Embarking on Your Encore Career: Expand Your Thinking about How You Might Make a Difference
From Lin Schreiber, 8/10/2009 2:45:33 PM
Often we set out to make a difference in the lives of others only to discover we have made a difference in our own. ~Ellie Braun-Haley
I was reminded this week how often my clients end up teaching me powerful lessons. Rose and I have been working together for four months, and in our session yesterday she had a major breakthrough around what contribution and making a difference might look like for her.
Rose’s entire 34-year career has been spent in various helping professions. For the past 12 years she’s been the Executive Director of a non-profit that provides independent living situations for mentally and emotionally challenged adults. She loves her work and the people she helps, and at the same time, she comes home drained and exhausted at the end of each day.
Rose plans to retire in four years, and will not have to earn an income to meet her financial requirements. She does want to continue to be productive and is on the path to discover a meaningful, fulfilling way to continue to contribute in this next stage of life.
In our very first session, Rose announced that she would like to join the Peace Corps and put her talents to work in a third world country when she retires. Over the last four months, Rose has identified her values, and many of her needs, wants and desires. Yesterday, her long buried dream of becoming an artist was uncovered. As a child and into her teens she loved to paint, but put that aside to go to college and get a “real” job.
What was her breakthrough? Rose sees that she’s served in a certain way during her career, and is burnt out and yearning for a big change. The realization that she could express herself artistically, and make a different kind of difference by creating works of beauty stunned her. And, she doesn’t have to wait until she retires to start to pursue her art.
How many different ways can you think of to make a difference? How are you making (or do you plan to make) a difference in your “encore career?” Share your story with me.
