I had waited years for that day, dreamed of escaping the grind; no deadlines, no office politics and no rushing from one activity to the next. I figured that would lead to clarity and purpose but instead, I felt lost. If you have ever googled finding your purpose over 50, you are not alone. Those who have spent decades in jobs and caring for others may look through the glass and wonder what’s next. It is completely understandable to feel overwhelmed by this, and even a healthy sign.
Here’s how I went from lost-to-found and how you can too.
When I left my corporate job, I believed I had entered the freedom I had always longed for, and I had ideas, energy and a plan or so I thought.
I felt stepping into the business world would be a natural progress as a finance person and motivated from my passion for eating healthy. It sounded like just the sort of project: straightforward, impactful and profitable enough. It was a very different reality than that,:
Marketing was harder than I expected.
A chore, uninspiring work.
Worst of all, it did not make me happy the way I thought it would.
I remember one day just staring at hundreds of boxes of dried fruit and thinking: “Did I leave my career for this?
That was definitely a wakeup call. I was not seeking purpose but was aiming for a compelling sounding plan. I wanted to step back and deepen the questions, to discover how to find my purpose after 50 in a way that was authentic and aligned with my life.
Finding Purpose After 50
This is not to say that you would change everything overnight. It’s about rediscovering who you are and building a future that makes you feel a little bit excited.
My journey began with these three steps:
Rediscover Your Passions
So, I worked for years and set my interests aside. Writing, mentoring and speaking had always been things I enjoyed, but I rarely took the time to do them. When I thought about what had really ignited my energy, I realised that these were not just hobbies but they were elements of my identity.
Rediscovering my passions and interests was the first step in creating a life that felt meaningful to me.
Consider what you enjoyed doing before life became hectic. Perhaps it’s dancing, teaching, or gardening. How might you bring those passions back into your day to day or week to week?
Focus on Service
Perhaps one of the most rewarding lessons for me along my journey is that purpose is often about serving others. I returned to volunteering as a debt adviser and my sense of purpose was rejuvenated.
While helping others makes things better for your community, it also enriches your own life in the process.
Consider what you are especially good at or knowledgeable about. How can you use them to benefit other people? Think locally, if it’s just mentoring someone, volunteering in your community, or personally sharing your knowledge with a friend.
Embrace Reinvention
Reinventing yourself after 50 does not mean starting over, it means building on what you already know. Your many decades of experience, skills and wisdom are resources you can use to steer you toward new opportunities.
For me, reinvention was leaving my comfort zone. I hunted for new projects, took classes and networked with people who shared my passions. That was not always easy, keeping an open heart helped me shift my perspective.
What’s one new skill or opportunity you have been curious about? Whatever it is, take the first step to explore it today, procrastination is an enemy!
Lessons From My Journey
Here are three lessons I learned about finding your purpose over age 50:
It’s Okay to Feel Lost:
Freedom can be daunting especially if you have adhered to a routine for years. Give yourself time to explore and play, you don’t need to have all the answers now.
Purpose Comes from Alignment:
Our fulfilment will never come until the actions you are taking are aligned with your values, passions, and strengths. Purpose is not what looks good to others, it’s what feels right to you.
You are Not Starting from Scratch:
Your background is your starting point. Make something new, inspiring, and original.
RetireFulfilled: How It Can Help You Find Your Purpose
My story inspired my creating RetireFulfilled; a much-needed resource for people over 50 rediscover passions, dream-up and create fulfilling next chapters.
Unless you are already aware of RetireFulfilled, you may not know that we believe purpose is not something you find, but a thing you create. That’s why we focus on:
Reflection: Assisting you to tap into that which you find energizing and meaningful.
Reinvention: Helping you discover new opportunities and re-orient your life toward your values.
Community: Bringing you into contact with others who are walking similar transitions.
You don’t have to navigate it all on your own. RetireFulfilled is here to light the way and inspire you from one step to the next.
Your Next Step
If you’re ready to discover purpose in this next chapter, here’s how to get started:
Revisit Your Joys: What activities or interests have you always enjoyed but put aside?
Serve Others: What skills and experience can you use to help someone else?
Explore New Avenues of Opportunity: Reinvention means growth. What is one thing you always wanted to try?
Your next chapter doesn’t have to be ideal, it just has to begin. What does your ideal life look like after you turn 50? Share and inspire each other below in the comments.
Discovering your purpose after 50 can be the most exciting stage of your life. It is not about having all the answers but knowing you have that desire and willingness to learn and grow.
Your best days are not behind you; they are in front of you.
