I attended a presentation last night put on by SHIFT featuring Fred Mandell entitled "What the great masters of art can teach us about navigating the 2nd half of life with vitality, creativity and meaning." Fred has just published a book called Becoming a Life Change Artist. My main "take-aways" from the presentation are:
1. Since 1934, when Social Security started, men's lifespan has increased from 61 to 75 years and women from 65 to 80. We are working longer and in many cases looking toward our longer 2nd half of life to be more fulfilling and meaningful.
2. We get to re-invent ourselves, and typically as we pass 50 we care less about the judgements of others and can focus on what is in us that is inside us that we need to express. He used lots of examples of great artists (Picasso, Monet, Rembrandt, DaVinci) who continued to develop their artistic skill and perspective right up until they died.
3. We are all creative - it is not just for those in the "arts." We may not have given our creative side much expression, but creation is a basic part of who we are. There are stages of the creative process and it often begins when we face a "creative dilemma" that stimulates us to find our own voice.
4. The creative dilemma is the tension that results from the gap between our current reality and what we desire our life to be. This certainly fits the situation many face who are laid off from their jobs. What to do next? Should I continue what I was doing for a different company, or do something different. Not an easy decision!
5. One of the skills that the great artists employ that helps them develop their creativity is viewing the world and one’s life from a new perspective. This is often what dislocated workers report happens to them when they realize that their career could now be a blank canvas. They don't have to keep doing what they were doing, if they don't want to. There is a sense of freedom in this for those that are risk takers.
As Yogi Berra said, "When you come to a fork in the road, take it!"
