Finding My Special Purpose

(Yes, the title of this blog entry is an obscure reference to The Jerk. Don't judge me, I'm old.)

Once I realized that keeping busy wasn't enough, I began to spend my days imagining the many possible options available to me. Can an area of intellectual interest become an ongoing role? Should I pursue a new skill? Should I look for a part-time job? I began interrogating other grey-haired humans while out running errands. What was their journey? How did they choose their current role? Almost all shared that they had decided to return to work after a brief period of retirement, bored to death after just a few months of retirement. The problem was, as much as I hated the boredom, I had started to enjoy the luxury of leisure time. I was getting the hang of sleeping later and ignoring my email. I had developed a habit of jumping in the pool fully clothed to cool off after yard work. I was spoiled.

I am a firm believer that there are no small jobs, and all roles provide value. That being said, it was hard for me to imagine taking on a part-time role as a cashier. I knew that I would soon resent being tethered to a job that required me to adhere to a schedule. I briefly considered becoming a professional genealogist but know that I would have to advertise my services and, frankly, I have no appetite for marketing. Also, realistically, it is unlikely that Cece Moore will ever call me up to assist with her backlog of crime fighting genealogy projects.

I would have likely remained in limbo for quite a while without an unexpected nudge from a dear friend. They reached out with a consulting idea and, although I had been sure that I had no interest in the option, I began to feel curious. I reached out to others who had transitioned to consulting roles and realized that some of my assumptions had been false. In fact, I gathered enough information to prompt a decision to move forward, but not quickly. First step was figuring how to set myself up as a business and refresh all the professional bits and bobs that go along with being a working person. Resume updates, intro deck creation and enhanced Linked In profiles.... done, done, and done.

I had learned quite a bit about myself in the months since the layoff. What lessons will my consulting era bring to me?