will happen after 40. Worst case, nothing will happen until retirement and then all those plans that waited until someday can get impacted by some event, economy crash or any personal crisis.Who are you?What must now emerge through you? Answer these questions: “I am a person who…? The work I really want to do now in my life is…?” Examine your answers. At this point of your life do you most want to work alone, with others, with large or small groups? Which work best aligns things which you are deeply passionate about, interested in, and which you feel you can do or learn to do?Whose work are you jealous of?Did you ever notice another person’s work and say to yourself: “I wish I could do that”?What work was this? What small step could you take today to learn more about this work for yourself?We become trapped by ourselvesThat is so easy. We get stuck in routines and as a result, we grow farther and farther from making the changes we need to make in mid-life. Examine your own life right now. Where are you stuck and how does this impact your work? Are you doing the work you love or just surviving day to day to pay the bills? What could you change in your life to break this pattern? Could you move to a less expensive area? Could your spouse start working? Could you start selling a product or service on the side to create extra income? Could you get a student loan and go back to school and get additional education in an area you are really passionate about?So what work fits you JUST right?Think about it. Do you like to teach or consult others? Design things or work with numbers? Help people or exercise? Where do you most want to contribute now? The world has so many big challenges now! Where can you contribute? Does your work give you a sense of a bigger purpose about your life?An important exercise right nowImagine I gave you 50 million dollars right now. What would you do with it? Six months from now after a little traveling, paying bills and buying stuff, how would you spend the rest of your life?What would be the pattern of your day?This is an important exercise to ponder. Now let’s imagine I took away the 50 million, what did you learn from this exercise? I have discovered that people who are doing what they love would not change much with or without the money. Those doing JUST a job would make radical change if they had the money.This isn’t practical!“This isn’t practical!”A typical excuse I hear from people in the middle part of their lives why they don’t pursue the work which they love. It prevents people from living an authentic life. Do your relationships support what you want to do now? If not, change your relationships. Does your money situation control every move you make? Make a plan to control your flow of money better. Do you ask for permission from others before deciding what to do? Give yourself permission first! The mind can’t tell the difference between what is real and what is made up when dreaming of the future. If you can envision it, you can do it!Perhaps it’s time for change?Perhaps the work you did before 40 helped to build ego and a money nest egg. Perhaps after 40, this same work no longer fits you. Perhaps it’s time for change. Does your current work bring you closer to your goals or farther? Do you have goals? Do these goals align with what is most important in your life?It can be easy to hideThere are many places to hide from oneself in this world. We can hide behind lackluster jobs, financial problems, non-supportive spouses and friends and, of course, from ourselves. In the end this is a strategy that simply does not work.Don’t wait for YOUR crisis to make changeMost people do. YOU can be different. Think deeply about the work which you most want to do now. Stop looking for JUST a job and instead envision the work which best fits you now. Which work brings you joy, coherence about your life and sense of self. What is the persona you currently are presenting to the world? Is this the one you are comfortable with? At your next dinner party when someone asks you, “What do you do?” How will you answer? Try answering with WHO you are vs. WHAT you do. This is a good practice.Which work is JUST right for you right now?Only you can answer this. Take time to ponder this question alone and without input from others.This will be the best time you have ever spent with yourself and it will turn your life into a new direction, a direction which will bring you more happiness.I’ll be cheering you on as you goCraig Nathanson
The five biggest myths about work
Myth One: Work leads to retirement
This is the biggest myth of all. First of all, most people simply can no longer afford to stop working. Even for those who do stop working soon they find their lives are filled with too much leisure time. Not too long after a feeling of wanting to make a greater difference in the world will emerge. For most of us it is the question how can I keep working? It seems now organizations are hiring the youngest workers at the lowest price they can get. Just looking around it seems those over 40 seem to get pushed out sooner than later.
Take Control
After 40, it is mandatory to take control of one’s life and work. First, only those who truly don’t love their work want to retire. Otherwise why would anyone want to stop doing what they love? Our society sends a strong message for planning for retirement. Despite this it is mandatory to take responsibility for finding work which last a lifetime.
Money magazine
Just this month Money magazine stressed that now was the time to increase the retirement saving. Sure, so others can make money at your expense. This advice is very misleading and irresponsible I can add. This is like telling people they should save more for when they die. When you do what you love there is no reason to ever stop working. So why save for death?
