Mindset is everything!

Here's what some people are doing about making dramatic changes in their lifestyle!

The Managing Partner of one of the nation's largest accounting firms told me how he shocked his co-workers by announcing that he would retire in 2002 at age 60. Sherrill Hudson was at the peak of his career and his years at the company from age 60 to 65 would have reaped the largest financial rewards to-date. While "some people are content to fish, others to read, and still more to travel and take up a hobby, like painting or golf," it wasn't long before this longtime Miami civic leader was bored and found a new challenge. Today, Hudson is running one of the largest utility companies in Florida. His attorney said he "had failed retirement miserably" but the fact is that this talented and resourceful executive is using his flexibility and reinventing his life-- he's taking advantage of one of the many, many choices available to him. And, when he has accomplished what he set out to do there, Hudson will look at a whole list of other options for what comes next...various boards of directors will seek him, he is well known for the trails he blazed in civic and community involvement--and then there is golf which he does enjoy, by the way, or traveling with his wife. That is, until he feels the need for another change of direction!

Headlines in a recent newspaper article heralded Michael McGrath's return from retirement to take a job few people wanted--CEO of i2 Technologies. Mr. McGrath, 56, retired last year from the management consulting firm he co-founded and joined the i2 Board last summer just as the board undertook a search for a new Chief Executive Officer. Mr. McGrath soon realized that i2 had enormous potential that wasn't being realized so he stepped up to the plate and took the job.

Was McGrath unhappy in retirement? No, not at all. In fact, he was enjoying it and had been looking forward to spending time with his wife and 11 year old daughter on the East Coast. He now commutes between Dallas and his home in Maine each weekend. McGrath took advantage of an option to pursue a new adventure and once he has revamped the company, he will, more than likely, go back to full time retirement...until the next opportunity comes along that is just too challenging to ignore.

In another instance, a recent article in the Dallas Morning News spoke to the short-lived retirement of Ronald Rittenmeyer. Following one of his corporate turnaround jobs, Rittenmeyer decided to retire. The licensed pilot flew out to his summer home at Hilton Head Island, SC and started trying to distract himself.

"By day three", Rittenmeyer recalled, "I had played golf, been to the beach, flown the plane and read a book, and it was Wednesday. Now what...do I do?"

He got so bored that he was trying to explain to the guy who rents umbrellas how he could use yield management to increase his rentals.

Later, when he was trying to convince his wife that they should buy umbrella rental places and roll them up, she told him that he really needed to go find a job!

"Rittenmeyer went on to pull two Dallas-area companies through their bankruptcy proceeds and at 58, joined EDS as a senior executive to help the computer services giant continue its turnaround effort." This "new career" has worked well for him and he went on to become President and COO. In September of this year, he will take the reins as CEO replacing Michael Jordan.

When he gets tired of that, it may be back to Hilton Head Island or off to another "new" career.

And creative retirement and following your dreams is in NO WAY limited to senior executives! Great choices are available to people from all walks of life!

Take the case of the accounting clerk at a large company who came to work at that same company right out of high school. Her parents told her that if she worked hard and "kept her nose clean", the company would take care of her and she would be there until she was ready to retire. She looked forward to retiring to the "Home Place" when she turned 65 and spending her days with her grandchildren and their children.

But, times changed and soon after she turned 55, the company offered her a huge cash incentive to take "early retirement" and told her she could keep her insurance. One the one hand, she felt like she couldn't turn it down but on the other hand, she was distressed beyond belief. What would she do for the remainder of her life?

The fact was that when we looked at the numbers, she had enough money to sit back and enjoy the leisurely life and her grandkids if that's what she wanted to do but, she needed something more. She needed purpose in her life and the joy in the feeling of accomplishment she had always felt while she worked for the company.

We spent time discussing her dreams and it became obvious that what had been an avocation all of her life was something she would dearly love to do as a second career. She was sure she wouldn't ever have the money to do it, but she did and today, she runs her own specialty store. She couldn't be happier. She's her own boss and when she is truly ready to retire (and she's not sure that will be ever), she will have the option of deciding what she wants to do and when she wants to do it.

Another inspiring story is of a man who went to work for a company at age 17. Over the years, he held a number of jobs-doing each to the best of his ability. He had a family and took extremely good care of himself. He ran almost every day and was full of energy. He, too, planned to stay at his job until full retirement age. His company was looking at consolidating departments and reducing the number of full time employees. One day, he, too, received an offer of a huge cash incentive to take early retirement. He didn't know what to do but it was too good to pass up!

He, too, found himself wondering what he was going to do with all the time on his hands. His skill level was extremely good so he would be able to easily find another job if he desired to do so. But, he wanted to do something for others less fortunate. He opted to go to a part of town where children did not always have all the advantages of modern technology. He was able to combine his language skills with his knowledge of computers to give these children a head-start on getting along in today's world! He was changing lives and it was a win-win for both sides of this equation!

Choices and opportunities are available to almost everyone who wants to make a difference in their life or the life of someone else or reinvent who they are and what they do each day.

And, it's not always something they "have" to do, it's about choices and the flexibility to do things that their parents and grandparents could only dream about. It's never too late for the boomer. It's about making dreams a reality, starting a business they love, getting involved with charitable organizations, doing mission work on a frequent, but short term basis, or going back to school to get the degree that they couldn't get when they were young and had a family to raise. All of this is an ongoing and ever changing process as constant reinvention of their lives is a trademark of the baby boomer.