Portfolio in the NewsFive Steps for Finding Your Post-Career Passionby Ken Dychtwald, Ph.D. "Keep planting trees," says Tom Pontac, 70, a Californian who has run over 150 marathons since turning 40, and just a few years ago completed his degree at California State University at Long Beach. His point? You're never too old to start something new and watch it grow. Pontac is an inspiration on two fronts. He's past his physical prime, yet he's proving that natural, age-related decline in strength and conditioning doesn't have to be a steep drop-off. If you take care of yourself, it can be a long, mild slope that leaves you fit and able to do just about anything you want far longer than you might have figured. Similarly, like Pontac, more people over 40 are going back to college or fashioning some other formal learning experience. This boom in silver-haired students is a boon for universities, their younger students, and the returning adults, as educators have found that the insights and experiences older students bring to the classroom invigorate discussions. Nevertheless, you may not be clear on precisely how to make the most of your later years. You may not have identified your passion, or determined what type of late-life learning is right for you. The following steps should get you started. Step 1: Establish Your Goals Think back to when you selected a major in college. The decision may have been misguided, and you may have switched majors several times before picking one that seemed right. You know far more about yourself now. While choosing a path is rarely easy, the pressure is off because you can do what you want instead of what other people want you to do, and you're not making a decision that affects your financial security for the rest of your life. Think about things that have excited you throughout your life. Have you enjoyed tinkering with mechanical devices, writing poetry, coaching your kids' basketball team, taking dance lessons, or reading books? Also, think about activities or fields of interest that you never pursued but might find interesting now. Nutrition and health? Writing short stories? Directing a documentary film? Yoga, tai chi, Pilates? It's critical that you set yourself free to explore what you would now like to learn more about. Then consider what new information or skills would help you pursue this calling. If travel is your ambition, you might begin by taking a course in foreign culture or religion, or learn a foreign language before setting sail. If you're thinking of starting a small business, maybe you need better management or sales skills. Would a refresher course in accounting help? What about a new or advanced degree, or a brokerage or real-estate license? Learning can also help expand your network of relationships. What kinds of people would you like to meet? There are classes or programs that will get you involved with them right away, whether it's with artists, writers, hikers, samba dancers, or political activists. Step 2: Make a List of Ideas How many times have you gone to the grocery store with a mental list of six or seven items, and returned home to find that you'd somehow forgotten one? That can't happen if you write your list. Writing down your ideas does more than give you a crib sheet -- the act of putting words on paper helps imprint them in your memory. Writing down your ideas also lets you more readily survey your thoughts and recognize shortcomings or redundancies. You get a bigger picture, and can more easily organize your thoughts. This method best allows you to think through all of your goals and match them to areas of learning that will help you reach those goals. Step 3: Develop a Master Plan Back in your schooldays, you were given a syllabus outlining what would be covered in each course, when and how you'd be tested, and the books and other resources that you'd need. But learning is now a matter of choice. You can make it whatever you want, and you should embrace the opportunity to craft a personal learning program that is just right for your needs, pace, and ambitions. You may be tempted to wing it. After all, you won't be getting graded, and in most cases your livelihood will not depend on success in your new endeavors. But again, it's a good idea to put something on paper. Mastering a new subject or skill can be challenging and frustrating. Having a strategy and game plan will keep you on track. Start with a mission statement, which should be short and direct and reflect what you want to learn and how you want to use your newly acquired knowledge. Here are some examples:
You won't be starting from scratch. The things you've learned over a lifetime will provide a blueprint as you go forward. Reflecting on your personal stockpile of knowledge and experiences gives you an understanding of what you most enjoy and value, and what types of learning experiences have been most rewarding in the past. Step 4: Take Small Steps Set a realistic timeline for reaching your ultimate goal, and get there by breaking down the mission into manageable tasks with interim goals and deadlines. Becoming a chef may seem daunting, but learning about ingredients, preparation techniques, and cooking tools, and mastering one recipe at a time, will make the process enjoyable. Think about how to combine class work, fieldwork, and independent study for the best overall experience. Measure your progress to stay on track. If your goal is to learn chess, schedule a monthly match with a challenging opponent. If your goal is to learn HTML so you can create web sites, try to build an increasingly more sophisticated site every few months. If you're not learning as fast as you'd like, find other resources. That might mean switching classes or hiring a private tutor. Step 5: Reward Yourself Along the Way Few things are more motivating than successes along the way. Tangible rewards can keep you focused and make it easier to work through the inevitable frustrations. So plan a trip to the Napa Valley or even France after making progress in your quest to become a wine expert. Or spring for tickets to a concert if you're studying music and have just mastered a difficult piece. With a disciplined approach, virtually anything is possible in your retirement years. People like Tom Pontac prove it every day. This article is adapted from The Power Years: A User's Guide to the Rest of Your Life by Ken Dychtwald, Ph.D., and Daniel J. Kadlec, 2006. |
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