Making Your Latter Years Better
A New Calendar View – Part 4
It is uncommon to think of one’s life in decades and even more uncommon to think specifically of a plan for decades-8 and beyond. I like thinking this way because it gets me out of my comfort zone. Anytime we are able to get beyond our comfort zone one thing is for sure, we grow and it’s in growing that lends us to going to the next level. With that said, let’s think about the plans we can make for “the returning decades.”
It has become increasingly popular (common) for individuals to dread getting older especially when it comes to getting beyond one’s 70’s. Most of us (only) truly plan for a life that caps at around 65. What I mean by this is, normally, our plans only go as far as reaching 65, retirement. What we’ve discovered is that most don’t have a well thought-out plan for 65 and beyond. What an average way to live. If 65 is that great cap, then how long do you reasonably plan to live beyond this cap? I know some amazing people who serve alongside us who are well beyond 65 and setting a great example of living a life that others can envy. Let’s remove the caps. Jim Rohn asks this question, “how tall does a tree grow?” And his response is, “as tall as it can.” In the same way, how tall will you grow? I hope you want to grow (live) as tall as you can. In order to live a “tall” life you must become a person who returns all he or she can. The point here is simple: plan to make the most of any time you’re given and stop allowing society to place a cap on how you live at what age you live.
Decade 8 (70-79) Plan on remaining active.
The majority settle for doing things how the average or what they call normal does it. Did you know most people believe once you retire and stop being active, you die. I know that sounds terrible, but this is the normal census. If this is the case, and it is, why then would one stop being active? In other words if being active extends or gives a person a drive to continue to live, why then does so many have no plan that ensures he or she continues to be active? Normal thinking has led us down the same path and until we start to turn away from normal, we can continue to expect the same results even to our detriment. That’s what this section of the decade-calendar is all about.
Allow me to illustrate what we’re saying using the history of coach Paul W. “Bear” Bryant. In decade-7 (60-69), coach Bryant was able to win two national championships leaving his physician amazed due to Bryant’s poor health. In his final year of decade-7 (69), he decided to retire. He was asked the question, what will you do now that you’re retired. Here’s his reply, “Probably croak in a week.” [1] Coach Bryant had no plan or in his words, he planned to croak in a week and four weeks later that’s exactly what he did. My point is this. Having a plan is crucial and any time we don’t have one it ends in death. Maybe not a physical death as in coach Bryant’s case, but the death of a dream, a goal, a relationship, a book, or a promotion, etc. Don’t let your lack of a plan be the death of you.
Think of the number of players he’d coached; even if he no longer coached on the field, what if he coached off the field? This is the question I pose to you. How will you coach or remain active once you’ve reached that point in life where others normally stop?
Decade 9 (80-89) & 10 (90-99) The Abraham, Isaac and Jacob Period of Life.
I call decade-9 and 10 the Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob period of life. Jacob was Isaac’s son and Abraham’s grandson. It’s the time you bless your grandchild. Allow me to interject this here, the reason for blessing your grandchild is because 1) you should have already blessed your children and 2) by the time you reach decade 9 & 10 your children who are in decades 5+ should already be blessed. Continuing… What plans do you have to bless your grandchildren and even their children? Here’s what I really mean. Are you living your life today in a way that will open the door for you to bless your grand and great-grandchildren? I can only think of very few men and a handful of women who have done this successfully. Most grandchildren and even more great-grandchildren have little to no interaction with their grand and great-grandparents. Is this your plan? You see if this isn’t something you’re working towards now (planning on), I can assure you it won’t just happen by chance. You see, if God allows me to see these days, I plan to be like Jacob. He made it his goal to bless Joseph’s children, his grandchildren. [2] I will be imparting encouragement and wisdom until there is no breath in my lungs because I have a plan. What’s yours?
Even though you might not be experiencing the best decade ever or have one that doesn’t go how you’d like to see it, what you are experiencing will definitely shape the next era of your life. When you get to decade-8 and beyond you’ll realize that life has been the best teacher so don’t miss out on what it has to teach you and has taught. This is the time of life where you share this learning and return it to those you influence. Each of us experience it differently and it all works for our good. [3] Why not take a look at your life by decades? It will certainly give you a new perspective of what you call your life, your business.
Question: what would you like your returning decades to look like?
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[1] Callahan, Tom (February 7, 1983). “Tears Fall on Alabama”. Time (subscription required). Archived from the original on December 5, 2008. Retrieved July 23, 2012.
[2] Genesis 48:20-21 NLT, Bible.com, accessed April 27, 2022, https://www.bible.com/bible/116/GEN.48.20-21.NLT
[3] Romans 8:28 NLT, Bible.com, accessed April 27, 2022, https://www.bible.com/bible/116/ROM.8.28.NLT
All Scripture references used by permission, see our Scripture copyrights.
