If you are asking “Where do I go from here?” in your retirement journey, you are not alone. This post looks at some of those who have had to answer this question before you.
I usually read the AARP magazine each month and hold onto them for a while to get inspiration and information for projects. Reviewing an older issue, I found an article that I had saved by Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy entitled “Secrets of The Presidents Retirement Club.” I was fascinated by the subtitle –”an elite brotherhood of the world’s most powerful men tackle an age-old question: where do I go from here?”
After you have been President, where in the world would you go? We can all appreciate that holding that office would open unlimited doors of opportunity, as well as present quite a few challenges, especially in today’s political world. However, even though presidents have these enormous opportunities, it doesn’t mean the transition is any easier for them.
As I was reading the article, I thought about a story I watched on 60 Minutes. The segment was about Bill Gates, one of the richest men in the world. After building Microsoft into one of the largest corporations on the planet, he resigned his position as CEO and decided he would spend the rest of his life giving away the vast majority of his $67 billion of personal wealth. Together, he and his wife Melinda, established a foundation to tackle mankind’s most fundamental problems: childhood disease, clean drinking water, and world hunger. This foundation is alive and well today. Even though they are divorced now, their roles as co-chairs and trustees have remained the same.
After leaving the White House, Jimmy Carter took 6000 pages of notes he’d written while president and used them to create children’s stories, poems, and prayers. He did this while winning the Nobel Peace Prize for his humanitarian efforts.
Are They Really Any Different?
The truth is that people in high places have the same anxiety and worry about their next life stage. Being renowned, famous, or having great wealth can be a tough act to follow. However, it doesn’t change the emotional challenges faced when roles and careers change or come to an end. It doesn’t automatically answer the “where do I go from here?” question. The opportunity is to make room for something new.
Jimmy Carter and Bill Gates should be an inspiration to all of us, including those of us wondering “what in the world will I do after I retire?” As it turns out, the most powerful and wealthy people in the world are just like you and me. They have but one life to live and after tremendous success in their careers, they can still find a way to have an encore career.
One of the unique distinctions in the transition from the Oval Office to private life is the camaraderie and support each president gets from his predecessors, regardless of party affiliation. You can find your own camaraderie among your family and friends to keep the momentum going.
Work-life balance is a challenge for all of us at every stage of our development. Explore this concept by reading “Create work/life balance now and in retirement.”
After leaving work, it’s important not to stop but to just slow the pace down enough so you can take a deep breath and step back. At that point, you can explore your skills, talents, and experience to determine where you want to put your efforts to make your community and/or world a better place. Make sure, however, that you are having fun and learning new things as you develop your new retirement career.