What are you paying attention to?

 

I briefly touched on the concept of paying attention to what you are paying attention to. This is a critical first step if you are considering beginning a second act career.

My hope is that you are still employed but are approaching the time when you will “retire” and begin your encore career. If you are already retired and find yourself running low on cash, you may have to take on part time work in a less desirable field while you work out how you will work in a way that earns and sings to your heart.

In my book “Your Golden Ticket Years: Find Your Passion on a Post Career Entrepreneurial Ride” I tell the story of Juan Quezada Celado a Mexican pottery artist. Mr. Quezada Celado discovered ancient pottery while looking for firewood in the hills near his home. He was compelled to learn how to make pottery using the same methods the ancient people of the area used. He was successful in this endeavor and when his pottery was discovered by American anthropologist Spencer MacCallum his art was brought to the American art market. The exposure to a large market for his art transformed his passion into a vocation. He went on to teach others in his small community how to make the distinctive “Mata Ortiz” pottery which allowed them to earn income in a community that is rural and has few economic opportunities.

I love the story of Juan Quezada Celado. Not only did he find a niche that he loved, his passion for pottery was evident in his work, he was able to bring a valuable skill set to his community, and over 300 people have learned his process and turned that knowledge in to money earning jobs. Not only did he elevate his personal economy, he also helped his community by teaching people his skill and he opened the door of opportunity for his neighbors.

Imagine taking one of your many skills and sharing your knowledge with others. I imagine seeing so many people in his small town thrive by selling their own art was a life giving gift he received. Shifting your focus to service is a great way to start your new challenge. To be clear, pottery may not be a lucrative endeavor for everyone. Juan Quezada Celado was an exceptional artist, and his works sell for $10,000-$20,000 per piece. Not everyone will have that type of success, but more impactful than his personal accumulation of wealth, it’s important to understand that in a rural village of about 1,100 people he was able to help 300 people develop skills to earn. He brought attention to his community, and about two thirds of the town indirectly earn income related to pottery.

Back to my initial question, what are you paying attention to? I find that I return to the same ideas over and over. I want to create, I want to write, I like traveling, I like hiking, I like being careful with my health and my food intake. These ideas are always on my mind, and they have been most of my life. I don’t think this will change as I’m already well into my fifties. Finding a way to earn by incorporating what I’m already thinking about works because I’m not reinventing the wheel, I’m simply doing what I already know.

For example, I recently had a chat with my spouse about writing a travel guide that focuses on day trekking. He and I both think this would be a fun way to share a unique experience with others who also want to spend time trekking. When the time comes I have an idea how we can collaborate on this project, because I’m thinking about it all the time. I spend most days writing, because I like writing. I love to go for a walk or hike. I enjoy exploring areas I’m not familiar with. Each of these practices that I love will play a part in our effort.

Take a moment to consider what you are thinking about. I’ll get you started with a brief list of categories. If any of the following items make you feel happiness, jot it down and consider how you can convert that item/idea into a money earning endeavor. Obviously this is not a comprehensive list of any and all ideas, but you may find a spark amongst this list that gets you thinking.

• Creative work, painting, embroidery, pottery, knitting, quilting, wood carving.

• Gaming, online gaming, board games, or game creation.

• Flower arranging, gardening, landscaping, zeroscaping, xiriscaping, hardscaping.

• Miniature model making

• Jewelry making

• Collecting art, antiques, stamps, old books, model cars.

• Cooking, baking.

• Sports, participation, coaching, fandom.

• Photography digital or film.

• Travel

• Outdoor sports, cycling, skiing, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, mountain climbing

• Martial arts

• Eating for health, keto, vegan, vegetarian, raw foods, Mediterranean.

• Wine, beer, cider

• Dance (dance for seniors?)

• Musical instrument

• Live action roll play

If there is nothing on this list that sings to you, conduct a mental reflection about what you do for fun over and over that you can convert into a hobby/job. Obviously watching the latest episode of any popular television program won’t equal opportunity. Watching the latest episode of a popular television program and offering an in depth critique on a podcast could have great potential if you have good insight and can learn what it takes to deliver vocally.

Once you have identified what you are thinking about often, consider how you can offer value with what you love. It may be in the form of sharing your unique artistic vision, you can teach, I recommend teaching online via an online platform like Udemy, Skillshare or others. After all if you are going to do it, reach as many people as possible. If you would rather teach in person, check out resources at your local library, they often have free event space that you can reserve. You can build an audience for your work with this type of local outreach.

Perhaps you would prefer to write about your passion, or create video content for social media. No matter how you prefer to work, know that as a business person you’ll have to figure out how to get the word out about your product or service.

I gave myself ten years. I started early working towards a second act career at around 55 years of age while I was working full time, and knew I would need as much time as possible. My hope is to have a viable career in three to five years, but I gave myself wiggle room. If you are retiring in a few years or already retired, that’s okay. Figure out how long you have to develop your skills as an entrepreneur add of a couple of years so you have “wiggle room” and get going. You are in a good position if you are already retired, you’ll have a lot more free time than a person who is working full time.

In summary, pay attention to what you are paying attention to. Find a way to convert your passion in to a business. Create a business that serves your community that will be a success for you and others. Finally, know that business building takes time, but it can be rewarding both mentally and financially, start thinking about how you like to work and how you will feel when you share your knowledge with others.

If you’d like to read more about a second act career, buy my book “Your Golden Ticket Years: Find Your Passion on a Post Career Entrepreneurial Ride” it’s available on Amazon.