We Had Joy, We Had Fun, We Had Seasons In The Sun...

I read that Tennis Legend, Serena Williams was going into retirement after an incredible 30 year career in the game.

She said her reason was to focus on her family, somewhat bitterly adding that "I don’t think it’s fair. If I were a guy, I wouldn’t be writing this because I’d be out there playing and winning while my wife was doing the physical labor of expanding our family."

Which leads to the perennial question:

"Can a person really 'have it all'?

And the truthful answer is,

"Yes, you can.

But usually, not all at the same time.

You can have a stellar career, great worklife balance, meaningful work, a happy family, lots of free time and a fantastic paying job. But to be able to have them all at once? Difficult. As the old saying goes, something's gotta give.

So what does this mean?

Like Serena Williams, it means there will be Seasons in Life. A Season for learning and growing, a Season for hard work and wealth building, and a Season for slowing down and embracing the change (and the various sub-seasons in between too!).

So, what can we do with our 40-year Career Journey?

1. Make the most of whatever season you are in.

Whether you're in the early, mid or late stage of your career, there will always be opportunities to leave an impact on your world. Some people speak of leaving a legacy behind whilst others hope to change the world.

You could be empire-building, knowledge-seeking, wealth-creating, or even just having fun with what you're doing at your stage in life, just do your best and make the most of it!

2. Recognise that someday, the music will stop and you will need a find your seat.

As much as we think we can stay on top of our careers indefinitely, there will be a point where we need to move on to other things, or to make way for younger talents to take over.

Or we might risk 'jumping the shark', a term used to describe the beloved series, "Happy Days" which was one of the best comedy series until the Season 5 episode where Fonzie ski-jumped a shark at a charity event. The series went downhill after that episode.

I know of a 42 year old Asia Pacific MD for a US technology firm whose meteoric rise in the industry was lauded and looked up to. He shared with me that he felt invincible, indestructable even.

Until his long hours took a toll on his health and he suffered his first heart attack while on a business trip to Vietnam.

He has since retired and is spending his time with his family on a yacht somewhere in the Mediterranean Sea.

"I always thought I could keep accelerating my career, but my body disagreed. We need to accept that there are seasons in our lives and make plans for the next big thing, whatever that is."

Even Alexander The Great wept when he found out that there was no more land to conquer.

3. Plan for the next season and embrace it

I still remember how I dreaded my 40th birthday.

I was told that things start to go downhill after that and I approached that date with great trepidation.

Until I met a spritely 78-year young colleague from Latin America at a global conference and he shared his secret with me.

"Young man, with every decade you gain, you get better at what you do, you get more respect from your peers and your clients. You will gain confidence in doing things you wouldn't dare dream of previously, so embrace the change!"

If you're at the top of the game, make it last and get even better at what you're doing, but set aside some time to plan for your next move. It need not necessarily be a 'downshift' to a smaller role, but it has to be in line with what your life-plans are going to be.

A Doctor could plan to do medical work for some missionaries abroad, a top software Engineer could think about setting up a coding school for underprivileged kids, or a top Headhunter could plan to become a Master Career Coach (ahem...) and help others with their careers.

Start making plans for your next Season in life early and you will be surprised how easily it will be when you need to slip into the next phase of your career.

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I often coach my clients with this wise Internet Meme:

When we were young, we had lots of time and energy but little money.

When we were working, we had lots of money and energy, but little time.

And when we are older, we will have lots time and money, but little energy!

So, right now, you are probably in a Season where you have time, money and energy - make the most of it, while it lasts, and plan for the next few seasons. The better prepared you are, the better you will come out of it!

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Adrian Choo?is a Thought Leader, Author and CEO/Founder of?Career Agility International, a global Career Strategy Consulting firm. A C-suite Mentor, he is a much sought-after speaker and can be heard on radio 91.3FM every Thursday morning where he shares his latest ideas on Careers.?Together with his co-founder,?Yen, he puts a weekly Linkedin Live Show, "Career Success with Adrian and Yen" every Friday morning,

Adrian, together with his team, helps mid-career executives to find CareerClarity? and we can be reached via whatsapp at +65 8838 0557.?