ON THE JOB AFTER 65 (OR 90) Find Happiness, Joy, and Purpose Doing What You Love BY JACK BERNARD
Retirement is a tricky subject. For most of us, it’s different than it was for our parents. They were conditioned to see retirement as a goal and “65” that magic age. It was going to be their reward for years of hard work and sacrifice, their golden years of rest and relaxation. My parents were part of that generation. But it was a different time. Goals and lifestyles were modest, and life expectancy was 62 (1950) as opposed to 78 (2015). Social Security, combined with savings, went much further than it does today. It was a rare mindset that viewed those years as an opportunity to use the experience and wisdom of years past to expand on personal achievement—but that’s no longer the case. Today, it isn’t unusual to continue working into our 70s and 80s, well beyond that magical 65. Frank Lloyd Wright did some of his best work in his 90s. Warren Buffett, at 90, is still at the helm of Berkshire Hathaway, and Norman Lear is producing entertaining TV at 98. But it isn’t just the rich and famous that find satisfaction by continuing to work. My neurologist/geneticist friend Tom Bird, 78, continues to do research and mentor young scientists at the University of Washington, and several law school classmates in their 80s have thriving practices, as do a number of writer friends who are creating new and exciting work. My friend Bob Gandt writes fiction and nonfiction. In 2015, he co-authored the book, Mastery: A Mission Plan for Reclaiming a Life of Purpose, Fitness, and Achievement. The book begins by stating the obvious: “For a huge number of seniors, the sweet dream of retirement has become an empty promise. Millions have resigned themselves to a slow, insidious erosion of their power and self-esteem.” Gandt’s recommendation is to stay engaged, to reengage, or find a new “mission.” Engagement or reengagement can take many forms. One of the simplest is to forego
Jack Bernard has enjoyed several careers. Now a freelance writer in his 80s, "retirement" is not part of his lexicon.
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3rd Act magazine | summer 2021
www.3rdActMag.com
