What’s Your Perspective - Retirement or Transition?

Magical Reality - 2021

Sierra Nevada, NV

Language Influences Your Perspective

The end of your career is one of the most significant events of your life. It’s a time when you may feel joy, pride, excitement, grief, regret, uncertainty, and other feelings that are unique to you.

You may be looking forward to this new phase of your life with stressful uncertainty or joyful  anticipation…or perhaps both.  For many, it’s also a time when you may experience a sense of loss of what you are leaving behind. 

An optimistic view is that this is a moment of your life that presents you with the opportunity for ongoing personal achievement that’s manifested as renewal and fulfillment.

Life Lessons

I have experienced some of those feelings and more. 

My life experience includes three lessons and observations.

One, is my own End of Career transition. It was difficult and painful. But it provided me the challenge to grow, evolve and succeed again on my terms in the service of others.

The source of my second lesson is from intense study of this topic and guiding others. That includes the creation of unique online courses, publishing articles, public speaking and consulting with others to create their path.

The third lesson originates from the skills I have developed in the course of learning English as a second language as well as studying others. One, is to be curious and inquisitive as to how and why we use certain words and phrases to describe things. In this case, a major life event.

What We Hear and Discern

Language is essential for accurate, meaningful communication. Its effective use is beneficial for the conveyance of facts, ideas, principles, etc. These provide us with knowledge that provides sentinels that guide our decisions and actions.

Most often, the common language that we hear and speak that describes events is accurate.

However, there are times when the words and phrases that are commonly used in our culture (and others) do not accurately describe the subject matter. It’s then that those words and phrases fail to provide us accurate information. That can be detrimental to our ability to think clearly, develop our perspectives faithfully and act accordingly.

There are instances when some of these words are accepted and repeated without question. 

“Retirement.” Really?

An example of this is the common use of the word "retirement" to refer to the end of one's career in a profession, vocation or occupation.

A major element of its meaning is that you are leaving something behind, that you’re closing a door, so to speak. This use has an element of reality; it emphasizes that your life’s work will end. It seems to augment and fuel the normal feeling of grief over the loss that you will likely experience.

On the other hand, it’s evident that it conveys nothing about your future. There does not seem to be even a minimal implication of moving forward to a life of renewal, ongoing fulfillment and joy…which is what a transition is about.

What Do Some of My Best Friends Have to Say?

My search for additional meaning and understanding led me to research the word "retirement." What I learned was even more illuminating as I read various sources of synonyms:

• Merriam-Webster: “pullback, retreat, withdrawal”
• Oxford  (Lexico): “seclusion, retreat, solitude, loneliness, isolation, obscurity”
• Roget’s Thesaurus : “removal, deprivation, ousting, cashiering, disposal, displacement, seclusion, retreat”

Various other sources describe it as: banish, discard, throw away, etc.

It's my opinion that this is not an acceptable way to refer to one of the most significant events of human experience…your life, or mine.

This is a negative term that fails to accurately describe this important phase of your life. Further, it ignores the positive aspects of the transition process. One that can and should be a very exciting period of your life. 

It’s:

• A time of opportunity to be creative. 
• A time to be focused, disciplined and courageous to make your dreams a reality.
• A time that presents you with incredible potential for renewal, joy and fulfillment.

So I ask: why is this so commonly accepted when its inadequacy is so evident? I still wonder…

You and I Can Choose How We Speak

However, there’s an alternative choice. That’s to make it your decision, as I have done, to simply not use that term and use a different one.

A point of clarity: in the rare cases I do use the term “retirement,” it’s to describe how it’s commonly used and for reference, as in this article.

My choice is the word: transition. I use it routinely in conversation, public speaking, my online courses, publications and various writings such as this.

This term immediately and clearly implies that it’s not an event. It’s a process that is buoyed by optimism. It conveys a certain feeling of dynamism, of forward motion and advancing toward a purpose. Your purpose. It simply feels better…and that can affect your perspective in positive ways.

In contrast to that other word, these are examples of transition synonyms from the same sources:

• Merriam-Webster: “shift, changeover, metamorphosis, transfiguration, transformation, reconversion, remodeling”
• Oxford  (Lexico): “change, move up, passage, transformation, conversion, adaptation, adjustment, shifts, progression, progress, development, evolution"
•  Roget’s Thesaurus: "transit, passage”

Resounding Words Have Meaning That Resonate

I speak frequently about this idea to people from many walks of life. I’m impressed that virtually every single time that I discuss my ideas, they are readily understood, accepted and adopted. 

Here’s the sequence of reactions that I repeatedly witness: 

• A facial expression that conveys curiosity and interest.
• A warm, welcoming smile.
• A nodding of the head that indicates understanding and acceptance.
• Words that flow from the smiling mouth: “yeah, I see that. I like it.” 
• The adoption of the term transition during the remainder of our conversation and beyond.

Often there’s a spouse present, who usually smiles and nods in agreement. 

On Moving Forward 

There are many reasons you can think of why the practice of using language accurately is important to you. This is especially true when it applies to life events that really matter. 

It influences how you feel when you hear certain words that have a particular significance. I affects your view, your perspective towards your End of Career and how you manage it.

It's a transition that really begins when your own feelings about it are somehow “stirred up” and you envision it in your future. For many, it begins as early as five years in advance of your anticipated end date.

Your End of Career is likely to be a time of memories remembered as well as dreamy visions you will transform into reality. 

It's a process, much of which may be unknown to you now. I encourage you to have faith as you will discover what it’s about as your plan, create and execute your transition. 

Please remember that there’s one thing you can do now. You can choose how to speak about this matter and why.

I trust that as you speak of your End of Career transition, you will hear your words resonate within you and bring forth a smile you will feel henceforth.

Date Updated: January 14, 2023

PS: By the way, do you want to learn more from me about how to create a positive End of Career Transition and a fulfilling life beyond? I would like to help you. I provide consulting and coaching services that are tailored to your specific needs. Click here to apply for an introductory conversation.

Cones as Questions - 2016

Sierra Nevada, NV