The Personal Impact of  "Retirement" vs. Transition

Epic Transition - Gulf of Mexico, Florida

Life comes and presents us with a full menu of future transitions. We are naturally prepared for some but not all.

We experience natural preparation as we grow from infancy and our genetic encoding expresses itself as we learn to eat, crawl, walk, run, etc.

As we grow older we begin to learn from our parents, schools, colleges and professional training. We learn early on that we have to work and devote focused effort to succeed at achieving a myriad of milestones. These are the transitions for which there are family and organizations that help prepare us.

Then, there are challenging life transitions for which typically there is no real preparation. I refer to them as "life's exclamation points." They are so profound that they usually shake you to the core of your being. Some examples are divorce, bereavement, mid-career change and "retirement."

It is my preference not to use the word retirement to describe a person's end of career. For many, it has a very negative meaning.  In addition as a matter of fact, there are  dictionaries that list its synonyms as banish, reject and discard. I do not think that is a proper manner to refer to human beings. There are rare exceptions when I will use that term: to refer to what others call it or to describe a contrast with Transition.

I much prefer the positive term: Transition, which is a positive process through which you can accomplish renewal and fulfillment. 

This story is about my sudden end of career Transition.

My Experience and What I Have Learned

I experienced a life-threatening cancer and related problems that unexpectedly and suddenly ended my career as a plastic surgeon. Thankfully, I am now cured, healthy and well into my second career as a professional consultant.

During my Transition I was able to see myself as a human being characterized by values that describe Who I am. I understood that the profession I love does not completely define me, rather it is one thing that I did. It was one of my genuine personas, my roles in life. 

My values, my Who, give rise to my Why, my purpose in life.  That purpose, as a plastic surgeon was to improve the health and wellness of fellow human beings. Beyond the practice of medicine, I have long had a passion for helping individuals and organizations fulfill their potential through various leadership roles. My own Transition was my path to renewal and fulfillment.

Now, in this phase of my life I serve as a professional consultant to medical and other highly skilled professionals. I specialize in transition which effectively makes me a personal and professional coach.

These are elite performers who have reached the apex of their fields and are ready for the challenge of discovering what is next in their careers.

This endeavor was born of personal experience and deeply, focused study. I have have heard and learned from helping others achieve a positive Transition characterized by personal and professional development.

I am aware of the great need to help others from all walks of life who are challenged by an impending or current "life's exclamation point."

Some Reasons for the Challenge 

It is true that there are people for whom their end of career is an event they look forward to and indeed, enjoy the experience. For many, however, that is not the case. It is an event that can overcome you with anxiety as the event looms ahead. Here are significant reasons why:

1. You identify yourself with your respective title or role and you do not distinguish the difference between your internal identity and your professional, public persona. It is my observation that highly accomplished individuals from virtually all walks of life have a strong tendency to define themselves by their vocation or profession. In the course of your career there often occurs a morphing of your personal, internal identity and your job title. Throughout your career it is beneficial as it provides confidence to overcome great challenges. But it often becomes a detriment as early as when you to begin to envision your end of career.  It worsens and becomes more acute when you are actually ending your career. You will often experience a significant level of stress over the anticipated loss of identity. And often the anticipation becomes a reality. As one professional once wrote me: “when you retire, the loss of identity is devastating."

2. There is a strong cultural tendency to describe persons by career role. Consider this: When was the last time you were introduced to someone at a reception and that person asked you to tell him about yourself? The question is usually, "What kind of work do you do?”

Try and think further back in your lifetime and recall the times when well-meaning family and friends have asked younger family members: “What are you going to be when you grow up?”

3. Extreme focus on career to the detriment of personal development over a lifetime. One consequence of this imbalance is not fulfilling your potential personal and leadership skills and creating a fuller expression of Who you are. The more you describe your identity by What your professional or vocational persona is, What you do day to day, the more it inhibits your ability to achieve your full potential.

4. When the end of career is visible on the horizon, a simmering anxiety sets in. In addition to the factors I have mentioned, much of this arises from the fact that in the past there has been little in the way of a comprehensive approach to preparing for your end of career Transition. It is really a process, not an event, about which a lack of knowledge can be very unsettling.

The good news is that you can prepare and create a positive Transition that resonates within you and your loves ones.

So, reach for preparation well in advance. In the meantime, enjoy living the life of a human being, not a human doing!

PS: Do you want to learn more from me about how to create and experience a fulfilling Transition rather than an unpleasant “retirement” experience? To help you, I provide consulting services tailored to your specific needs. Click here to apply for a complimentary strategy session.

Gleaming Vision - Cook's Inlet, Alaska

© Enrique Fernandez, M. D.