Scott Perry challenges the "Start With Why" approach, arguing that people 45 and older should begin with who they are: their values and vision. He outlines three steps to find your unique difference: clarify your values, inventory your skills and talents, then identify communities where you belong and can contribute.
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Hey, Difference Maker! Scott Perry here, Encore Life Coach at Creative On Purpose, and just tuning in here broadcasting from the Jacksonville Cemetery in my hometown, Floyd, Virginia. I do these kind of live from the Jacksonville Cemetery cemetery sessions every once in a while, and today I want to ask you a question. If you are 45 or more, maybe even a little bit younger, well, what are you going to do with the rest of your life? Have you thought about that? Are you at a crossroads where you're had done the career, done the job, raised the kids, and are wondering, like, what am I going to do with the rest of my life? You know, in the three stages of life, the three acts as they're called, you know, the first act is when we're young and we're learning, and then the second is when we are earning status and money through our career, our job, and then in the third act we start to think about other things like cultivating wisdom and living and leaving a legacy. And if that's the stage of life that you're at, I want to share an idea about where you can start to dial in the difference only you can make so that you can start living your legacy. And that is to ignore the advice of Simon Sinek. Now don't get me wrong, I love Simon Sinek's work. I love the whole conversation he started with Start With Why. But starting with why is a really bad idea because, you know, Simon seems to think that your purpose in life is fully formed and defined by the time you're 21. And it never changes. And I think that that is just inherently wrong. There's something wrong with that. And if you are like me, somewhere north of 45, you know that your life has different purposes at different points in your life. I'm going to suggest that rather than start with why, start with who. Who are you? What are your values? What are your guiding principles? Those are the things that, you know, what's the vision of the world that you want to co-create and help leave behind, make, make things a little bit better than when you entered the planet. Those are the things that really will fulfill and enrich your life, and it will help to also take two additional steps. After you've dialed in your values, your guiding principles, and your vision for the world that you want to live in, think about all the skills, hard and soft skills, that you've honed through your life's experience and through your work. And maybe also think about the talents, the inherent talents, the things that you were kind of born with a natural proclivity for. And then the last place to think about, the third step would be, where do you belong? You belong with people that share your values and need your talents to enhance their lives. And if you think about those three things, then you can start to dial in the difference only you can make. And that is where your Encorepreneurial venture lies. Encore Living, live the second half of life, the second mountain, whatever you want to call it. You're destined to do something, to not die with the difference only you can make still inside. And if you can dial in that difference only you can make, then you can start to lean in and amplify and leverage that and connect with more of the right people and help make change for the better happen. If you want to go to creativeonpurpose.com, there's a Venn diagram that you can take a screenshot of and, and use as a guide to start to dial in the difference only you can make. And of course, if you want to take a bolder step into possibility, go ahead and fill out the application for a free 30-minute discovery call where I will have you fill out an application, get some information, and then hop on a free 30-minute call to help you start to strategize how you can start to dial in and develop the difference only you can make so that you can live with more fulfillment, joy, and well-being in the second half of life. I hope that's all interesting to you. I appreciate the time you've taken to tune in and listen. And hey, be well, do good, and
