I turned 60 last week, something of a milestone birthday that one could say marks my arrival into senior citizenhood and that final, quiet chapter of life.
Naturally, that has led to a number of thoughts about growing old and what I’ve learned (and not learned) over the years. But mainly, it’s led me to think about Colonel Harland Sanders.
Yes, I’m talking about the guru of all things fried and fowl who created the restaurant chain Kentucky Fried Chicken (or KFC YUM, +0.10%, as it’s simply known today). You might imagine that the good Colonel had built his fast-food empire over decades to turn it into the powerhouse it became. But the story is quite different. Sanders held a number of jobs in his younger days, from being a railroad laborer to practicing law, but he didn’t start perfecting his chicken recipe until much later.
More significant: He didn’t establish the first KFC franchise until he was in his early 60s.
Which tells us something about the odd paths we can take in life. But for me, it’s a critical reminder that my best days may lie ahead.
I say this as someone who’s always looked a little bemusedly — and perhaps a little jealously — at the people who make the cut for those “30 under 30” or “40 under 40” achiever lists you’ll see in various media outlets. In fact, until last year, I used to joke that I was aiming to make it on some “60 under 60” list, knowing full well that’s not really a thing. The whole point of these tributes is to celebrate youthful triumph, after all.
But now that I’m actually 60, I find myself looking at things differently and asking why there isn’t more of a buzz about the senior set.
The answer, of course, is obvious: We’re a youth-obsessed culture. Just ask any Hollywood actress who has faced difficulty finding a good role once they hit 40, notwithstanding the recent Oscar-worthy success of Michelle Yeoh and Jamie Lee Curtis. Or for that matter, just ask any older worker in almost any profession who has been laid off and then has struggled to find another decent-paying job.
But the reality is older folks are starting to play an ever-more critical role in the employment picture, if not society as a whole. A Pew Research Center study from just last month reported that 19% of those 65 and older are working — nearly double the figure from 35 years ago.
“A Pew Research Center study reported last month that 19% of those 65 and older are working — nearly double the figure from 35 years ago.”
No doubt, many older workers are staying in the game because they can’t afford not to do so. Just consider the fact that we live in an era when traditional company-provided pensions are fairly rare, there are concerns about the future of Social Security and the median retirement-account balance for someone in the 55-64 age bracket is a mere $ 71,168.
At the same time, I suspect many older workers are in it because they feel they still have something to offer or achieve, and they get pleasure from being productive in their later years. Maybe they’re not aiming to be on some “60 over 60” list (and hey, I even stumbled upon such a slate!), but they’re finding fulfillment nonetheless. Indeed, another Pew study noted they’re a much happier bunch than younger workers, with two-thirds of those in the 65-and-older category saying they are extremely or very satisfied with their jobs; by comparison, just 44% of those ages 18 to 29 say the same.
Having just turned 60, I can’t speak with full authority yet about being an older person finding their way in the world. But I have a couple of thoughts about how I benefit from being at this stage of life.
The first is I have a better sense of clarity about how the world works — or doesn’t. It’s not so much that I’m less inclined to suffer fools, but rather I can often spot those fools a mile away, and am often able to steer clear of trouble as a result. And I have a confidence in my ability to execute my craft, as well as a better handle on what I don’t know and still need to learn. Perhaps the best way to put it is I’ve gained perspective.
And the second? I’m freed somewhat from the burden of feeling the need to climb the ladder — the corporate ladder, the social ladder, any kind of ladder. I’ve got a degree of financial security I didn’t have in my younger days (i.e. my children have already gone to college and the tuitions have been paid). And I’m simply not as jealous as I once was of high-achieving colleagues and peers or as protective of my turf. In essence, I’m at where I’m at — let the proverbial chips fall where they may. Again, it’s about perspective.
“I’m freed somewhat from the burden of feeling the need to climb the ladder — the corporate ladder, the social ladder, any kind of ladder. ”
That may sound like the perfect formula for someone who doesn’t feel the need to succeed. But my point is that being free from that desire might actually set one up better for success.
I reached out to a variety of successful people in the 60-and-older camp, working in a wide variety of fields, and found my thoughts generally aligned with theirs. A telling example: Leonard Slatkin, one of the greatest American-born symphonic conductors of his generation, told me that at age 79, he’s got the experience and technical expertise that allow him to feel comfortable with himself so he can truly “begin to realize all the possibilities the music presents to you.”
At the same time, Slatkin said he no longer feels he’s caught up in the musical rat race. “When you’re younger, you’re concerned about your career,” he said matter-of-factly.
Marty Nemko, a 73-year-old career coach and author of several books, put it more bluntly. “When we get older, we are likely to recognize what’s worth busting ass about and what’s worth letting go,” he told me.
Even if all this is true, there remains the sad fact that society tends to not give as much consideration to the senior set in spite of all their potential. If anything, I’m bothered that it’s the super oldest who has gotten the recognition. Think of the late actress Betty White hosting “Saturday Night Live” at age 88 or the late financial guru Charlie Munger still tossing off those pearls of wisdom in his 90s.
I’m not saying those people weren’t deserving of the attention. But it’s almost as if society decrees that it’s only interested in late-stage achievement when it comes very late. It’s more about celebrating the oddity than the everyday, as in the millions of us 60-and-older who are out there living our lives and maybe doing a few great things along the way.
So, what great things do I plan on doing in the years ahead? Time will tell. Frankly, I’m not even sure it’s about greatness — I’ve got no special fried-chicken recipe to offer the world — and landing on that “60 over 60” list. Success can be defined in many ways and fulfillment later in life can also take the form of simply finding time to pursue hobbies and passions that couldn’t be pursued in our busier, younger years.
But either way, it’s hardly time to rest.