By Sabyasachi Dutta
We live in crazy times – for decades it used to be VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous) world while transiting from the 20th to the 21st century, but a few pundits think the axis has tilted to BANI (Brittle, Anxious, Non-linear, and Incomprehensible) now. Though equally strong, both these disparate voices do co-exist peacefully. Call it what you may like but there’s no denying that similarly on some other contemporary issues there are strong, cogent views that are poles apart.
One debate currently raging on in the corporate world is the number of hours employees should work for! Some honchos demand 70 hours a week, some want their staff to be in the office even on Sundays, while on the other end of the spectrum, we see Japan is soon introducing a four day workweek, something that’s already in vogue in a handful of other countries! Not to forget, long ago France made it illegal to send emails after work hours! The world seems so neatly divided!
In such a time, recall the famous Carl Jung quote, “Life really does begin at forty…..” and by the time figuratively one moves out of their teens, the corporate world hands over the retirement slip. Also, with increased life expectancy many opine that sixty is the new forty. The thought of one being made to stop going to work the moment they celebrate a certain birthday, is quite dreadful. And that’s where the concept of ‘rewirement’ has strongly barged in!
Once the stint as corporate executive ends, it could also herald the beginning of whole new pursuits one is passionate about! Instead of staring at an uncertain future that may include financial concerns, it’s advised that one should explore new frontiers – an act of rewiring oneself, afresh! This bold shift can also mark – what I would love to call – a ‘human ecdysis process!’
The inspiration to rewire, once freed of the shackles of a routine job, should come from deep within! It should not only delink a person from their past constraints but also help them reach for the unfulfilled dreams they may have nurtured for long. Maybe the blessing in disguise could be the reset initiative energizes one to reach for the hallowed Ikigai.
There are plenty of examples in our midst, visibly noticed, where professionals have smoothly embraced ‘rewirement.’ Many former sportspersons have become formidable coach post-retirement – Zinedine Zidane (Football), Pullela Gopichand (Badminton), or Gary Kirsten (Cricket) – to name a few!
There are also examples aplenty where people changed vocation and excelled in their new fields. By reskilling themselves entirely they invented a new individual that must have instilled a sense of purpose and fulfilment in their second innings! Transitions such as these are easier said than done! The innate drive and deep dislike for stagnation pushed by the financial demands – in some cases – all do propel individuals to discard retirement and embrace ‘rewirement’ adding new feathers to their career caps!
(Author is Country General Manager of a British MNC in India. Views expressed are personal.)
