Scott Perry's Blog, page 19

Making a Living vs. Making a Difference

"Make a living" is a funny phrase. What does it really mean?

For most if us, it means whatever one does to earn the money necessary to provide for life's essentials like food, clothing, and shelter.

But of course, if you're reading this you can cover much more than the essentials with your paycheck.

And what do you do with the excess?

I know that for too long, I was guilty of spending what was left over on extravegencies and distractions that had little meaning and brought me no joy.

Does that sound familiar?

If so, I don't think it's our fault. It's what society makes available and what it programs us for.

However, if we are lucky enough to wake up from the emptiness of the "pursuit of happiness" (AKA "the happiness trap"), we have a responsibility to rethink what our lives are really all about.

In the first half of life, most of us define ourselves, and are defined by others, by what we do to make a living (and how much we make doing it).

As we enter the second half of life, many of us begin measuring our worth by the difference we're making.

What difference are you making?

I think that before any of us can answer that question, we need to ask, "what's the difference only I can make?"

So, what's the difference only you can make?

I think it begins with defining who you really are, what you're really good at, and where you really belong.

The difference only you can make lies at the intersection of those three elements.

Fulfillment meaning and joy come from engaging in an endeavor that leverages your values and talents done with and for those who share your values and need your talents.

Are you ready to move from making a living to making a difference?

(The Art of Encore Living provides a process built with insights time-tested by ancient philosophy and spiritual traditions and scientifically vetted by modern psychology and neuroscience. Visit theartofencoreliving.com to learn more.)

Scott Perry, Encore Life The Art of Encore Living

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Are we really merely players?

I found Shakespeare difficult to read back in Jr. High School. However, I recently immensely enjoyed rereading As You Like It.

It opens with this line.

"All the world's a stage,

And all the men and women merely players."

The way I read this is that ol' Willie is revealing both the personal significance and cosmic insignificance of human endeavor.

Although our lives may matter a great deal to us, they matter very little in the grander scheme of things.

Shakespeare makes a compelling and often comedic case for his assertion. At the same time, the play begs the question: if our fate is to merely play our role through the many stages of life, what, if anything, is it all for?

It's a daunting question, especially if, like me, you're waaayyyy north of 50 and in your life's third and final act.

 And yet, I think there's an implicit invitation in unpacking the idea of our ultimate demise and triviality.

Any meaning your life has is based on what you did with it, while life is yours to do something with.

It's a frighteningly awesome power. You get to define what your life means by deciding what you do with it.

Today, I encourage you to not just think about what to do with what poet Mary Oliver called "your one wild and precious life," but also actually do something with it worth doing.

After all, if we are all truly only actors, your one and only job is to act. Why not act well and on purpose?

Scott Perry, Encore Life Coach at Creative on Purpose. 

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My Adventures in Encore Living

About 7 years ago, I knew I wanted to make a transition in what I did to make a living, but I had ZERO clarity about what that could be.

And to be completely transparent, I had it pretty good doing what I was already doing.

As a musician and guitar studio owner, I literally PLAYED for a living (the pic above is me appearing in concert on PBS).

And the gig was not only fun, but it was also fulfilling and financially successful.

But I was being called to be and do more and better.

I KNEW I was not tapping into my true and full potential and that I had MUCH more to contribute.

Can you relate?

I find this experience familiar to others in my circles of connection approaching or already past retirement age (whatever that is).

But what do you do when you don't know what to do?

For people like me, you just start doing SOMETHING.

And I did.

Blogging and broadcasting led to books and businesses.

Coaching and consulting led to courses and community.

I was becoming an encorepreneur (someone nearing or reaching retirement and undertaking a new venture) before I even knew what that was.

Why?

There are LOTS of reasons, but one tops the list.

I didn't want to die with the difference only I could make still inside.

But finding and building my "what's next" involved a LONG walk in the wilderness of doubt and confusion and was often an exhausting grind.

(Don't get me wrong there was also PLENTY of thriving while I was striving, including a 4-year stint as a head Coach in Seth Godin's Akimbo Workshops!)

Does any of this resonate with you?

If you're starting or scaling an encorepreneurial enterprise, I invite you to expedite your journey and avoid wasting time and effort unnecessarily.

The Art of Encore Living provides weekly 1:1 coaching, curated content, and weekly group calls to help people 45+ start and scale an encorepreneurial endeavor in their lives 3rd act.

Interested in joining us?

Drop me an email at scott@creativeonpurpose.com If you'd like to connect to learn more.

We need YOU and the contribution only you can make. Let's work together to make things better.

