One’s life can be viewed as a composite of three phases similar to the three stages of a journey or the three acts in a play. These phases are not hierarchical, but overlapping and intersecting.

The first phase of life is that time from birth to our early thirties where we are adventurous, passionate and discovering who we are.  We take risks and experiment.

The second phase is between our thirties to sixties where we pull in.  We are creating or building something, such as a career, a family or a business.  In this phase we are focusing on earning a living, perhaps paying a mortgage, maybe raising a family and laying a foundation for the future.  A lot of energy and struggle often go into this phase.

The third phase from our sixties onward is where we are neither young nor old. It is a time to recapture our dreams and build upon all that we have learned and worked for.  It’s a time for reflection and introspection.   Here is an opportunity to combine all of our experiences and move beyond our former careers to find more meaning and to contribute in a more purposeful way.

The beauty of entering this third chapter is seeing that life holds more possibilities than ever before.  After long successful careers, we now have more flexibility in what we do, how we spend our time, and what we do with our money.  We are a force that can have significant impact in the world.