1. Encore Careers: Finding “Meaning” in Our “Work” after Retirement
Dr. Tom Davis, Ph.D., ACA Fellow
Professor Emritus, Ohio University Counselor Education
OCA Spring Conference

2. The Third Third Walter Wright (2016)
The first third (birth to thirty) “we spend in incubation, education, preparation, exploring identity and purpose, intimacy and relationships.”
From thirty to sixty, we enter a second third “dominated by family and work; we define our core relationships and commit to a career path.”
From age sixty to ninety, we “encounter the unexplored terrain of life after the working career.” Formerly this territory was a short trip, but now with better health and longevity it can be much longer, perhaps twenty to thirty years.

3. The Third Third
The Third Third can be arguably the richest part of ones life.
Millions of Boomers are pouring into this phase of life with each passing year. 10K per day
Walter C. Wright wrote The Third Third of Life: writes that the Third Third.
“What is it that you want to achieve? Where do you want to make a difference, and how will you leave the world a better place?”

4. Developmental Stages Davis’ Perspective
Stage 1- Self-Discovery
Stage 2- Commitment/Career
Stage 3- Purposeful Retirement/Legacy

5. Encore Careers The Vision: How will this change happen:
To make it easier for millions of people to pursue encore careers—roles that combine personal meaning, continued income and social impact.
How will this change happen:
Pursuing an encore career puts the ethos in action and is often a hybrid that maintains the spirit of service but does not forego the necessity of income.
Why it matters:
It has been projected that half of the children born in the developed world since 2000 will live to celebrate their 100th birthday. The focus is to intentionally frame a counseling model that will assist women and men in framing a meaningful way of life in their Third Third.

6. Where are you Relative to this Topic:
1. You may be saying… ”This holds little relevance to me”
2. I am nearing retirement…feeling some anxiety. “OK, time is ticking, and if I’m going to try something that I have always wanted to do, I’d better do it soon!”
3. I have clients who have retired but do not feel fulfilled. “I feel that I have so much to still give. Now what do I do?
We should all connect to the “meaning” in our lives”, the answer to why we move forward…. Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl
After a presentation on quality Sleep you may be saying that it’s Time for a nap or a drink…

7. Man’s Search for Meaning Victor Frankl

8. Five basic factors Contributing to Happiness C.R. Jung
1. Good Physical and mental health. 2. Good personal and intimate relationships, such as marriage, family, and friendships, companionship. 3. The ability to appreciate beauty in art and nature. 4. Reasonable standards of living and satisfactory work. 5. A philosophic or religious point of view capable of coping successfully with the changes that life brings."
At the end of the day, we are talking about happiness, personal satisfaction, and a since of purpose in our lives, regardless of the stage of life that we are in.
C.R. Jung identified 5 basic factors related to happiness.

9. Oh, that First 1/3rd!
1/3-1/3-1/3 Learning/Working/”Retirement I spoke about my work (or 2d 1/3 earlier…this is my first third:).
So I wanted to try to find a way to infuse a picture of Athens/Ohio University, and came across this picture of me as a Pole Vaulter.

10. Developmental Realities My Third 1/3
Learn/Work/Retirement

11. Who might be seeking work after retirement?
Many can afford to retire to a life of leisure, while others simply do not want to stop working
Baby Boomers bring a lifetime of strong work ethic, skills, and energy
There are great advantages to be found in a seasoned workforce.
Building viable cross-generational work teams can yield a positive work environment, with a range of seasoned experience, skill and youthful energy.
They are seeking careers that are, Meaningful to them, has an element of flexibility, and allows them to maintain the positive benefits of structure in their lives. 
Dr. Charlie Bird, Administrator Emeritus
Ohio University
Charlie Bird, a former Professor of Psychology and Executive Dean of OHIO U’s Regional Campus system has worked, written and consulted in the area of Encore Careers.
Some observations that he has made on the subject involve.

12. Boundless Potential by Mark S. Waton
“As we navigate midlife and the years beyond, each of us face a choice. We can decide to “retire” our ambitions, to refocus or downshift our aspirations. Or we can choose to reinvent …to redirect our course, to pursue what happiness, profits, and purpose may yet be ours to find.” (Waton 2012)

13. How we are aging, is changing too. You may look at it as I had
How we are aging, is changing too. You may look at it as I had. As a peek of health in mid-life , and then steady decline until the end of life.

14. Now, because of medical advances, more activity, and intentional changing of the way we view ourselves, quality and productivity of life has so much more promise then for generations past.

15. A gift of more quality time
A gift of more quality time. If not in years, at lease in the potential for quality life.

16. There is a paradigm of retirement
There is a paradigm of retirement. Some of you are there, or are working for it.
A dirty little secret is that it was made up by the leasure industry years ago as a time of play or self focus. For some this is fine, for others…not so much.
It’s message of development was Learn-Work-Rest-Die The rest thing sounds pretty good, but most are saying, NOW WHAT? Maybe for a few years, but not for 20 or 30 years.

