Somewhere in my twenties, I started planning for retirement. The first job I earned on my own merit offered an Employee Stock Ownership Plan, and I signed up without hesitation. At every job after that, I maxed out my contributions to get the full match, and then some. That’s what we were taught to do. Plan ahead. Be responsible. Play the long game.

And I imagine you did the same. We planned, saved, worked hard, and trusted the systems around us to hold. What we didn’t plan for was a global pandemic. Or the rising cost of everything. Or the economic volatility that keeps shifting beneath our feet. We also didn’t plan for a complete redefinition of what “work” looks like – driven by the rapid adoption of AI.

Beyond the financial considerations, there’s another powerful reason why many of us aren’t ready to step aside. The truth is, some of us just really like what we do. We’re still here because we want to be. Because our work means something. Because we still have something left to give.

Most of us came up through a public education system that emphasized career exploration. We made deliberate choices about the kind of work we’d do and the kinds of people we’d do it with. Our careers weren’t an accident. We chose them. We built them.

And now, even after long tenures and meaningful contributions, there’s this cultural undertone that says it’s time to step aside. There’s frustration, whether spoken or not, that older workers aren’t bowing out on cue. 

The message is subtle, but it’s there. You’ve had your turn. Make space. Ease out. And somehow, 55 became the marker, an imaginary line where we’re supposed to begin winding down, stepping back, and rehearsing for the next phase – the end. 

But what if that story never fit you to begin with? What if, instead of slowing down, you’re just hitting your stride, stepping into a season with more purpose, more agency, and more to offer than ever before?

We’re also dealing with practical realities. The dollar doesn’t stretch the way it used to. That’s real. But so is this. You still have value. You still have insight. You still have something to give.

So lately I’ve been thinking about the people who step out of long careers and into a kind of limbo. They’re accomplished, seasoned, and sharp. But they’ve not been given a playbook for what comes next. And it can feel disorienting. Like you’ve been benched when you know you could still be on the field.

Some folks choose part-time work, volunteer roles, or quiet routines. If that’s what you want, I support that fully. No judgment here. But if it’s not what you want – if you feel like you’ve still got more to say, more to build, more to lead – then I want to offer this for you to noodle on. 

There’s another path.You can become a founder. Take what you know and use it to help others through consulting, coaching, or building something the world hasn’t seen yet. Entrepreneurship might not have been part of your original plan, but plans shift when the road does. And maybe now, instead of pulling over and parking, you’re realizing there’s still more highway to explore. What if the work that matters most to you hasn’t happened yet?

You don’t need anyone’s permission to start something new. You’ve carried the weight, done the work, and earned the wisdom. That doesn’t expire at 55. But in case you’ve been waiting for it – here it is.

You’re not too old. You’re not too late.  And you’re not done. 

Not by a long shot.

#FlyAboveSoarBeyond