The Decades and a Strategy for being 50

As I turn another decade I started to explore, what do they all mean? Here is a working model:

• 20’s - hot mess

• 30’s - focused on what you are, accountant, lawyer, sales person

• 40’s - focused on who you are, a leader, a parent, a spouse

• 50’s - focused on why you are, what is the essence of me

• 60’s - focused on who have I impacted

• 70’s - focused on what am I leaving

• 80’s - back to a hot mess?

What is interesting is the hourglass shape from all about me to all about things greater than me.

So what about this “why” thing anyway?

Being a bit reflective about my journey to this point I have been very fortunate to have had amazing career experiences and worked in a variety of interesting companies and verticals. I have spent time chasing titles, money, illusions of responsibility and despite some success I was not entirely satisfied.

Though I would not change much about my path, it has given me experience and wisdom, it would have been valuable to have been more patient at each stage.

I remember some advice I received early in my career as I was attempting to skip over a few rungs in the ladder, “the number one way to get promoted is to do your current job extremely well”. It should not be lost on anyone navigating the different decades that each stage takes time, hard work and that the work is cumulative. Each stage is building off the solid foundation of the previous.

How will I get grounded in “the why decade”?

A few key strategies I am experimenting with:

• Spend time being still, assessing what fuels me

• Lean on some incredible people, that I am so grateful to have in my life, that will ask me hard questions where there are no quick answers

• Get creative with a venn diagram or 2x2 matrix, you can solve any problem with those 2 models

• Get comfortable with failed experiments

• Be patient with the process

Do you have any other suggestions for the “why” decade?