Rewirement – what drives you?

Why do you do what you do?

From a previous newsletter, you were offered a new word to express how you can think about your life after working full time – not retirement but rewirement! You still have the same skills and interests you have always had, but now you refocus your energy into new environments.

Now that you have rewired energy, what will you do with it? The key to this answer is to look within. Drivers are personal motivators you determine that will lead to you match your deepest needs with the world around you. Drivers are your key to satisfaction, whether it is your continuing to do paid work, or scale back your hours or tackle new hobbies and activities. It is likely that what gave you satisfaction in earlier years will continue to drive and motivate you as you look to the future.

How to know what your drivers are?


Before you consider what will help you use your rewired energy in the future, look at what drives you in the present, now. If you know who you are today, then you can build on who you want to be in the future. As you start to focus, you may find that your current job or career isn’t fulfilling many of your drivers. If that is the case, hold those thoughts while you work through this exercise.

Look at how you selected your current job – ask yourself:
  • Is this the best job you have had for your whole career to date?
  • What makes it the best job? List as many reasons as possible.
  • Did you plan your career and if so, how did you plan it?
  • Are you satisfied with your career: why or why not?
  • What career changes would you like to make?
  • What about your work gives you meaning and purpose?
Stay with this exercise – take time to review and keep a note of ideas that come to mind. Then look at the list of likely drivers that research has developed.


What are the known drivers to use your rewired energy?


Research has found that most people transitioning to retirement work for pleasure, mental stimulation and personal fulfilment. Most people want their work to be based on choice, personal passions, and interests.

Here is a list of the 30 drivers that have been distilled from many interviews and studies – do any of these reasons that people work sound familiar to you? Accomplishments, Action, Authority, Belonging, Competition, Creativity, Current – up to date, Experiences, Friendship, Fulfilment, Global, Goals, Identity, Intellectual stimulation, Leadership, Lifelong learning, Making a Difference, Mentoring , Passion, People, Power, Prestige, Problem-Solving, Recognition, Self-Esteem, Skills and Talent, Social, Structure, Value, Visibility.

What about an example to guide your process of thinking about your drivers? Karen, now 63, retired at 60 from her career as publisher of a popular women’s magazine. She and her husband are avid art collectors. At age 57, Karen looked forward and realised that when she stopped working, she needed something for herself, something different. With her interest in folk art, she became editor of the folk art magazine, sat on museum committees and made suggestions for new acquisitions. She is now a spokesman and advises major collectors and institutions. Karen’s drivers are Belonging, Identity, Passion and Recognition.


Identifying your own drivers


Knowing your drivers enables you to make choices between what you will do – what activities to do, what organisations to affiliate with and what commitments you are willing to make. It’s a journey of self-discovery which may challenge you, but think about the rewards about knowing what will motivate you for fulfilment!

What does your work offer you? For example,  a 50 year old marketing executive who works at a bank admits that working gives him Fulfilment, Global exposure, Leadership positioning, Recognition and Visibility within the bank and the community.

Drivers will mean different things to different people – consider Visibility for the marketing executive who wants respect and reputation to assist in his career, while to a school teacher Visibility means her talent is recognised and leads to secondments in other settings.

When identifying your drivers:
  • Be honest
  • Focus on your own interpretation, don’t rely on others to tell you
  • Balance in reviewing your whole life
  • Reflect on your answers – make time for review
This is not a logical process; rather, working out your drivers is intuitive and from your heart.

Can you work towards identifying what motivate you, on your own?

Are you ready to start with considering how you will use your drivers or motivators to transition to what you want? What is the first thing you will do? What if you need some help?

Contact us for a complimentary consultation to focus on how you can plan for your rewirement. We work with you to discover what you want for your life and how to transition to a life of meaning and purpose. It will be the best 30 minutes you spend to get started.

What about completing a transition assessment that provides an indication of your preparedness? Click here to complete the assessment.


Reference

Sedlar, J & Miners, R 2007, Don’t Retire, Rewire!, 2 nd edn, Alpha Books, New York.

© 2011 Helene Strawbridge, All rights reserved. You are free to use material from the Second Half Success material in whole or in part, as long as you include complete attribution, including live web site link. Please also notify me where the material will appear. The attribution should read: By Helene Strawbridge of Second Half Success. Please visit Helene’s web site at www.secondhalfsuccess.com.au for additional articles and resources. (Make sure the link is live if placed in an newsletter or in a web site.)