Scott Perry, Encore Life Coach at The Art of Encore lLving

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What does "the art of encore living" mean?

So, you might be asking yourself, "What the heck is the art of encore living?"*

If you're approaching or already past retirement age (whatever that is) you may be familiar with the idea of an "encore career." An encore career is a new vocation beginning in the second half of someone's life. It was popularized by social entrepreneur Marc Freedman who wrote a book about encore careers titled, as you may have guessed, "Encore." 

 Freedman describes an encore career as a pursuit enrolled in for a public or social purpose and a sense of fulfillment and maybe financial remuneration. There's even a new word for someone engaged in this kind of endeavor, an "encorepreneur." 

The "second half of life" is another term that's entered the discussion around what to do when you're ready to move beyond merely making a living and start making a difference (what I like to call "living your legacy"). The Franciscan priest, Fr. Richard Rohr wrote a wonderful book called "Falling Upward" about the trials and triumphs experienced in the second half of life. Jungian analyst James Hollis also writes about navigating the second half of life in several of his books. Then there's David Brooks, NY Times columnist, PBS commentator, and author of "The Second Mountain," who offers another take on negotiating the second half of life. 

Then there are the proponents of life's three acts who assert that, at least in the privileged places in the world, the first act is about learning and youthful concerns, the second is about career and family, and the third act is about self-actualization and legacy. 

Three acts not enough? In the Hindu faith, Dharma (a hard word to translate but I like "your duty to live your soul's purpose") is the goal of life and there are four stages of life. 

And of course, some argue that the two, three, or four-step approaches to life aren't enough. In "As You Like It," William Shakespeare argues that there are seven stages of life. 

So, you might be wondering, which approach is the right one to start engaging with the art of living well in your life's later years? I think they're all right, or at least all right enough. They each have plenty of wisdom to offer those of us who want to move from merely making a living to making a difference with the time we have left.

How do you think about or qualify the various stages of your life? Which are you in now and how are you planning for the next?

*This is a slightly altered iteration of the introduction to Creative on Purpose's new broadcast, The Art of Encore Living—a show that delivers insight and inspiration to help listeners entering the second half of life find fulfillment, forge meaning, and make a difference. Don't just leave a legacy. Live it! Tune in here.

Scott Perry, Encore Life Coach at The Art of Encore Living

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The Art of Encore Living

We all do the work we have to do to make a living.

If we're lucky, that work isn't soul-sucking and maybe even feels rewarding.

And if we're REALLY lucky, that work aligns with who we are, what we're good at, and where we belong.

That kind of work feels meaningful and fulfilling—more of a vocation than simply an occupation.

I've been VERY fortunate. I've made a living doing work I've been called to do several times—as a musician, teacher, and now an encore life coach. 

If you haven't found your soul's calling, it's not your fault.

Institutionalized education and occupation systematically indoctrinated you to ignore and deny your dreams.

Instead of nurturing your innate instincts for creativity, collaboration, and curiosity, society has compelled you to comply, compete, and settle for the status quo.

And yet...

You can find and define your lifework—the work you GET to do anytime you choose and decide to do the inside-out work of reconnecting with who you really are, what you're really good at, and where you really belong.

Your life is speaking to you RIGHT NOW. Will you heed its call and let it speak through you?

Scott Perry, Encore Life Coach at Creative on Purpose. 

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Melanie Booher - "They're going to stay for the culture."

Insight and inspiration for flying higher in the difference only you can make from guests who have appeared on Creative on Purpose Live.

This week's wisdom comes from a conversation with author and HR consultant, Melanie Booher. Tune into the entire conversation here.

[Scott] "For someone that's here tuning in who would, like you have done, fly a little bit higher in the difference only they can make, what would you share with them?"

[Melanie] "I know it would be something around, you know, to the business leaders that might be listening to this, you know, people may come for your business or what you offer, but they're going to stay for the culture. Right?"

"It matters how we treat people."

"And I find myself saying all the time, you know, we have to make more decisions and lead with heart. You know? We would be in a better place."

"We cannot separate. This isn't, I know people say, right? Separating church and state, or however, you want to say it, right? But business and heart have to go together."

"As well, we have to figure out a way to lead and remember that we have those human moments, and we can have success even in doing that."

[Scott] "I love that. I think all business is about the human-to-human endeavor, not b2b b2c or all the other ridiculous things that we come up with. That's really very much appreciated."

Melanie just delivered a powerful insight about the importance of culture and why cultivating healthy culture matters. What role does culture play in your endeavor? How can you improve cultural connection today?

Scott Perry, Chief Difference-Maker at Creative on Purpose.

