The Major League Baseball season for 2014 gets started in a few days. And, for Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees, one of the best baseball players of the last 20 years, it will be his final season. In February, Jeter announced that the 2014 season would be his last. While the announcement surprised some and saddened others, one of the memories that stick with me at the time of the announcement was the reaction of many. Questions were being asked (or conjectured in newspapers and on Sports Talk programs) about what Derek would be doing in 2015? Would he be with the Yankee organization in some capacity? Who would take his place as the team captain? How would the Yankees choose to replace him at shortstop? And, seeing and hearing these reactions just caused me to shake my head and say to myself, “Doesn’t he still have to play the 2014 season?” (By the way the answer to that question is “Yes, he does”).
Looking ahead, and not “living in the moment”, the present. Often many of us do that to ourselves as we live our life. Sometimes it is “thrust” upon us by others, curious as to what we will do next after having done something or having been in one place for a long time. And, if we let it happens to us, we often don’t get to enjoy the moments we are about to live and experience.
While I have never been a Major League baseball player (and I assure you never will be), I can equate to the experience of leaving something I had done for a long time and moving on to what would be next. I thought back to it when all the conjecture on what Derek Jeter would do next started to arise. In hindsight, I was proud of how I addressed that time of my life, and I believe it has a lot to do with how my life has moved forward over these last five years.
During 2007 I made the decision that by the end of the calendar year I would be leaving my long time corporate role as an Analyst and Project Manager over a staff of 15 people. At that time of my life I knew it was time for me to move on, and an opportunity to do so was presenting itself. I honestly did not know exactly what I was going to do next. The only thing I did know was that I had an outstanding project awaiting me at home to redecorate the condominium where I lived. It was a project that had started some time back, but only had gotten so far before my wife at the time had passed on. Without her there, and with me working full-time I knew that the project would be put on hold. Upon leaving my full-time work position, I now had time to focus on it.
Beyond that I was sure of nothing. I knew a few things. I did have Medical benefits and severance pay to live off of for some time. I also knew I would receive outplacement assistance as part of my leaving. Ultimately, I would be able to collect my pension. However, exactly how I would choose to spend my life was something to explore and decide. And, when it was the right time I would do so.
First all the redecorating was accomplished. Next, came the time to begin outplacement services. I left myself open to all possibilities. I took whatever courses and seminars that were available to me. I worked with a counselor that asked me some good insightful questions about what I enjoyed doing when I worked fulltime, what I might have missed from those days. When it became clear that what I missed most was being a sounding board/counselor for those who needed advice or just to be heard, the suggestion was made to me that perhaps I wanted to be a coach. I had no idea what that meant, so I researched it. Once understanding the role and the profession, a whole new life’s path was opened to me, one that allows me to discover new aspects of my life every day.
However, it all began with never getting ahead of where I was at that moment. It continued by addressing what needed to be addressed in the present, and not getting focused on what was to be addressed in some unknown future. And, most of all it stayed mine to determine what it would be. Even if others can’t wait to see what it will be, they’ll just need to wait until you figure it out for yourself.