Our education system
Our education system throughout high school, college, and later adult education rarely teaches us how to discover and do the work you love forever. What can be more important?
What happens when you don't retire?
You start to place a new emphasis on living, especially in the present. You are able to make more choices, take more risks and have more courage with your life and work. Don’t fall for the retirement message, its outdated and no longer useful.
Myth Two: Do work which you are good at
After 40, for many people the work we are good at in many cases no longer brings the same joy as 15 or 20 years ago. You are not same person at 40 or 50 as you were at 20 or 30. Much has changed. In many cases this same work no longer provides passion, meaning and fulfillment.
However, there is a tendency to continue to do work which we are good at even if we are no longer interested. This is a strategy to retirement and quick death. The best way to prolong life is to live fully each and every day doing work which makes a difference to you. That will impact others in a good way as well. After 40 it is much better to focus around your deep interests and then learn how to do it. I hear stories all the time from clients, I would love to do this but I don’t have the skills. But it turns out that what you are interested in the most you can learn quickly and can be good at. Do you find yourself working in areas which others are proud of and you are good at but no longer interested in? It is time to change.
Myth Three: Work is not something to be enjoyed
The historical view of work is that work should be hard, not enjoyed, and not even something one might be good at. This notion has stayed with us. Even career counselors today will nudge people into jobs and careers which the market wants. This is the wrong approach. First you must start with work which you enjoy and then build a market around you. I had a client once who loved to build model airplanes. For sure, the world didn’t rush to his doorstep. Also, he had a family to support and bills to pay. Fast forward 3 years later he owns a model airplane hobby store, rents out the store to Boy Scout groups for adventure days, and many related activities which bring in income he needs. Is he rich by society standards? Probably not, but he pays his bills and he might live longer. Are you working in an area you don’t enjoy? It is time to change - no excuses!
Myth Four: Work is for only making money
I hear this one all the time. Work after forty has nothing to do with making money at a deep level. Work has to do with feelings of self worth, contribution, deep happiness, and a sense that your life matters. Also, work has the opportunity to pay your bills and living expenses. It is a nice combination.
One should never confuse work and money. The best work is when it feels voluntary and the worse work is when it feels obligatory. Of course, one needs to make money but the question is how to make money and live a life which feels fulfilling. There are many ways to make money. The more important question is what will you make money at and where will it lead you? If the answer is retirement, time to change direction.
Myth Five: A resume is necessary and sufficient
It is necessary only because the shallow way we have approached work in our education and thinking. The resume covers only an external view of what you have done. This form doesn’t cover your dreams, plans, goals, and deep desires when it comes to work. At least the Vita (usually reserved for college professors) gives one the opportunity to discuss what they are most proud of along with current and planned activities. More important is to develop another document. This is your future biography. I suggest that you write in second person describing the life you wish to live focused around the work you want to do. 2-3 years is a good timeframe. Then you will see the gap and the way how to close it. At least now by the time you write a resume, it will truly reflect the direction you most want to take. The resume is necessary but it is not sufficient.
I'll do anything!
Recently a man in the audience of a recent talk said with arms crossed, "I have been out of work for several years and at this point I’ll do anything".
This is not a good strategy for work. Better to take down time and figure out your life’s plan around work and then pursue it vs. wasting away time applying for just jobs. Don’t fall into the top 5 myths for yourself.
As a result your life will be fuller, happier, and more coherent.
I’ll be cheering you on as you go!
Craig Nathanson
Craig Nathanson is the author of "Don't JUST retire and die: A new approach to your life and work after 40" and he is a coaching expert who works with people over forty.
Visit Craig’s online community at http://www.thevocationalcoach.com
Over 40? Make your Passions Work for You!
Over 40? Make your passions Work for you!
February, 2007
By Craig Nathanson - The Vocational Coach™
Why is this important?
Making your passions WORK for you is important because your happiness MATTERS and makes a difference in your life.
Waking up to a day you really look forward to can make all the difference in your world.
It can be even better: Imagine waking up day after day to the work you love to do. After we turn forty, things change. If we admit it to ourselves, deep inside we wish we could do more with our lives. Our concerns usually center around our work. At this stage of life, we tend to give up our dreams and settle on doing just a job and hope one day to finally do what we love when we retire.
