Listen now | Sharing the first draft chapter with you. “No, I won’t be promoting you." JB sat in stunned silence on the video chat. They hoped their face wasn’t revealing their surprise and disappointment. “But, I thought I was on track for one this cycle? My previous manager was happy with my performance and said they were going to put me up for a promotion this year.” The manager frowned, “Yeah, well. They’re gone now, and I don’t have any paperwork to support that. But, let’s see how things go this year, ok?” The call ended. JB was shocked, slumped down in the chair, and stared at the laptop screen. All of that extra hard work this year for nothing. How could this happen?
Great episode. One thought on the (sad) story of your friend who passed away shortly after retiring. While also a sad tale, I think it ties in with your messages of maintaining agency in one's life and career.
In a prior life, I was a junior in a professional services firm that worked closely with lots of successful owner-operated companies. These were entrepreneurial people who enjoyed what they did, and whose identities were often inseparable from their businesses.
When clients would consider selling their businesses or retiring, one of the partners of the firm would always counsel his clients to do a test run of retirement or make plans to be deeply involved with something (a cause, new business, church/religion, a project, etc.) He would then relate the stories of former clients who would pass away within a year of retirement. These people had built impressive businesses and careers over long time frames, and would sell their businesses in their 60's or 70's. It seems retirement simply didn't hold the meaning for them that engagement with a larger purpose and source of fulfilment - which is what their businesses were to them - would provide.
Great episode. One thought on the (sad) story of your friend who passed away shortly after retiring. While also a sad tale, I think it ties in with your messages of maintaining agency in one's life and career.
In a prior life, I was a junior in a professional services firm that worked closely with lots of successful owner-operated companies. These were entrepreneurial people who enjoyed what they did, and whose identities were often inseparable from their businesses.
When clients would consider selling their businesses or retiring, one of the partners of the firm would always counsel his clients to do a test run of retirement or make plans to be deeply involved with something (a cause, new business, church/religion, a project, etc.) He would then relate the stories of former clients who would pass away within a year of retirement. These people had built impressive businesses and careers over long time frames, and would sell their businesses in their 60's or 70's. It seems retirement simply didn't hold the meaning for them that engagement with a larger purpose and source of fulfilment - which is what their businesses were to them - would provide.
Thank you, Dale!
I completely agree. I don't plan on ever fully retiring, since I love running my business.
I also recommend the same for others, since the data does show that people who retire (and don't have some sort of purpose) tend to die sooner.
We need purpose and meaning in our lives!