One of the most accepted measures of success in the 21st century is the accumulation of wealth. With financial resources comes personal and political influence, freedom and pleasure. Although we are aware of it, we seem to ignore the saying that financial success does not necessarily bring happiness. Through a series of studies, Canadian researcher Elizabeth Dunn discovered that how you spend your money is more important than how much money you have in determining happiness. One of the greatest pursuits in life is the pursuit of happiness and purpose.
Many studies show that, as we mature, we tend to shift our fixation for material gain to meaning in life and nurturing personal relationships. This also seems to be a feature of Baby boomers (those born from 1946 to 1964). Baby boomers who grew up in the 1960s and 1970s were heavily influenced by the culture of their day. The leaders of this troubled time in our country had a great dislike for commercialism and were more concerned with the meaning of their life. Work for the Boomers had more to do with meaning than accumulation of wealth. In the 1960s, one of the most frequently mentioned goals of college education was to develop a “meaningful philosophy of life.”
So what does this mean to us as Baby boomers? Work continues to be a significant activity for this group. Therefore, it is not surprising that most surveys indicate that they will continue to work until retirement. An additional reason is that many in this group are not ready for retirement.
Although I belong to this age group, I grew up in a much more conservative part of the country, so I was not as influenced by the ideals of this time period. I think I have started to look at life and work in a more introspective way. Work should be something that you enjoy and you should make a good profit out of it to enjoy life. I am just one generation away from those who went through the depression of the 1930s. For those who lived in that time period, survival was an important goal. There was no time to enjoy. Success was defined as “not going out of business.”
Now that we, as Baby Boomers, have a broader perspective on life, we have the luxury of time to re-evaluate our definition of success. Obviously, it should have a financial component, as there is nothing wrong with financial success.
Some define success as “it is who you are that counts.” I understand that this means that you are kind and that you use your resources to help others.
Or maybe you can relate to Reiner Lomb. He was urged to do something radical with his life after seeing a news story on television about the torture being perpetrated against children and their parents in Africa. He left his professional career to help people become the best they can be and to help them find opportunities that mattered deeply to them. He was amazed at how many people wanted to align themselves with something they were passionate about. This is supported by a study conducted by Encore.org, which showed that more than 25 million Americans ages 50 to 70 are willing to share their professional skills. Reiner Lomb is an excellent example of applying leadership and technical skills to a social cause.
In reassessing our life’s work, we don’t automatically assume that what we’ve been doing is worthless. Reiner Lomb gained technical and leadership skills from his profession that gave him the ability to make the change he wanted. Bill Gates’ success at Microsoft gave him the enormous wealth that he is using wisely.
When looking for a new activity at this stage of our lives, we need to combine the goals of generating adequate income and find ways in which we can make a difference in people’s lives on a daily basis. This can be just helping an elderly neighbor or working part-time at a non-profit organization. Often times, how we use our wealth can be an important focus. Organizations like Samaritans Purse already have the logistics in place and are limited only by financial resources. Doctors Without Borders has a large list of personnel needed in the medical field.
Where does this leave us as Baby Boomers? According to Yankelovich’s studies, work remains a central part of our lives. Working for the Baby Boomer has always had more to do with meaning than accumulating wealth. Baby Boomers intend to continue working in retirement. Work is supposed to provide meaning that matters. I can identify with that.
Whatever we decide to do, it must have a purpose greater than ourselves. This will give us a perspective on who we are and how we should relate to others.
This is a tremendous time to be alive. New technologies have created so many new opportunities. This is more fun than trying to choose a major in college. Now we have to dream.