But will that day ever come?
Where do you stand?
Do you know what you are passionate about?
Are you working at what you are passionate about?
If you didn’t answer “yes” to both questions, you have more to do. Many people over forty just assume it’s too late. They feel society’s pressure to slow down, conserve and save.
Are you saving too much?
Recent research by a small group research institution suggests that Americans are currently saving too much. The report suggests that we should get more out of our money while we are young. Otherwise, we risk losing opportunities to enjoy what we have vs. saving for when we’re older.
Of course this advice would be frowned on by almost every financial firm—they have great ideas for using your money! Most of these firms suggest the average person will need an annual income equal to 75 to 86% of what he or she earned in their final year of employment!
When you do what you love and have a lighter backpack, you never need to retire!
What these firms don’t understand is that with a lighter backpack, we can, in fact, work forever doing what we love and come pretty close to the income we require. With vocation, there is no final year of employment until one stops breathing!
What happens if you wait too long?
Your quality of life decreases. Life feels mundane, and your goals no longer seem interesting. Your loved ones suddenly become your scapegoats. You start to feel sluggish and you end up spending too many hours on the couch watching mindless television.
Meet Joe Kasper of New York City
I recently interviewed Joe on my regular show, “How to make meaning and money in mid-life”. Joe calls himself “American’s diet coach”. Joe describes health as his passion, and it shows! Joe walks his talk and it’s catching. It is hard to listen to Joe and not feel anxious and wanting to do something with your own life. Joe explains that he was fired from 14 traditional jobs until he finally figured out that he was better working for himself than for other people.
Joe’s excitement was so contagious that he could probably have had me believing in the Pet Rock again!
This is what happens when you surround yourself with people who have made their passions WORK.
Meet Jennifer Wright of New Zealand
At age 47, Jennifer moved halfway around the world to make her passion WORK. On another recent show, Jennifer told me that her move, while very risky, proved to be the most magical thing she ever did. It was just the perfect recipe for her, and today she works with mid-life women to help them find meaning in their own lives. How appropriate!
As I interviewed Jennifer, it reminded me that when a person makes their passion WORK, they gain a new perspective of their lives and what is possible.
Jennifer like Joe, had that extra kick in her voice, that little giggle when describing what she does.
Yes, making your passion WORK can make you a bit giddy.
The first steps
Evaluate what you want. This is always the easiest and yet the most difficult. This takes an honest self assessment. Find out who else shares your passion and actually makes an income doing what you love. You’ll be surprised what you discover. For example, let’s say you love building model airplanes but you need to make $ 75,000 a year. Not enough people to sell airplanes to? No problem.
You could start your own store and call it, “Model Planes for You”. You could work for a model plan manufacturer as a sales rep to get started. You could start an internet site as a place for model plane hobbyists to gather, getting revenue from ads and other means. You could start a business organizing model airplane parties for kids. You could offer team building events to corporate America that involve building paper airplanes. Attendees would see which group’s paper airplane flies the farthest. Corporate America loves to spend money on this kind of event!
[I can remember once going to a team building event where we worked on building trust by being forced to fall off a ten-foot ledge with a blindfold on so that our teammates could catch us as we fell. When my teammates failed to catch me, I realized it was time to go, but that’s another story!]
You might have several income-producing activities along with perhaps working a couple of days a week at a local hobby store to make ends meet in the short term.
Prepare to downscale
Sorry to disappoint you but I have seldom seen a person make their passion WORK without some initial downscaling. This doesn’t mean forever, just initially.
This might scare many baby boomers to run in the other direction—fast. After all, what would we do without our SUV’s (and their lease payments), our large mortgages and our retirement nest eggs?
Well, I guarantee we would be freer and lighter and better able to explore new possibilities for making our passions WORK.
There is a difference
There is a difference between working hard so that one day you can live your passions vs. making your passion WORK for you right now.
Taking the next steps are, as always, up to you.
I’ll be cheering you on each step of the way!
Over 40? the Top 10 Ways to Quit your Job
# 1 Figure out why you should quit in the first place
That’s right. If you find joy, passion and meaning in your work, there is no reason to quit. Sadly, this isn’t the case for many of the people I meet.
