My personal area of interest is changing the concept of “retirement” to “rewirement”.  

 

Ken Dychtwald - a psychologist and gerontologist - wrote the book, “What Retirees Want: A Holistic View of Life’s Third Age”. His concept of Life’s Third Age is pivotal. 

As our life expectancies extend, turning 90 has become more common: turning 100 is the new anomaly. However, the retirement age in the corporate world is pegged at 65, which was formulated in 1935, when life expectancy was around 58. 

This disconnect is becoming problematic.

 

What do you do when you are forced to retire at an age that still holds the prospect of another decade (or more) of good physical health and cognitive aptitude. And what of the challenge of not having planned financially for an extended retirement?

 

It’s unsurprising that many executives fear retirement more than they fear death.

The generation now facing retirement is a generation that poured their life into their careers, sacrificing personal purpose for their jobs. 

Without that career their identity is lost.

 

In his TED talk Dr Riley Moynes speaks about the four stages of retirement:

1. Vacation - initial, free-time euphoria.

2. Loss - of direction, identity and purpose

3. Experimentation - finding new interests, rediscovering purpose.

4. Reward - giving back, mentorship, philanthropy.

 

Sadly, not many people make it through to stage 4 and stage 2 is the most dangerous phase often characterised by deep depression that can lead to suicidal thoughts.

 

Rewirement can change this

 

As I have personally switched career lanes four times, and successfully rebranded my media profile with each transition, I am able to dovetail hindsight with foresight.

Combining lessons learnt, with insights of emerging business trends, informs the process of rewirement and which path to embark on when entering Life’s Third Age.

 

Retirement, as we know it, is an outdated construct. Life’s Third Age is the new reality so the opportunity for rewirement is a privilege that previous generations never had.

 

Let me rewire your thinking and unlock the door to new possibilities.