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The CC - From Business ….. to Beginner Again
From Business ….. to Beginner AgainIn my early twenties, I entered a world that I was told would reward me for hard work, competence, and initiative. At seventy-two, I seem to be entering a world that asks me to grow beyond what I’ve learned, and step into each day as a beginner. Lately, I've been wondering what being a senior is really meant to look like. And I fondly remember the fresh feeling of being in my first bike shop in the late ‘70s. The front door was finally locked. Dennis, Tim, Ken, and Lang had gone home. Sitting behind the counter looking out at the rows of bikes, I was at the end of a crazy summer of 10-speed sales. People were so eager to get the latest Peugeot, Gitane or Raleigh, they gave us their money months in advance of the arrival of the next European shipment. Those beginnings still matter to me. But fifty years later, I’m finding that my entrepreneurial wisdom and drive isn’t enough for the person I’m becoming. “So what do I do?” I wondered out loud. “Well, I could start again at the beginning…. Yeah, then I’d make mistakes again.” A beginner, a novice. Yes, again I’m like I was as a young shop manager. I was trying to understand my life as a business owner. After seven decades, I realize how little I know about living a meaningful life. At twenty-six I asked, "What proves success?" I read books, took courses, and imitated successful people to accumulate the necessary skills. At seventy-two I’m asking myself, "Who needs me to prove success?” “Not me.” “Then what would I like to do?” No, that’s not the right question. Instead of asking merely "What should I do?" I want to look inward to find what makes me feel truly alive. Holidays refresh me. Cycling strengthens me. Volunteering serves others. My family roles invigorate me. But now I’m compelled to ask a deeper question: “What person am I being invited to become?” Some mornings I catch myself reaching for old identities, but what I’ve built in skills and competence will be ungainly in this latter stage of life. It’s not easy, I don’t have a new order of ten-speed bikes to put away, customers to serve, staff to manage. This novice’s role seems to have no roadmap. So I’m peering within and without to find where to begin again. What gives me the most joy isn't speaking to crowds. It's sitting across from one person, listening carefully, noticing what they may not yet see. We’re discovering together, perhaps not the answers, but at least some of the questions. That's when I feel most alive. Perhaps seniors aren’t meant to be builders forever. Maybe we’re to become witnesses, encouragers, and compasses. I would love to connect with you on LinkedIn and Facebook See you next week, Grayson Did someone forward you this email? Get weekly reflections straight to your inbox by subscribing to The Compassionate Competitor. Want to share this issue via text, social media, or email? Just copy and paste this link: [ARCHIVE URL GOES HERE] |
Grayson Bain
Join us if you're yearning for business insights peppered with adventure, humanity, and a dash of humility. It’s more than success; it’s about significance.
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