Be very careful with the idea that, all women are replaceable. There are women you don't meet twice in your entire life!!
Example, My Wife @MrsAquila 💙
Why am I telling you this story?
Because the biggest error of our time is that we are not living in the decade we are IN. We have attempt to TEACH our children in the first seven years instead of playing with them, to PLAY with them in the years we are expected to advise them.
And now, as I approach the next phase, I am seeking answers too. Just like you, I want pointers as to how best to live the years between 49 and 56, and I am hoping that this event, this conversation leads me to answers.
In the past 7 years, this has been my calling, to take responsibility for whatever is failing around me and to DO SOMETHING about it. To organize people, to aggregate resources, to advocate for change.
And then you get to 42, you are now RESPONSIBLE, where you stop being the victim and become the catalyst, the generation that is capable of driving change and therefore responsible for doing so.
You are old enough to avoid stupid mistakes and young enough to fall and get up again. You must make your move. Start a business, change jobs, join politics.. this is the sweet spot for dreamers.
Between 35 and 42, you must become the DREAMER. This is the phase when you have known love from play, knowledge from being taught, wisdom from being advised, grit from making sacrifices and goodwill from helping people. It is now your time to dream, and I dare you to dream BIG.
Whether you do, for as long as you are programmed to help people get things done, you will excel, you will be propelled. And by the time you turn 35, you should be ready for the next and most exciting phase of your life.
If you handle the 4th phase well, you will be eased into your first true position of leadership, you will become a teacher and a mentor to those coming into the workplace. In this phase, you job is to HELP.
In this phase, you must exercise disciple so that you can build for takeoff, & you must also exercise your body & your mind. This is where winners are separated from the once was. You must resist the urge to start living large, to party till dawn, to spend more than you earn.
What NEXT?
I think of the 7 years, between the age of 21 & 28, as the age of SACRIFICE. These are the years when you must wake up early every single day, when you must do the difficult work but will not be paid enough, when you will build your business but live on lowly wages.