I know that, technically, it's a little bit long for a quote, but I like the point that Howard and Marika Stone were making about becoming fearless in this month's Too Young To Retire newsletter :
For some of you, the idea of becoming fearless conjures up a physical challenge, e.g. climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro or sky-diving or another extreme sport like kite-boarding -- a favorite of people in the 50s, 60s and beyond. No doubt, there is a thrill in pushing the envelope of one's physical ability and surviving to tell the tale. Adventure sports and travel will be the beneficiaries of this trend.
But it can take
other, less hazardous forms. For us, fearlessness is seizing and celebrating the
'what can they do to me' moment. You stop caring about the opinion of others and
start making choices about your life based on some inner necessity, possibility
even an intimation of mortality (to borrow liberally from Wordsworth). As your
role as primary bread-winner drops away, you may feel ready to take on risks
that express a buried calling or passion. You might find yourself among the
thousands of 50 and 60-somethings who are first time entrepreneurs. Or you may
be attracted to tackling a problem in your community, running for political
office, or becoming an activist like Maggie Kuhn,
who founded the Gray Panthers at 65 when she was forced to retire.
Fearlessness is about
freedom to fall on your face and get up, smiling. It's about finding courage you
didn't know you possessed. It's about seeing the Big Picture, your own place in
it, and the resolve to do something that matters.
Marika and Howard Stone
Comments