Look at what is most important to you. Is your work aligned with what you prize most in your life? If not, this is a good reason to change now. Does your job pay the bills, but does not feed your soul?
This is another good reason to quit. Do you find it hard to drag yourself out of bed in the morning? Yet another reason to quit.
# 2 Find new authentic ways to earn what you need
How can you earn income working at activities that seem like a better alignment of your abilities and your interests? What work can you do that will last a lifetime? What kind of work gives you the most passion and joy? What work excites you? What work helps you live with integrity and is the most natural expression of who you are?
# 3 Stop fooling yourself
I have heard all the excuses: the work is unfulfilling, but I have a family to support; I have bills to pay; doing what I love isn’t realistic or practical; I have been doing this job too long to quit now.
The better question to ask is: “How could I support my family and pay my bills by doing work that feeds my soul, and that I love to do?”
What a concept!
You’ll appreciate your family even more. Even paying your bills won’t seem so bad.
# 4 Uncross your arms
Stop being so negative! The more reasons you create to explain why you can’t make your dreams come true, the more you’ll believe what’s NOT possible in your life. As a result, you’ll simply drag yourself back to that office for more useless paperwork, meetings, performance reviews, too many emails and worst of all—those office birthday celebrations!
# 5 Don’t EVER give up
Brain synapses work in a powerful way. You think a thought in your mind, and you can’t help but to think of a similar thought. So as you think of a new possibility in your work—doing what you love—you think of a solution you never considered before. Be careful what you think; the opposite is also true.
For example, right now, do NOT think of a green door.
You are not listening to me!!
You see; to NOT think of a green door, you first have to think of a green door!
# 6 Ask better questions
Vocational Passion takes new muscles. To help prepare, start to ask better questions. For example, as you think about your life’s work, ask yourself, “Do you realize that…?”
As your mind races for an answer, new ideas emerge.
As you think about your life right now, finish the sentences, “I am grateful for…?” and, “Isn’t it great that…?”
These questions will help to get new positive emotions flowing.
# 7 Build a better support network
The more time you spend around those who are stagnant in their work lives, the more stuck you will also feel. Start now to spend time with those people who have the same passions as you do, and you’ll gain new energy in your life.
# 8 Rethink your definition of success
The more you measure your work and life success using external factors such as great pay, great performance reviews, a big office, a large staff, a happy spouse, a great job title, and proud in-laws (the worst measure of all!), the more pressure you’ll feel to continually raise the bar to live up to these expectations.
These expectations will keep increasing, and are totally out of your control.
# 9 Make a decision and then take action
There were three frogs sitting on three lily pads, and two frogs decided to jump. How many frogs were left on the lily pads? This will be the most important and most useful math lesson you will ever learn.
#10 Treat making money, and spending what you make, with more respect
When you work at JUST a job, you don’t really appreciate what you make. You just want more of it, hoping it will somehow make up for all of your unhappiness at work. You don’t even appreciate it when you spend it. Again, you just want to buy more stuff to make up for your unhappiness.
The good news is that when you earn money doing the work you love, every dollar you earn and spend takes on more meaning and satisfaction.
Quit your job- Re-join your life instead!
Jobs lead to careers, which lead to retirement, and then death.
VOCATION (doing the work that calls you) can be done forever—until the day you stop breathing. When you are doing work that you love, you won’t see the difference between work and play. The only people who retire (retreat and get ready to “tire”) are those who do not love what they do. With vocational passion (doing the work you love), the concept of saving and or putting off your work happiness for after retirement won’t make sense to you any more. So when you get those AARP (retirement fund) notices in the mail, run in the other direction!!
You can and should make better use of your life and your work NOW. You’ll be happier, and so will the people around you who love you.
Isn’t this enough?
I’ll be cheering you on as you go- Craig Nathanson
Over 40? the 10 Steps to Finally Doing the Work Thatâs Just Right for You
P is for Perfect: Purpose
What is life about? How will you make a difference in the world? Your purpose drives your behavior and can provide you with daily energy and happiness. What is the purpose of your life? Think deeply about where you most want to make a contribution in the world.
Does making people laugh give you purpose? How about making food for others? Maybe itâs helping others become physically fit. Perhaps itâs helping supply a service that helps people stay organized. Your purpose is personal. No one will really care except the most important person in the world â YOU. Having a purpose will change your life and give you the direction you are looking for.
