I was in my late sixties when I stopped work. The future loomed and my head was full of depressing, demoralizing thoughts. ‘Retirement’ was a grey dull threat. No purpose, no goal, the thought of doing nothing, achieving nothing in the years ahead was unwelcome and unwanted. Was that it? Life over, behind me? No! This was not going to be my future. I wanted to be bold be daring. ‘Worked long and hard and retired’ was not going to be my epitaph?
I felt strongly I’d never achieved my full potential. Perhaps I was too young? I wanted to use all my bad and good and in between years to become the best me. My age and experience was an asset, they were the power to move forward. Looking back at that time I now understand I had little freedom, restricted choice – I couldn’t get past who I was, had been. I was looking backward and trying to see the future.
I was trying to force ‘what next’ as I’d always done. Perhaps I realized this for the first time. I made an unusual decision for me, I would simply do what I loved doing. I would travel and explore the world. I’d write and find out if I had a ‘voice.’ I’d exercise and live a healthy life. I’d be open and accepting I was certain the future would be revealed. And it did, with a vengeance.
One morning in Bulawayo DiscoverAge very unexpectedly arrived and became my ambition. So simple, I would explore and learn about age and the body, my body. Discover how to live a healthy active successful life. I would be good at ‘ageing.’ I would share what I discovered.
DiscoverAge is ambition, the goal is healthy active successful ageing.
The strength and the certainty were awesome. A long ignored, hidden passion seemed to erupt from deep within my many years, yelling, waving, demanding attention, pulling and pushing. Life is ahead, life is not over. Be bold and be daring! When I discovered DiscoverAge I also discovered something I’d never heard of, something that’s very important that I call ‘age ambition.’ Depressing and demoralized tomorrows drifted away.
Ambition, it’s not what we normally associate with age? ‘Age Ambition,’ is a wonderful oxymoron, contrary, clashing realities. Age and ambition, it was a juxtaposition that immediately appealed and demanded action. Ambition gives life at every age purpose. It is desire, aspiration, zest. Life without ambition is aimless and meaningless, it is emptiness. Today age and ambition are strangers. This is sad and wasteful. Ambition is important at every age.
Retired, approaching the end of your working life? What’s you ambition? To have ambition as we age is radical, it’s original thinking and much needed.
Understandably for previous generations, who had much shorter life expectancy age ambition had little relevance. Times change and so does ambition, it is now sensible and life enhancing because of the amazingly long lives we now have. Changed times offer new possibility. It is a brand new, never before life opportunity. For the first time in the evolution of mankind – when we arrive at sixty we can realistically expect to live an additional 15, 20 or more years. That’s a long time to live without ambition?
Without ambition life has no rudder and little purpose. At every age we change, our circumstances, our needs, the body changes and so does ambition. Goals and purpose alter. Increased age is a momentous change and challenge. Too few appreciate it is probably the biggest most fundamental change you will ever experience!
DiscoverAge is ambition, the goal is healthy active successful ageing. Note successful. DiscoverAge success is healthy active ageing. In itself, it is an ambitious goal. The foundation of achieving almost your ambition at any age is predicated on the health of the wonderous body.