RETHINK YOUR CAREER IN YOUR 40s, 50s and 60s
Rethink Your Career In your 40s, 50s and 60s
By Joanna Maxwell
After a year of feeling miserable at work, I’d decided enough was enough, threw caution to the wind and quit my job. My decision was compounded by news that a relative in Australia had been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Life really is too short to be stuck in a job that you hate. I packed up my desk and a few days later, packed my suitcase for a last minute trip Down Under.
I’m 53 and I’ve worked steadily in the same profession for 30 years, but I appreciate that there are younger, savvier people nipping at my heels. And as I’m not ready to consider retiring, I figured it may be time to think outside the box.
Although not a new book – it was first published in 2017 – the information in Australian Maxwell’s self-help guide really struck a chord with me, particularly its refreshing way of thinking about the age you are, the age you feel and society’s attitude. Maxwell is a former lawyer and journalist and now works as a motivational coach, specialising in helping people in midlife to “reinvent their lives in order to reclaim their future and create the life they want for the coming decades”.
While some of the info may be Australia-specific, the book helps you identify your strengths, talents and skills and to find creative ways to think about your future. It offers a practical approach to finding your next move, with tests and exercises to work out what makes you tick and find your hardwired natural abilities.
Refreshingly unpatronising and down to earth, it mercifully lacks the wistful psychobabble of so many self-help books. It’s tough to totally reinvent yourself when you’re over 40, but this book should definitely be part of your armour if you need an empowering confidence booster.
Nicole Carmichael