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PERSPECTIVES
There is a fundamental change afoot again. Apparently, 18% of the boomers do not want to retire. There are philosophical aspects to this, and there are practical aspects. Let me paint a picture for you of the wonder of this change. Evolution is a good word, for it implies the shaping of a new human being. I think that the movement is a signal that the human race is stepping into new awareness. It is the manifestation of an ancient promise that we are "what we think" and is not a small thing.
If we think that we are eternal beings, then we can provoke our minds to manage our life-events such that we do not follow the herd through the concept of a pre-ordained appointment with the pine box. We can step outside of the conditioning that would have us believe in the statistics that predicts when our usefulness tails off and disease reduces our productivity. We can stop believing in those statistics because it is that belief that creates the data in the first place.
A different belief will create different results. Believe that the average person lives to 123 years on a diet of corn, bread, water and fricasseed squirrel while running 40 km per day at 8000 feet and so it shall be. Your mind will make it so. Planetary damage may prevent the 400-year life from being achievable, but we can correct that on the longer haul. So, again, the mind will make it so. This is not new thinking; it's just that not enough of us think it to make it mass consciousness and so create the reality. The expression of reluctance to retire uncloaks new thinking that is significant enough to ultimately shift mass consciousness and create a healthier human race. That was the philosophical aspect. Now let's look at the practical aspect.
By my estimates, this means that there will be 130 million more people on the face of the globe (over 65; 590,000 in Canada) that will be contributing to their respective GDPs than there would otherwise be. 130 million people will be selecting new means of revenue by, say, 2010. They will need coaching on how to effectively do so. They will be demanding coaching on how to stay fit on their new mission. They will be spending the discretionary revenues earned and they will be stimulating the economy while doing so ($ 13 billion in additional GDP in Canada by my calculations). A tiny slipstream from this new value of all these seniors on a global basis would flip the world's hungry into prosperity. I'm not saying that the scarcity issues of the world would be handled, for there is still a big distance to self-actualization for those people (sustainability has to be taught). However, the need that triggers violence through a sense of deprivation would be largely quieted. The movement of seniors to stay active longer can change the world.
At another level of practicality, the challenges that these "ageless" ones will overcome in their path will package lessons for all of us. Breakthroughs will be made in understanding the plasticity of the human brain and those learnings will translate into the defeat of many autoimmune diseases that are a threat to humans of all ages today. Age related performance myths will be exposed. Age related dysfunction will be progressively corrected through cognitive therapy and reprogramming regimens that will be startling effective. Drug treatment will be relegated to a backseat role in favor of the healing expression of the human mind; these skills will bleed into new practicality of treatment of commonplace disease among the under 65. This is more world changing stuff.
Interest in the methodology for uncapping the nature of the human being will intensify. This methodology will dissect limiting belief systems, disable what does not work and release the power of what does. And so, the learnings gleaned from the iterative progress of the seventy-somethings will benefit the twenty through sixty somethings. John Kenneth Galbraith still is a prolific researcher and writer today not because he is still healthy at 95. Rather, he is healthy at 95 because he perseveres as a prolific researcher and writer.
Moving onto the ground: daily routine and structure feels energizing physically and mentally. Then the demons of depression are not let out of their cage through mental defocusing. The mind stays healthy and produces a healthier body through the brain as its instrument.
New passion can be available through selecting of a new talent spike from the endowment profile and then living a new dream. This can take the form of a shift from project management to musical entertainment, by example. Drilling deeper into life experiences and electing to specialize through a developed strength will awaken the juices as well. Or, it may be sensible to geographically open up the territory of application of your diverse strengths that have be constrained for 30 years-let the horses out of the barn, so to speak.
Seniors, I've found, often seriously underrate the value of their talents and life experiences. There can be a humility that disguises lack of confidence that slams the door on opportunity. Martyrs have no place in the field of marketing talent and valuable skill-sets; prospective clients need to build trust and even excitement over what you have to offer to terms of added value to their life (and understand that is exactly what is expected). Thirty-five (35) years or more of business and life experience has refined uniqueness beyond duplication (the odds of anyone even similar is one in 50 billion or more)-and can be focussed through the lens of service needs research. Response might not be accomplished through humble understatement of your competency unless dictated by cultural norms.
On the other hand, exaggeration of capability is a shortcoming that would be punished in the marketplace. Rigorous honesty is rewarded. Peer group feedback reveals the line to walk.
These are exciting times to be part of. Thank you J.K.G. for proving that the possible is not Pollyanna.
Percy Marshall is a Manager of Business Development at Gas Liquids Engineering Ltd. in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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