Do We Need to Plan for Fulfillment After 60?

As a woman entrepreneur or executive, you have probably been immersed in reaching your goals and objectives for most of your life. You’ve explored new ideas, taken risks, made investments - all part of the journey that includes a fair amount of wandering towards success. But have you ever stopped to consider what's next....what comes after 60?

Many women share that because they have not yet reached the age of 60, they are not the audience for Executive Encore: Women Finding Fulfillment After 60. This surprises me because these women, in particular, are very aware of the link between planning, taking action, and manifesting their success. What is it about age milestones that clouds their vision and judgement around the topic of planning for this new phase of life.

Interesting Facts:

• Less than 45% of people under the age of 60 believe that the phase of life after 60 will be the best part of their life.
• More than 50% of people currently over 60, state that this IS the best part of their life.
• With current life expectancy for women throughout the world, life after 60 could be the longest phase of your life. Why would you not plan for fulfillment?

Have you thought about how to continue pursuing fulfillment through this new phase of life? If not, don’t worry. If you are in the age bracket of 45+, this is a good time to explore what fulfillment after 60 would look like for you.

There are ways to build a comprehensive plan for continuing to find fulfillment and be awesome at any age. In this blog series, I will be writing about various topics related to mindset and myths around planning for fulfillment after 60.

If you Google "after 60", you will find topics and information about finding purpose, physical and mental health, finances, and relationships. All this sounds like a "full" life.

However, as you read through the threads, you will find these topics lumped under the title of "retirement" and your mindset and expectations start spiralling towards "withdrawal". For this reason, I avoid the term "retirement" and reference "retirement planning" only when I find it necessary to reinforce that what and how we think about retirement planning is dead wrong!

Myths, Misconceptions, and Assumptions

The typical retirement planning tips you will find online perpetuate myths and misconceptions about fulfillment after 60. Online information is fraught with assumptions - including the double-whammy of gender and ageism. Here is a list of tips that I found on an AI search. I cringed as I added my initial reactions in the sub-bullets. Consider how my reality aligns with your belief:

1. Retirement planning is important at any age, but it's especially crucial once you hit 60 
   • Assumption: The majority of us plan to "withdraw" from active working life and therefore there is a crucial deadline for planning
   • Reality: Planning for fulfillment is active, ongoing, and important in every phase of life, not just "once you hit 60".
2. Make sure you have enough saved to cover your costs for as long as you plan to live 
   • Assumption: We each have the ability to plan how long we will live and that we just need "enough" to get by. This sounds like scarcity mindset, not very fulfilling, and is also very judgemental.
   • Reality: None one of us has a crystal ball or the ability to predict how long we will live or how our needs will change. Therefore, we cannot make sure that we can cover every eventuality. It's an unusually cruel expectation.
3. Consider what you'll do with all your newfound free time - travel, volunteer, take classes, etc. 
   • Assumption: We we will have newfound free time. YIPEE!
   • Reality: At best, we can assess how we can make the most of the time AND energy that we have in the present moment. We can plan for fulfillment, but there's more involved than simply more time.
4. Stay social and connected with friends and family members; isolation can be a major issue for retirees 
   • Assumption: This feeds into the myth that people over 60 are isolated and lonely, AND that being social is THE answer. This assumption drives some dangerous expectations for dating, abusive relationships, and the increase in romance scams.
   • Reality: Many people have grown to appreciate their alone time. It's a gift. They are not lonely and they are not isolated. We need to reframe relationships in terms of developing strong bonds, not simply staying social. 
5. Get regular check-ups with your doctor and make sure you're taking care of your health both physically and mentally
   • Assumption: Self-care is about physical and mental health.
   • Reality: We need resources to assist with caring for our emotional health.

Future blogs will cover topics and provide resources for clarifying your vision of what fulfillment looks like for you. I will present resources for recognizing the different stages of transition around the age of 60. I will present different options. We are all different. We have different needs, expectations, and approaches to transition around this age. The blog will encourage you to consider what's important to you and what you need to do to be your best self; be awesome at any age; and discover what fulfillment is for you.

Self-actualization

One thing that we all know is that if we are not actively engaged in the planning of our life, we are leaving it to chance. Planning for fulfillment after 60 is key to self-actualization.

Take care of yourself, do what's best for you, and don't jeopardize what you have created for yourself.  ~ Patricia A. Muir

References and Resources

• World Life Expectancy - Canada (Other countries can be found on this site)

 Your Next Steps

• Explore strategies for finding fulfillment after 60. Schedule a 30-minute complimentary call to explore possibilities. On this call, Patricia and you will get acquainted and discuss what outcome is important to you. Patricia will explain the application process for working with her. By the end of the call, you will have a "quick-win" action plan.
• Listen to the Executive Encore podcast. Women Finding Fulfillment After 60! 
• Receive Maestro's Encore blog in your inbox with VIP content and specific exercises, self-assessments, and self-assignments related to this topic and to accelerate your emotional well-being and resilience. Start with your 90-Day EQ Mini-Plan or the mini workbook Emotions Drive Performance: Triggers from Thinking to Results - Predispositions, Self-Handicapping, Self-Sabotage