Stewarding the Currency of Time
In their book, The 100-Year Life,[1] Lynda Gratton and Andrew Scott endeavor to give us a new way to count out our days on this Earth. Reviewing trends in age expectancy, they ask us to move past the common, three-stage view of life, and challenge us to restructure our use of one of the greatest commodities we have: time. While it is responsible to do this assessment and to steward the time we have been given, it is also important to keep this in context of what scripture says about time. Let’s not forget that adding a handful of years onto the end of our time here is paltry in view of eternity.
Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure. Psalm 39:4-5
Managing the Intangibles
By surfacing the context of eternity, I am not suggesting that what Gratton and Scott are proposing is shallow. Indeed, after reviewing their work, I see that they are indicating that proper preparation for a well-lived life is about more than the length of our years or the balance of our bank accounts. Instead, they recall us to greater balance. A key pivotal point of their writing happens about a third of the way through the fourth chapter where we are called to focus on the priceless by emphasizing “intangible assets.” These assets include investing in areas like ongoing knowledge, emphasizing health and wellness, as well as developing relationships and social networks.[2]
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot. Ecclesiastes 3:1-2
Gratton and Scott’s work is interesting in that it calls into stark reality that society is on the cusp of a major disruption in what has previously been taken for granted: what we should anticipate to experience during the third phase of our life. They assert that these final years can be reframed from a time of survival into a time to thrive. As I perused Gratton and Scott’s work, I noticed how counter-cultural their proposals are. They note that we need to challenge not just our own expectations, but also those of our governments and employers. And this rings true. Throughout the years, I have watched those who are reaching what would traditionally be understood to be the end of their career. They often assume either an attitude of entitlement (they should be able to relax now) or resignation (they are no longer relevant). But Gratton and Scott suggest a path that includes no longer relegating fifty-somethings to what I have observed as an often-awkward process of being put out to pasture. There is hope in what they are proposing that the arrival of my grey hair may no longer also usher in a limitation of the impact that I can have in the spaces in which I move. While that is encouraging, they also suggest that professionals need to continue to redefine and re-create themselves. Not just once, but maybe several times. This call to action requires maintaining an anchored sense of identity that allows one to also pivot professionally. This is a tall order.
Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. Psalm 90:10
It is probably still a good idea to not forego some of the traditional considerations in preparing for our later years. Yes, its probably good to accommodate for changes in our physical and mental capacities. (Does my house have too many stairs? Is it conveniently located to needed services?) And yes, I need to be thinking carefully about my financial picture. (Will I be able to maintain the lifestyle to which I have become accustomed?!?!) However, Gratton and Scott are also highlighting that it is equally important to invest in the intangibles like continual learning, social networks, and most importantly our ability to remain able to transform.[3] They are giving us courage to think about not hunkering down for our “golden years” but thinking boldly about how to stay engaged in what can be a dynamic period. Instead of preparing for retirement almost like we are told to prepare for a disaster, they add nuance to this discussion. They tell us that there is more to our happiness than our 401K balance.
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? Matthew 24: 25-27
Gratton and Scott’s work intuitively make sense, and they have the weight of their academic success to back up their claims. Ultimately, what they are proposing; that we should look at our lives holistically, that we should challenge the assumption that the last parts of our lives should be less productive, and that we need to preserve a well-differentiated view[4] of the good life. The real struggle will be to, as they propose, to get our public and employer policies and practices to align with such a mature approach.
Questions:
- How can we reward public and corporate officials for creating space for an aging workforce?
- Is there any role for our faith leaders to also create a shift in mindsets of their parishioners? What would that look like?
- What tangible ways can we support Gen Z and younger generations in planning for this new reality of aging?
Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
James 4:14
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[1] Lynda Gratton and Andrew J. Scott, The 100-Year Life: Living and Working in an Age of Longevity, 1st edition (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2020).
[2] Gratton and Scott, 67–91.
[3] Gratton and Scott, 67–91.
[4] Edwin H. Friedman and Peter Steinke, A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix (10th Anniversary, Revised Edition) (New York: Church Publishing Incorporated, 2017).
About the Author
Jennifer Vernam
4 responses to “Stewarding the Currency of Time”
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Hello Jen Vernam,
I decided to do a quick reply to your three questions. They are not deeply thought out just some off-the-cuff responses.
1. How can we reward public and corporate officials for creating space for an aging workforce?
We can offer incentives like tax breaks, recognition awards, or grants for companies that implement age-inclusive policies. Publicly celebrating organizations that embrace older employees could encourage more businesses to follow suit.
2. Is there any role for our faith leaders to also create a shift in mindsets of their parishioners? What would that look like?
Absolutely. Faith leaders can teach sermons or lead discussions that emphasize the value of lifelong contribution, regardless of age. They could also create intergenerational programs where older members mentor younger ones, showcasing the importance of wisdom and experience.
3. What tangible ways can we support Gen Z and younger generations in planning for this new reality of aging?
Offering financial literacy programs, promoting lifelong learning, and encouraging flexibility in career planning would be key. We can also foster mentorship opportunities where older generations share their experiences, helping younger people understand the benefits of adaptability and long-term thinking.
Hi Jennifer,
Great post. I always enjoy your questions.
Here is the one I picked. What tangible ways can we support Gen Z and younger generations in planning for this new reality of aging?
Recently, my USAF Cadet daughter got her future job assignment. She will be going to Pensacola, Florida to train with Navy Pilots as a CSO chief systems officer (think Goose/2nd seat in Top Gun.
Wow. Much excitement. But she also had a backup plan as a linguist (Hungarian and Japanese) working as an Air Force Liaison officer overseas or in Embassies.
Hmmm…what can I give to them (I have 3 Gen Zs by the way).
Perhaps reminding them that they are part of God’s Plan. I have asked “what is God calling you to do? Where? How?”.
In the midst of selecting majors (she is an aeronautical engineer) and getting her job slot. Figuring out how she fits into God’s future, is a start in aiming her down the 100 year old path.
The other two Gen Zers are on roller coast rides of their own (but that is another story).
Shalom.
Hi Jennifer,
I love your title and your questions. I enjoyed reading others responses. Your questions are multi-generational which I really appreciate. You pointed out that forging our own way is counter-cultural and that can be scary, but it is fulfilling. I’m grateful that I had elders in my family that paved a path in which they retired at 75-years old, remained active in their communities and pursued more education and service after retirement. I think our culture needs a shift. Not in the form of a policy in which people are forced to retire too young or too old, but that appreciation and consideration for all stages of life and experience are valued and rightfully compensated. Do you see that type of change coming?
Thanks for the question, Jenny, and your reminder that sometimes the most important shifts happen outside of public policy. Having just digested Haidt’s work, I am still reflecting on his call for collective action to protect our children from the negative impacts of smart phones and social media… perhaps collective action should be a strategy in how we support our aging population, as well.