Finding Purpose in the Next Chapter of Your Work Life
- Angela Kontgen
- Jul 14
- 3 min read
What if your best work is still ahead of you?
Hello and good day!
I hope this message finds you well — perhaps sipping a lovely beverage in a beautiful place.
A few weeks ago, I began a conversation here about carving a meaningful career path in your 50s, 60s, and beyond. It’s a subject close to my heart — because, at 58, I’m right in the thick of it. I continue to carve out fulfilling coaching paths that challenge me, keep me learning, and allow me to contribute in meaningful ways. I love that.
I continue to work — partly for financial reasons, but also because I truly want to. More importantly, I now work on my own terms. I’ve let go of the hustle, the proving, the endless chase.
In fact, research shows that continuing to work in later life — especially in ways that align with our values — can significantly enhance both well-being and longevity.
And I hear this echoed again and again by others navigating this stage of life:
"I’m no longer interested in climbing the corporate ladder."
"I want to do something more meaningful."
"I need to figure out what I really want to do with my life — how I want to contribute."
Each stage of life brings something new and exciting — and the later chapters are no exception. If anything, they offer us the opportunity to create with intention.
Start With the Big Questions
Finding purpose in this stage — just like any other — begins with inquiry. It starts with being okay with not knowing all the answers. It takes showing up with an open, curious mindset.
That takes daily work — and that’s okay - have fun with it!
Here are a few questions I invite you to sit with — not to solve right away, but to explore over time:
What is the bigger picture of my life?
What has always been calling to me?
Where can I now take all this experience and these skills?
What is the difference I’m here to make?
What do I want to create with my one wild and precious life?
That last one is a favourite of mine. There’s nothing quite like the jolt of realizing how quickly time passes. "Someday" is an illusion. What we have is today — and today is a great place to begin.
A Story of Reinvention
Not long ago, I worked with a wonderful individual in his mid-50s. He’d climbed enough corporate ladders, held enough impressive titles, and reached a point where he wanted to work — and contribute — differently.
He could have considered retirement. But he wasn’t ready to “hang it up.” He knew he still had valuable expertise and wanted to offer it in a new way — as a consultant.
Together, we:
Got clear on where he wanted to go next
Developed his professional brand
Built a networking strategy and fostered exciting new relationships
There were fuzzy, challenging moments — of course. His clarity came in waves. His brand went through iterations — as it should. We are all evolving works-in-progress. At first, putting himself out there felt hard — but eventually, he began to relax into the process and then enjoy it.
Today, I still get updates — and it's thrilling to see how far he’s taken this new chapter. Supporting someone through reinvention is a gift. And this stage of life can be exactly about that.
What It Takes
To navigate a career transition in midlife and beyond, here’s what helps:
A growth mindset
An adaptive attitude
A willingness to be uncomfortable and to not have all the answers
And what tends to hold us back?
Clinging too tightly to past titles or roles
Defining ourselves solely by past accomplishments
Believing that our best value is behind us
Confidence, at this stage, comes not from proving ourselves — but from knowing ourselves. Knowing your value, your integrity, your resilience — that’s the kind of confidence that sustains through change.
Wherever you are on your path — unsure, exploring, or already building something new — remember: there’s no “right” way to do this. You have so much wisdom, depth, and experience to offer.
Reinvention is not just possible — it’s powerful. And it starts today.
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