“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10
If you are approaching retirement, you may be wondering what God has in store for you in this next season. Dean Niewolny offers valuable advice from his personal journey and years of coaching experience on how to finish your career well and stay connected with God’s call on your life.
Dean shares five things that you need to know in order to finish well and keep a healthy perspective.
Surround yourself with encouragement.
“Strong finishers surround themselves with encouragement. Folks who are cheering them on, folks who are saying, ‘That a boy, that a girl, keep going!’”
Learn to be flexible.
Dean explains why flexibility is important and how it relates to finishing well.
“As we get older, sometimes we are less flexible. The reality is and what we’ve learned is that the more flexible and the more open you are to change, the better you finish.”
Involve your spouse.
Dean says it’s important to focus on your spouse’s dreams and calling, before focusing on your own. He shares from personal experience,
“When I sat down with Lisa I said, what is your Ephesians 2:10 calling? What are your dreams and aspirations going forward? Knowing what your spouse’s dreams and aspirations are and supporting him or her is critically important.”
Work to get physically healthy.
We are all called to honor the temple that God has given us and do our best to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Focus on your calling.
Each person has a unique call on their life so it’s wise to stay close to God, ask for his leading, and embrace your ‘sweet spot’ in this season of your life.
We don’t have to wait until we are nearing our retirement age to start thinking about finishing strong. Dean says there’s a lot of value in taking a self-assessment and finding out what you’re passionate about early on in life.
“The millennial age is so laser-beam focused on being significant at a young age. This idea of going from success to significance, ‘I don’t leap that; I’m ready to be successful in significant right now!’ I just believe the sooner we make eye contact with God and get in that sweet spot, the more we’re going to have joy, impact and balance in our life.”
Dean Niewolny is the Chief Executive Officer of the Halftime Institute. He speaks at events around the world, encouraging business leaders to channel their first half achievement into a second half defined by joy, impact, and balance. In Dean’s first book, , he shares candidly about his personal transition into a second half of meaning and significance and the learnings of the Halftime Institute over 20 years of helping marketplace leaders do the same.
How to finish well and stay connected to your calling