17. The Institute of Economic Affairs of London (2013)
The Institute of Economic Affairs of London (2013) That suggested that retirement increases incidents of depression/anxiety by 40%, and 1 or more anxiety related physical ailments by 60%. This was after adjustments for typical age related decline.
The institute of Economic Affairs London in 2013 published a report:
Retirement increases incidents of depression/anxiety by 40%, and 1 or more physical ailments by 60%
This was after adjustments for typical age related decline.

18. Great Wave of Baby Boomers
Gray tsunami, 10K Baby Bummers turning 65 every day.
Many are still very active, and ready to work at something different from their former careers:
Teaching to Board of Education
Management to Consultation with Non-Profit
Highest level of BB’s reentering college, and continuing education more then any time in history
Feel ok about finding mentors who are younger then you if you want to learn something new

19. Some Truths about Encore Careers
It is common to get to ones retirement years and not know what’s next.
Encore paths don’t evolve the same for everyone.
Necessity
Interest into vocation
Your life situation may shape what you can do, want to do, and need to do in these years.
Some people plan for years. (Gary Evans)
Encore work involves trade-offs, such as money for meaning. You may be a “FVIP”.... And find that you trade power and influence for a chance to seek your passions.
Transition may take longer then you think.

20. Some examples of Encore Careers
Father of a friend worked as an accountant for 35 years. When he retired, he launched into fine woodworking...avocation to vocation.
Friend now coordinates a “Monday Lunch” program out of his local church. Purchases food, organizes volenteers, prep’s food on a weekly basis. It has become a major “meaning” in his life.
Speaking with an individual that some of you may know worked his entire career as a chemist. Upon retirement, as a lover of sports, he began working with his son as an NBA Agent, recruiting basketball players from across the globe.
My father, Thad Davis retired at 52. His Meaning: A Runners Life…for 32 years after his retirement, he and my mother traveled the country running marathons, ½ marathons, 10 & 5 K races. It was truely his meaning in retirement. 700 competative road races, both running, and after 78, competative race walking.
We have choices to make:
1. Continuing working such as seeking work in our former work domain, but less intense. May be functioning as a consultant, or fewer hours.
2. A second option is to relzs and comsume, however this often reaches a limit, and therby inviting health and emotional vulerabilities. Relax and Consume should only be viewed as a transition as an interim steping stone to revisioning.
3rd option is to revision a future that is based on a personal mission. We can reframe our persona, mission , or purpose in your life.

21. There is a focus on Meaningful Aging
Big thinkers are working on this, with new potential paths. Encore Careers, retirement communities, lifelong learning.
The critical thing is to know that we all have choices.
The problem with the Leisure Industry is that it defines Retirement as a Place to Stop, a destination, not a place to Grow.
MIT Open Course Ware (see link)
4 books of interest:
The Big Shift, by Marc Freedman (2011)
Aiging Well by George Vaillant MD (2002)
Not your Mothers Mid Life: 10 Step Guide to Fearless Aging by Nancy Alspaugh
Encore Career Handbook by Marci Alboher

22. Encore Readiness Questions to ask your clients
1. Are you in a place to move forward with an encore career?
2. Do you have some idea for what you want to do next?
3. Is there some issue you can’t stop thinking about?
4. Do you need a break from work?
5. Do you feel financially ready to make a shift?
6. Do you have someone you can talk with about your ideas?
7. Are you willing to take classes, continuing ed, or “intern” ?
8. Do you know what kind of environment you want to work in, and how much time you want to work?
9.Do you know if you want to work for yourself or an organization?
10. Can you succinctly describe where you are in your encore process or what it is you want to do?
Marci Alboher (2013)

23. A Must Have Resource

24. How do you get Started First, this is about Existential Counseling
Consider applying “Stages of Change” model
Coordinate Encore Panels local Library's
Approach local Community Centers
Team with a local university Alumni Center
Boundless potential for University Continuing Education
Offer to present to such as STRS, PERS
Write an article in your local paper about Encore Careers

25. It’s never too late to become what you might have been.”
George Eliot

26. “5 Stages of (Career) Change Model” developed by James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente.
Stage 1. Pre-contemplation – in this stage of the change process one is not considering a career change, although life events may suggest it is coming.

27. “5 Stages of (Career) Change Model” developed by James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente. (cont)
Stage 2. Contemplation - you’ve recognized that a career change/retirement is coming but it’s sometime in the future. In this stage of the change process you haven’t committed to anything specific.

28. “5 Stages of (Career) Change Model” developed by James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente. (cont)
Stage 3. Preparation – you’re getting serious now – starting to test the waters, planning to take action. In this stage of the career change process you will spend a good portion of your time laying the groundwork for your new life.

29. “5 Stages of (Career) Change Model” developed by James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente (Cont)
Stage 4. Action - in this stage of the career change process you are actively exploring, and perhaps starting your new career – doing work that you love and getting paid for it! You might only be doing it part time while you’re still working your job – but you are doing it!

30. “5 Stages of (Career) Change Model” developed by James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente (Cont)
Stage 5. Maintenance – you're in the final stages of the career change process. Your new phase of life is up and running. You are working at what you love and living a life you have created intentionally.

31. Questions and Answers