The View From Fifty

I recently turned fifty, and as I approached this milestone, I reflected on some lessons I have learned over the years. This article serves as an introduction to what I hope will be a series. I will expand on some of my lessons and observations in future articles. For now, here are some initial thoughts. Every person is different, and their life experiences are also different, and this makes meeting people so interesting. But, please keep in mind that if I suggest something because it worked for me, it might not work for you.

On Careers

• Your career never takes a straight line. Even if you don’t change companies and have a steady progression in one company, it is rare for anyone to just keep progressing nicely.
• Something as simple as a change of manager can set you back — they might not like you, or the way you work, or they might feel threatened by you and just want you out of their team. So, they could have you moved, or start white-anting you so that a move is the best option, or that you have no other choice.
• The opposite can happen, where someone who believes in your talent helps you to meet and work with the right people, gets you the right training or the right mentor, and your progression can really move quickly.
• Having all the right qualifications and skills doesn’t mean opportunities will come, nor…