Recreating our “S” curve
I was thinking about something this morning. We spend so much of our lives preparing for the future that we rarely stop to ask ourselves what we might do when the responsibilities finally begin to loosen their grip. And then, one day, we turn a beautiful 60. The children may be independent. The mortgage may be behind us, or at least closer to its end. The career that once demanded almost everything we had may no longer need us in the same way. For the first time in decades, there may be room to ask a rather interesting question. What would I do if I didn't have to build my life around what I needed to earn? Maybe the business you never started. The blog you would love to host or perhaps become a mentor. Remember that idea you had years ago? Perhaps it was a small business. A consultancy. A product you thought people would love. Something you discussed with a friend over coffee but never pursued because the timing was never right. There was always a reason. The children needed school fees. The house needed a deposit. Your job was too demanding. The financial risks were too great. Those reasons were real. They mattered. What if success at 60 looked different from success at 30? Imagine someone who has spent 35 years in the same profession. They write about what they know. They share stories from their working life. They explain the mistakes they made and the things they wish they had understood earlier. The internet doesn't ask how old you are before allowing you to publish an idea. A person in their 60s can become a writer, a creator, a teacher or even an influencer. The subject might be gardening, business, travel, cooking, personal finance or simply the experience of living a long, interesting life. You have spent decades collecting experiences. What might happen if you started sharing them? At 60, you have something you did not have at 30. History. Suppose you want to start a small consultancy. The younger people learn from your experience. You learn from their familiarity with new tools and ways of working. And suddenly, age becomes less of a dividing line and more of an opportunity for collaboration. Imagine what experience and youthful energy could accomplish together. One could continue to have a reason to get up in the morning that belongs entirely to you. A customer is waiting for your proposal. A new article needs finishing. Someone on your small team has an idea you want to discuss. A project that looked impossible last week has suddenly moved forward. These aren't necessarily grand achievements. They are small reasons to stay useful and thrilled. And now everything can happen around your timelines, leaving us the free time to do whatever it is we want to do. And, if you are fortunate enough not to have the worry of paying bills, that could be the most liberating difference of all. Now, instead of choosing a business solely because it promises the highest return, you might choose one because the work interests you. Instead of accepting every client, you might work with people you enjoy. Instead of chasing growth at any cost, you might build something small, useful and satisfying. Of course, not everyone reaches 60 with financial security. Many people still need to earn, and starting something new can carry real risks. So, perhaps you can mentor younger people, with no requirement to commit to any financial costs. You can build something because you want to, rather than because you have no other choice. Sixty doesn't guarantee good health, financial freedom or unlimited time. And starting over doesn't have to mean starting a company or taking any kind of financial risks. It could simply mean teaching a skill, writing a book, mentoring a young professional or finally exploring an interest that has waited patiently for years. The point isn't to become busier. It's to keep getting thrilled. So I ask you, what was that one idea you put on hold years ago? And what is stopping you from revisiting it today? Until tomorrow, Bob
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