Waking up on my 65th Birthday was very special. As I have addressed, my gift to myself was joining a greatest loser competition at our Wellness Center…and our team is currently in the lead. As of this morning, my team contribution is a loss of 18 pounds in four weeks. Physically, I feel a little stronger every week and slowly rebuilding my stamina. In spite of sore muscles where I did not remember even having muscles, I feel better than I have in years.
I am clearly the elder of my team of losers/winners, and see an incredible potential in the fitness industry for those operations wise enough to address the aging of the marketplace. The staff at the Wellness Center which is coaching us is fantastic and supportive. However, my observation is that they lack an understanding of what motivates older consumers. While there are numerous exceptions, most of us do not want to become marathon runners, extreme sports enthusiasts or hard bodies. In fact, I view my membership and class tuitions as a very affordable form of insurance policy.
My second gift to myself was returning to the world of being a self-employed entrepreneur. I have proven without question that security is something you create for yourself. We left SD over 10 years ago to seek the security of a paid executive position with benefits etc. I discovered the definition of security was being downsized twice and having a third position eliminated after a corporate buy out. Last June, we decided to return to our roots in SD and have had absolutely no regrets. Just before leaving Florida, I joined the “virtual team” of a startup brain fitness company called NeoCORTA, which has been an educational and rewarding experience…the entrepreneurial fire was rekindled. I have also recently landed a couple of consulting jobs that have been incredibly rewarding.
At 65, I honestly feel no different than I did at 30, 40 or 50. Hopefully a little wiser; but I certainly do not feel “old;” whatever that is supposed to feel like. I am excited about the next chapter and looking forward to what is not so much an encore career as it returning to my professional roots.
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