A 50th birthday is a milestone year, a time when it seems almost inevitable to remember the past and think about the future.
When investment manager Brian Gustafson turned 50, he wrote a short book just for his four children to read. “Smile: 50 Years” is a fascinating combination of memoir, family values, and personal legacy. (“Smile” is an abbreviation for family service, mindset, sincerity, laughter, and effort.)
I was intrigued by the section focused on creating a career roadmap in later life. A “10 out of 10” list details the jobs you’d like to have within the next 10 years (actually there are 11 listed, but who’s counting?). However, it has nothing to do with your current position.
“These are, for me personally, careers I would like to pursue for short periods of time, about a year each, in order to experience a variety of lifestyles that are deeply nostalgic, romantic, and inherently rewarding,” he wrote.
Occupations: Minneapolis parks worker, letter carrier, grocery cart, Peace Corps recruiter, roadie for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, farmer, Linden Hills co-op worker, golf course caddy, consultant, musician, Minnesota Department of Transportation maintenance crew.
It’s an unexpected list, with some jobs realistic and others more like fantasy. He learned a lot by thinking about what he would do next (which may change with age).
“If I don’t get 10 out of 10, am I considered a failure?” he wrote. “Not at all. On the contrary, I will benefit from the vision that led me down a compelling path, even if not to the end of the road.”
Thought exercises like 10/10 are valuable at any time, but especially during major life transitions. We live longer and healthier lives on average. The gift of longevity provides an unprecedented opportunity to imagine what’s next and ask, “How can I make the world a better place for myself, my family, and my community?” I will.