(BTW, you can watch this and every other entire interview in the Creative on Purpose Broadcast Archive. To learn more and access for free, click here.)

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The Difference Between Dreams & Desires

Langston Hughes' poem Dreams was one of the few we encouraged our sons to memorize while homeschooling them.

Do you know it? Here it is.

Dreams, by Langston Hughes

Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly. 

Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.

Dreams matter. They matter a lot.

Yet, our institutionalized educational and occupational systems talk very little about and rarely encourage dreams. Instead, they distract us with the craving for and pursuit of desires.

This is sad and a recipe for suffering.

Although we often conflate dreams and desires, the distinctions between the two make all the difference in terms of promoting our health and happiness.

Desire is the singular and selfish pursuit of a want.

On the other hand, a dream is a worthy cause we work toward in community.

Ironically, even when we achieve a desire, we feel empty and lacking and wanting more.

Interestingly,although we suspect our dreams are beyond our reach, we find the endeavor itself is its own reward—providing our lives with meaning, fulfillment, and joy regardless of result.

Martin Luther King Jr.'s I Have a Dream speech referenced a dream, not a desire, on purpose and for good reason. 

As a difference-maker, what are the aims you are pursuing? Which are desires? Which are dreams?

How might distinguishing between the two help you frame healthier choices and make better decisions about what you do next?

Scott Perry, Chief Difference-Maker & Catalyst Coach at Creative on Purpose. 

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Işıl Uysal Calvelli - "Be the possibility."

Insight and inspiration for flying higher in the difference only you can make from guests who have appeared on Creative on Purpose Live.

This week's wisdom comes from a conversation with Işıl Uysal Calvelli author of The Gift of Being Unfulfilled at Work. Tune into the entire conversation here.

[Işıl] "Two things emerge for me. One is fall forward."

"Fall forward. Make the movement and if there is a fall you are forward and if there is not you are high and flying. So, in either case, forward movement is your guidance rather than hiding."

"So, that's the first thing. And the other thing is, I'm taking this from our conversation, is to remember the possibility and the abundance. Or rather, let's say practice or be the possibility and abundance you want to experience."

Işıl just delivered a powerful insight about how to embrace abundance and possibility. How can you do both today?

Scott Perry, Chief Difference-Maker at Creative on Purpose.

(BTW, you can watch this and every other entire interview in the Creative on Purpose Broadcast Archive. To learn more and access for free, click here.)

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Where the Art of Living REALLY Begins

The art of living—what does that mean to you?*

What it means to live well and how one does it are central preoccupations of most ancient philosophical and spiritual disciplines.

Despite the lack of a definitive answer, we don't talk much about the art of living well these days. Why is that?

I think the art of living begins by embracing that life ends.

"Think of yourself as dead. You have lived your life. Now, take what is left and live it properly."—Marcus Aurelius

Marcus had some specific ideas for what he meant by "properly"—concepts like "living in accord with Nature" and "a life in pursuit of virtue" that are difficult to summarize succinctly.

That said, starting with one's ultimate end in mind seems like a suitable place to begin a discussion of what the good life really means.

How might practicing a little more memento mori ("remember you die") help you live more purposefully today?

*For more thoughts on the art of living, click here.

Scott Perry, Chief Difference-Maker & Catalyst Coach at Creative on Purpose. 

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What Purpose Isn't

For those who seek to make a difference, purpose is crucial.

And yet...

It is a term that is often confused or conflated with other ideas like vision, mission, or goal. I teased apart the difference between purpose and passion already. Here's my current attempt to do the same with these other terms.

Your purpose is your reason for being. It lies at the convergence of who you are (your values and guiding principles), what you're good at (your skills and talents), and where you belong (with people who share your values and need your talents to enhance their lives).

Your purpose is the difference only you can make.

Vision is an articulation of the better world you seek to create with and for those you serve.

Mission is the cause you crusade that seeks to fulfill your vision.

Your goal is the immediate campaign you are invested in as part of your mission.

Your purpose is the asset you leverage in service of your vision, mission, and goal.

Purpose is a compass for engaging with your vision, mission, and goal with integrity and intention.

How do you differentiate vision, mission, goal, and purpose? How does that clarify your purpose? How are you embracing and engaging your purpose today?

Want to go further?

Explore the value of purpose in Creative on Purpose’s FREE mini-course, The Power of Purpose (access it at CreativeOnPurpose.com).

To take a bolder step into finding, defining, and refining the difference only you can make, consider The Purpose Solution online program.

Scott Perry, Chief Difference-Maker at Creative on Purpose. 

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