One of the most accepted measures of success in the 21st century is the accumulation of wealth. With financial resources comes personal and political influence, freedom and pleasure. Although we are aware of this, we seem to ignore the saying that financial success does not necessarily bring happiness. Through a series of studies, Canadian researcher Elizabeth Dunn found that how you spend your money is more critical than how much money you have in determining happiness. One of the greatest pursuits in life is the search for happiness and purpose.
Many studies show that as we mature, we tend to shift from our fixation on material gains to meaning in life and fostering personal relationships. This also appears to be a feature of baby boomers (those born from 1946 to 1964). The Baby Boomers who grew up in the 1960s and 1970s were heavily influenced by the culture of their day. The leaders of this tumultuous time in our country had a great distance from commercialism and were more concerned with the meaning of their lives. Work for Boomers was more about meaning than accumulating wealth. In the 1960s, one of the most frequently mentioned goals of university education was to develop a “meaningful philosophy of life.”
So what does this mean for us as baby boomer? Work remains a significant activity for this group. So it’s no surprise that most polls indicate that they will continue to work until retirement. An additional reason is that many in this group are not ready for retirement.
Although I’m in this age group, I was raised in a much more conservative part of the country, so I wasn’t as influenced by the ideals of this period. I think I have started to look at life and work in a more introspective way. Work should be something you enjoy, and you should make a good profit out of it in order to enjoy life. I’m only a generation away from those who went through the depression of the 1930s. For those who lived in that time period, survival was an important goal. There was no time for enjoyment. Success was defined as “not going out of business.”
Now that we as Baby Boomers have a broader perspective on life, we have the luxury of time to reevaluate our definition of success. Obviously, it must have a financial component as there is nothing wrong with financial success.
Some define success as “it’s who you are that counts.” I would take this to mean that you are kind and use your resources to help others.
Or maybe you can relate to Reiner Lomb. He was urged to do something radical with his life after seeing a news story on television about the torture perpetrated against children and their parents in Africa. He left his career behind to help people be the best they can be and help them find opportunities that mattered deeply to them. He was surprised by how many people wanted to align themselves with something they were passionate about. This is backed up by a study by Encore.org, which showed that more than 25 million Americans between the ages of 50 and 70 are willing to share their professional skills. Reiner Lomb is a prime example of applying leadership and technical skills to a social cause.
As we reevaluate our life’s work, we don’t automatically assume that what we’ve been doing is worthless. Reiner Lomb acquired technical and leadership skills from his profession that gave him the ability to make the change he wanted. Bill Gates’ success at Microsoft gave him enormous wealth that he is using wisely.
When looking for a new activity at this stage of our lives, we must combine the goals of earning adequate income and finding ways in which we can make a difference in people’s lives on a daily basis. This may be simply helping out an elderly neighbor or working part-time at a non-profit organization. How we use our wealth can often be an important focus. Organizations like Samaritans Purse already have the logistics in place and are limited only by financial resources. Doctors Without Borders has a long list of personnel needed in the medical field.
Where does this leave us as Baby Boomers? According to Yankelovich’s studies, work remains a central part of our lives. Work for the Baby Boomer has always been more about meaning than accumulating wealth. Baby Boomers intend to continue working when they retire. Work is supposed to provide meaning that matters. I can identify with that.
Whatever we choose to do, it must have a purpose greater than ourselves. This will give us a perspective on who we are and how we should relate to others.
This is a tremendous time to be alive. New technologies have created so many new opportunities. This is more fun than trying to pick a major in college. Now we have to dream.