Hi there Reader,
Welcome to this edition of Meaningful eMail with the most recent takeaway and updates linked here at the top, and then a full article for your consideration.
Grab what's helpful today, then save others for future reference. You never know when you or someone in your network could use a boost!
Recent Takeaways & Updates
|
|
"The Art of Impossible" by Steven Kotler
How to find & use motivation, learning, creativity and flow to be your best self.
|
|
|
Now Enrolling!
Ready to do something different but not sure what that might be? Join the next cohort of my Leveraging Experience workshop! Starts up May 1st.
|
|
|
Full Circle Moment
Such a joy & honor to speak at a conference I used to attend way back in the thick of my design career! I covered how being our best self is crucial to doing our best work.
|
Let's Explore
Career Curves
When I first read about career curves and the reason behind them, it was such a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. I finally had a reason for why I'd become frustrated with my design work AND I had a path toward second-half career satisfaction.
What Are Career Curves?
Studies show there’s a pretty distinct curve in most careers which have those of us in professional fields reaching peak performance around 20 years into our field of study or work.
So about the time we’re in our late 30s or early 40s we’ve pretty much maxed out our skill efficiencies and also our innovations. This doesn’t mean we stop learning or growing, just that we’re doing so at a different rate. And the rate of our ideas is also slowing down. Our level of work and performance usually plateaus after this peak, leaving us with a pretty mediocre second half.
BUT - those studies are looking at people who start and stay in the skill-based aspects of their work. They might be an engineer or I don’t know, a graphic designer (me, yes, I'm talking about me), for those 20 years. It’s all they’ve known. They’ve had some level of success with it, but yet about 20 years in they seem to hit a wall.
Along came some NEW studies which show there’s a second curve available to us. Those who move away from skill-based work to wisdom-based work enjoy a whole new energy and momentum in their careers - a whole new curve.
The second half of our careers can actually be more awesome than the first!
Skills vs Wisdom
"Skills" and "wisdom" are really broad categories here, but help us see there is a difference to how we can categorize our work and experiences.
Skill-based work for this purpose, means the work we do which requires us to quickly solve specific problems, often using specific skills. Think of the engineer who creates a new way to address structural load. The accountant who solves their client's cash flow concerns. An event planner who coordinates last-minute schedule changes.
Wisdom-based work is what we’re calling the work which uses more broad thinking, accessing a wide range of information and experiences to explain larger concepts. Some common roles associated with this would be teaching, strategy work, leadership, C-suite positions, and yes, coaching.
Those who move from skill-based work to wisdom-based have been found to have careers which are longer more fulfilling, meaningful, and successful (depending of course on how YOU define success).
The Science Behind It
So why is wisdom-based work the key to a successful second half? There’s a part of our brain which really kicks in to high gear in our 20s, then starts to decline in our 30s and 40s. This is where our fluid intelligence comes from - the 'intelligence' we use to innovate, solve problems quickly and with novel solutions.
There’s ANOTHER part of our brain which kicks into high gear as the other one declines. The second one is where our wisdom lies. This is called our crystallized intelligence - the ability to deduce, to make connections between seemingly disparate elements, to put our experiences, ideas and innovations into broader applications.
How Second Becomes First
To get the second half of our career to the top of our most fulfilling career moments, we need to embrace the changes then take the leap into wisdom.
Easier said than done, right? How the heck do we even get started on something like that?
I have a feeling you've already been leaning into your wisdom, sharing your experiences with younger colleagues or taking on leadership roles whether at work or in volunteer activities.
What would it look like to do that intentionally?
Here are some resources when you're ready to explore:
Leverage Your Experience For What's Next:
my small group workshop starting May 1
From Strength To Strength by Arthur C Brooks:
the book which introduced me to this research
A What's Next That's Worthwhile:
my last email which I turned into a LinkedIn article
Jumping from one curve to the next is absolutely possible, and some would argue, absolutely essential if you want to enjoy a full and satisfying career. So far, my own second curve has been amazing - I'd love to help you find yours.
PS: Know someone who's feeling frustrated with their career, who's ready to lean into their wisdom? Send 'em this email!