P is for Perfect: Prize
What is most important to you? What behaviors would you have to follow each day to be true to yourself? What would you have to do each day to NOT follow what is most important to you? The choice is yours.
Look at your daily activities. Are you spending your time on what is most important to you? Does your work align with what is most important to you? Is your work a natural alignment of your abilities and your interests?
Living life through others and their values will leave you feeling out of control and stagnant. Living life through what YOU prize most will give your life meaning, and give you a feeling of fulfillment.
P is for Perfect: Perspective
Others have views about you. Whatâs more important is the perspective you have of yourself.
You can change perceptions that arenât useful to you any longer. What is your perspective of the world?
How do you feel about you? Where do these feelings come from? Could you replace these feelings with new ideas that are most useful right now?
What we focus on is what we get. If you continually think about what is not working, you will only attract more of this into your life. Instead, focus on what you want with regards to your work. Find others who are doing exactly what you want to do. Talk to them; study them. If they can do it, so can you.
P is for Perfect: Possibilities
What is possible for you in your vocational life? So many of us focus, instead, on whatâs impossible. What would you have to do to start believing more things are possible for you?
Possibilities start with you. If you really think something you want is not possible, then you will not move towards it. On the other hand, start to believe what you want IS possible, and you will find new energy to move towards what you want.
Give yourself proof that what you want is possible and real. The mind canât tell the difference between whatâs real and whatâs imagined, when thinking about the future.
Make sure what you focus on is what is right for you.
P is for Perfect: Place
What is your role in the world? In your heart, what is the vision you have for yourself? What are your abilities and your interests? Do they match?
Is your current job something you could really do for the rest of your life?
If not, you must change. The only people who retire, are people who donât love what they do. Most people dream of retirement, and then when they get there, they are bored and depressed, and they die not too many years after.
The solution?
Find work now that you can enjoy doing until you stop breathing. Many financial experts now will help you make a financial plan that covers 100 years. Thatâs a lot of years, and if you are between 40 and 50, thatâs nearly half your life to go!
Time for a change if your work no longer serves you.
P is for Perfect: Position
What is your attitude on a daily basis? What would you like to change, and why? What small steps could you take now to âtry onâ a new daily position?
Does your work bring a smile to your face each day?
Do you want to pinch yourself because you canât believe you actually make a living doing what you love? If this is NOT true for you, itâs time for change!
Yes, you can decide to have a good attitude at a lousy job for a while. But you are only fooling yourself, and it will not last long.
P is for Perfect: Passion
What are you really passionate about? Can you identify the vocational patterns in your passions? Donât let negativity defeat your creativity.
What do you most often think about â what gets you excited with regards to your work?
What type of work makes you happy, alive, and full of energy?
P is for Perfect: Perfect Vocational Day
Do you have a vision of your perfect day â can you imagine living your dream while making the income you require at the same time? If you canât imagine it, you canât move towards it.
Write down exactly what would be just perfect for you with regards to an average work day doing something that could last a lifetime. Why not? Most jobs were not developed for you.
Most job searching is backwards. Instead of trying to fit yourself into a job, start with exactly what the pattern of your perfect day would be; a daily plan that works best for you. This will lead you to the right work. You wonât need Human Resources for this!
P is for Perfect: Present
What are you doing in the present to move towards your perfect vocational day? Do you know the gap between your dreams, and where you are now? Do you know the real reason why reaching your perfect vocational day is so important to you?
Do you have the right relationships now to support your journey?
Do you have the right people in your life to support you and fuel your journey?
Write a future biography that describes what you want your life to be like in 2-3 years. You are not done until this vision fits you perfectly.
P is for Perfect: Putting it all together (Giving yourself permission)
Have you defined and written down exactly what you want? Have you talked about it with others?
If you follow your heart, you will become a magnet for your dreams.
Look for those defining moments in your life â the times when you find yourself saying âenough is enough!â
Maybe it will be something big like a divorce, illness, layoff, or a financial crisis. Maybe it will simply be a realization that these faceless bosses, meetings, and paperwork are getting in the way of an authentic life. Most jobs would not be done if people were not paid to do them.
Only you can find and do the work that matters most to YOU.
I think this might be JUST the right time for you to get started!
Iâll be cheering you on as you go- Craig Nathanson