At 50….

It’s time. The big 5 - Ohhh has arrived and with half a century on my shoulders, I will share my @50 thoughts.

At 50, what I have achieved professionally - first and foremost - are calm and balance. (I say professionally because with 2 teenage boys calm and balance are not my top-of-mind words to describe where I am at the moment '??)

When I write articles, I know the topic on which I want to elaborate but I don’t' pre-plan exactly what I want to write. More often than not, It just comes out as I type. So the words 'calm' and 'balance' came out instinctively...they were not pre-planned, not pre-thought.

Even I was slightly surprised that it is these 2 words that were my choice to describe my @50 achievement. One could have chosen to state their hierarchical level, their job title, their long & rich CV, their super duper professional achievements and or even their salary level etc. I guess it's directly related to my character because climbing up the corporate ladder and achieving impressive job titles was never my driving force. Money of course was a motivation, but a goal as such? No. Being excited about what I do, working with great people, learning new stuff and feeling impactful were my drivers and I have been lucky enough to have found those in most of my roles.

50 years old | 27 years of employment | 50,000+ working hours

50K+ hours of endless human interactions

50K+ hours of observations

50K+ hours of learnings

At 50, I get to choose where I want to be. No company will dictate where I should be.

At 50, I define my role. The role does not get to define me.

At 50, I don't let work define who I am. I am so much more than my work.

At 50, I set my boundaries. I get to choose and enact my way of working.

At 50, I am my true self. I don't try to pretend to be something or someone that I am not.

At 50, I have come to appreciate the friends in colleagues - those you have proved their authenticity and their genuine empathy.

At 50, I don't have time for bullshit. I don't beat around the bush. If you have something to tell me, just tell me and I will do so too.

At 50, my more relaxed and playful work style is my trademark.

At 50, I don't care that my seniority doesn't adhere to the stereotypical form or norm of what seniority should look like.

At 50, I don't have to prove my seniority. It will shine through.

At 50, I have realised that there is still so much to learn.

At 50, I have a clear and calm mind. I know where - in the boxes of my mind - to place people and situations and I can therefore deal with them accordingly.

At 50, I know whom to spend time on/with and whom to ignore. I will gladly invest my energy on those who reciprocate with positive energy. I refuse to drain any of my positive energy where it's a waste or not appreciated.

At 50, I know what's important, I know where and how to prioritise.

At 50, I have become a master of efficiency.

At 50, I am a master of my art.

At 50, I no longer have anything to prove

In looking back, if I had to give a title to the decades in one's professional journey are:

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20's: Decade of Exploration

30's: Decade of Growth

40's: Decade of Mastery

50+: Your last chance at Re-invention

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Guess where I am???

???? Here's to being calm and balanced at 50... ????