“Finding Purpose Again: How to Rebuild Meaning After 60”**

Something changes as we get older.

For years, much of our purpose was almost decided for us.

We went to work. We raised children. We paid bills. We took care of the house. We helped our parents. We had schedules and responsibilities.

Then one day, many of those responsibilities aren’t there anymore.

The children have families of their own. Retirement changes the daily routine. We suddenly have something we spent decades wishing we had more of:

Time.

But having more time and knowing what to do with it are two different things.

At 79, I’ve come to believe that one of the most important parts of getting older is continuing to have something that interests you.

I don’t think we need some grand new purpose.

Sometimes we simply need a reason to look forward to tomorrow.

Purpose Doesn’t Have to Be Something Big

When we hear the word “purpose,” it can sound pretty serious.

We may think we’re supposed to change the world, start a business, write a book or accomplish something remarkable.

I don’t see it that way anymore.

Purpose can be much simpler.

It might be helping at your church.

It might be working in your garden.

It might be spending time with grandchildren.

It might be learning something you’ve always been curious about.

It could even be getting up in the morning and working on a project in your basement, garage or home office.

What matters isn’t whether anyone else thinks it’s important.

What matters is that it’s important to you.

I’ve Discovered That I Still Like Learning

One thing that has surprised me about getting older is how much I still enjoy learning something new.

I’ve had to learn about websites, online security, artificial intelligence, social media and plenty of technology that didn’t exist during most of my working life.

Some of it has frustrated me.

Actually, quite a bit of it has frustrated me.

But I’ve also discovered something.

Learning keeps life interesting.

I don’t need to master everything.

I just need to remain curious enough to try.

That’s one of the reasons I started Reinvent After 60.

It gives me something to work on, something to learn and, hopefully, a way to share some of what I’ve learned during 79 years of living.

Look Back at Things You Used to Enjoy

Sometimes we don’t need to discover a new interest.

We need to rediscover an old one.

Think about the things you enjoyed before life became so busy.

Did you enjoy woodworking?

Gardening?

Fishing?

Cooking?

Traveling?

Painting?

Fixing things?

Reading?

Model trains?

Photography?

Maybe you stopped because work and family took priority.

Now you may have an opportunity to return to it.

And there’s an advantage this time around.

You don’t have to be good at it.

You don’t have to make money from it.

You don’t have to impress anybody.

You can simply enjoy it.

Don’t Underestimate a Project

I’ve always enjoyed projects.

There’s something satisfying about having a problem to solve or something to build.

It doesn’t have to be a major project.

Paint a room.

Organize the garage.

Build something.

Plan a small garden.

Learn how to use a new piece of technology.

Research a place you’d like to visit.

Start writing down some family stories.

A project gives you something to think about today and something to continue tomorrow.

I think that’s valuable at any age.

People Still Matter

Purpose isn’t only about keeping busy.

People matter too.

As we get older, our social circles can change.

We may not see former coworkers anymore. Friends move away. Family members become busy with their own lives.

That’s why the connections we still have become even more important.

You don’t need dozens of friends.

A conversation with a neighbor, breakfast with an old friend, a church activity, time with family or helping someone who needs a hand can make an ordinary day much better.

Sometimes purpose comes from what we’re doing.

Sometimes it comes from who we’re doing it with.

Your Experience Still Has Value

This is something I believe strongly.

Older people sometimes underestimate what they’ve learned.

By the time you reach your 60s, 70s or 80s, you’ve probably solved thousands of problems.

You’ve made mistakes.

You’ve recovered from some of them.

You’ve watched the world change.

You’ve learned things that can’t be learned from a book or a YouTube video.

That experience has value.

Maybe you can help a younger person learn a skill.

Maybe a grandchild needs advice.

Maybe your church or community organization could use your experience.

Or maybe you simply share what you’ve learned when somebody asks.

We don’t need to lecture younger generations.

But we shouldn’t assume we have nothing left to contribute either.

You Don’t Need a Five-Year Plan

When I was younger, I thought much more about the future.

Career plans. Financial plans. Family plans.

At 79, I still make plans.

But I don’t think everything has to be mapped out five or ten years ahead.

Sometimes the better question is:

What would I enjoy doing next?

That’s enough.

Maybe there’s someplace you’d like to visit.

Something you’d like to learn.

Someone you’d like to reconnect with.

A project you’ve been putting off.

A hobby you’ve always wanted to try.

You don’t need to reinvent your entire life.

Just choose the next thing.

Sometimes You Have to Try Something You’ve Never Done

This may be one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned.

Getting older can make it very easy to stay with what’s comfortable.

There’s nothing wrong with comfort.

I enjoy it myself.

But occasionally doing something different reminds us that we’re still capable of surprising ourselves.

I’ve tried things in my 70s that I never expected I’d be doing at this age.

Some worked.

Some didn’t.

But I’m glad I tried.

I’ve written about this before because I think it’s an important part of getting older. In fact, it’s one of the reasons I believe your 70s can be better than you expected.

Sometimes reinvention is simply saying, “I’ve never tried that before. Maybe I will.”

Final Thoughts

I don’t think purpose after 60 is something we need to go searching for as though we’ve lost it.

Maybe it’s simpler than that.

Have something you’re interested in.

Have something you’re looking forward to.

Keep learning.

Stay connected to people.

Use what you’ve learned to help someone when you can.

And every once in a while, try something you’ve never done before.

At 79, I certainly don’t believe I have everything figured out.

But I do know this:

I’m still interested in what comes next.

And I think that’s a pretty good reason to get up in the morning.