I just read an inspiring article about top executives who are moving into an encore career or what the NY Times article calls “life’s 3rd chapter” These are wonderful role models for us boomers because they took all their skills, experience, and drive from their prior success and applied it to their next “industry.” In the case of Sherry Lansing, former head of Paramount Pictures, to her foundation funding cancer research where she must familiarize herself with the latest innovations in the field. That’s a heck of a learning curve! “I felt young. I felt curious. Everything was new because I didn’t know,” she said in the NYT article. “If you keep curious, you keep young.”
In other cases, they took on new roles in academia or in trade groups related to their prior profession where they can mentor and train the next generation. “I think the most important thing is to be brave, not to be afraid of failing,” said Stephen J. Friedman, 77 and former law firm senior partner, who has been president of Pace University since 2007 after being Dean of Pace University Law School for three years.
As these folks did. find the passion that will be the catalyst for your career change. Don’t let that new interest area scare you. Then buckle up and ride the roller coaster of that learning curve ahead!
Excerpted from May 1, 2015 NYT “Your Money” article entitled “Even at the Top, Making Plans for Life’s ‘Third Chapter’.”
