The best lens to use in approaching any decision in your life is to choose based upon whether we want to discover who we’ll become. Midlife isn’t about managing your “inevitable decline” into old age – it’s about stepping into your power. You have decades of lived experience that can be synthesized into actionable wisdom that can help you to live your best life and remain strong, vital, and fulfilled for many years to come.
Development psychologist Erik Erikson coined the term “generativity” and said this is lacking for many people in midlife as they feel more of a sense of stagnation. He said, ”What’s lacking is generativity, a generativity that will promote positive values in the lives of the next generation. Unfortunately, we set the example of greed, wanting a bigger and better everything, with no thought of what will make it a better world for our great-grandchildren. That’s why we go on depleting the earth: we’re not thinking of the next generations.”
How could you see your midlife as the gateway to giving back while, at the same time, living up to your greatest potential? Investing in your growth doesn’t have to be a selfish undertaking. I had the opportunity to meet former Irish President Mary Robinson in Barcelona recently. Richard Branson asked Mary, in her early 60s, to join Nelson Mandela and other luminaries in The Elders and she talks about it in this short video I shot. In my private conversation, she said that midlife is when she opened up to the joy and responsibility of realizing that her ability “to grow into her own” could have a profound impact on others. And, she loved the mission of MEA in helping nearly 7,000 graduates from 60 countries do this.
-Chip
P.S. If you’re looking for inspiration and encouragement, be sure to join us for our upcoming Midlife Mastery Summit starting this Friday, March 14-16. You’ll get to hear from 20+ world-renowned thought leaders – including Arthur Brooks, Martha Beck, Krista Tippett, Michael Franti, Pico Iyer, Russ Hudson and more – who are reframing the way we think about aging and thriving in midlife and beyond. This is your opportunity to get a taste of MEA magic for less than the price of a dinner out. Early bird rates end today so get your ticket soon. Learn more and register here.
