Portfolio Life: The New Path to Work, Purpose, and Passion After 50

"Dave Corbett's book turns two simple ideas into a program for life-enrichment, that you can create a life expressly for yourself and that the so-called retirement years are the best time to do it. Drawing on a lifetime of work with people who were rethinking what they wanted and their direction, he shows how to do both those things. Be warned: If you read the book, you're going to be changed. But I think you'll like how you turn out."

—Bill Bridges, author, Transitions and Job Shift

"Dave's book reveals a powerful and profound formula for crafting a genuinely rich life. If you agree that retirement is passé, and you are a lifelong learner and have a desire to make your life count in a deeply fulfilling way, you will love this book."

—Fred Harburg, former chief learning officer and president, Motorola University

"Healthy, fit, financially secure, and happy for another 40 years? Is there really that kind of gold over 'them thar' hills? Yes, and Portfolio Life is the guide, leading boomers to a life path never before traveled by so many. Don't pass 50 without it."

—Natalie Jacobson, news anchor, WCVB-TV Boston

"This is the work of a wise, thoughtful author with decades of experience helping people be more successful in the next chapter of their lives. It will help you embrace change and explore the possibilities that come with an additional 20 to 30 productive years to be designed and lived on your own terms."

—Anne Szostak, chairman, The Boys & Girls Clubs of America

"This timely book should be read by anyone of any age who wants his or her life to have meaning and purpose beyond the accumulation of money and things."

—Millard Fuller, founder, Habitat for Humanity and the Fuller Center for Housing

In this groundbreaking book, David Corbett, a thought leader on life transitions for executives and professionals, offers a compelling alternative to traditional retirement. Portfolio Life shows how to adopt a new way of thinking and living in extended middle age. This period was once relegated to winding down, but now it holds the promise of our most significant and passionate years, a time when we can be ourselves and contribute. Corbett describes a "life portfolio"—a balanced mix of work, learning, leisure, family time, and giving back that individuals tailor to their personality and goals. Using compelling stories, the book shows how to allocate one's time and energy among competing needs and personal dreams. The author includes advice on discovering our callings, the entrepreneurial spirit, spirituality, the role of legacy, and more.

Corbett elaborates a disciplined, step-by-step process for creating a life portfolio. He explores long- and short-term portfolio planning, offering practical suggestions and exercises. He also shows how to deal with the emotional turbulence that is inevitable in this transition. Portfolio Life is a guide not to surviving but to flourishing after careers end. Corbett holds that a life portfolio touches on what is really worth living for—those goals and purposes we need to call to mind throughout life's journey.

Richard Higgins is a writer and book editor. A Harvard Divinity School graduate, he coauthored Taking Faith Seriously. A former Boston Globe writer, he also edited More Than Money Magazine.

Preface.

1 Trailblazing.

2 A New Beginning.

3 New Realities.

4 Portfolio Life.

5 Steps Toward Portfolio.

6 Time to Give Back.

7 Closing the Gap.

8 Listen to Your Life.

9 Steps and Tools in Assessment.

10 The Portfolio Frame of Mind.

11 Five Paths to a New Mind-Set.

12 Anchors in a Sea of Change.

13 Planning for Success.

14 Moving into Portfolio.

15 Pockets of Turbulence.

16 The Goal Beyond.

Recommended Books.

Recommended Organizations and Web Sites.

Works Cited.

Acknowledgments.

The Authors.