85/15, 8 of 10, and 114 Years

What’s in a number? Meet Ron Benfield, Vancouver, WA. Numbers are a big deal for Ron. He has been swimming in them for over four decades as a finance executive with several prestigious hospitals and health systems. I met Ron last fall on the phone while doing business development work with an executive healthcare outplacement […]

Enough of this “Life Purpose” thing! Can’t We Get Over It?

Do me a favor. Google “life purpose.” Go ahead – I’ll wait. Did you come up with the same number I did: 5,680,000. Is it really THAT important? Some would say it’s in the “woo-woo”, “touchy-feely” category crafted to sell books, workshops, and coaching services. Others would say it’s essential to a life well-lived. I’ll […]

What Do Retirement and the Internal Combustion Engine Have In Common? Read On!

I’ve read Fortune magazine cover-to-cover for over 30 years. It’s bathroom reading and I usually get through each issue about the time the next one arrives. Sorry – that’s more than you wanted to know. Here’s the point. I appreciate the thoroughness of their reporting and the professional writing style. I need it to have […]

We Aren’t Made for the Life We Are Living.  Here’s why.

Do you remember your biology class in high school? Considering that I’ll be celebrating my 60th high school reunion this year – assuming one of those remaining from my class of 12 has the inclination to organize it – you’ll forgive me if I don’t recall much from the class. I remember Mr. Parsons, the […]

Beware the Accidental Leap into Your Third Age

“Restless, nearly retired, discarded, and bewildered.” I found that phrase in Barbara Hagerty’s book, “Life Reimagined: The Science, Art, and Opportunity of Midlife.”  It describes many in the baby-boomer generation and the tone of numerous conversations I’ve had with prospective career or retirement coaching clients. If you are at that mid-life point, you’ll be an […]

Your Attitude May Not Get You Past 78.9

A couple of blogs ago, I mentioned that I started taking the advice of a large squadron of very successful writers, who have persuaded me that learning the craft of writing is “unglamorous blue-collar work” and that I should “just write.” Duh! So I’m holding fast to writing at least 500 words a day on […]