Will I Still Matter?

For years, people at work have needed you. They've asked for your opinion.They've trusted your judgment.They've relied on your experience. You've made decisions, solved problems, led teams, developed people and contributed to work that mattered.

And then you retire. Someone else gets your title. Someone else sits in your office.Someone else gets invited to the meetings.And the organization continues without you.

There's a question that can quietly surface in that transition: When I retire, will I still matter?

It may feel uncomfortable to even admit that. We're supposed to be excited about retirement.We're supposed to look forward to the freedom it will bring. 

And after decades of being relevant in a very visible way, it's understandable to wonder what happens when the role that reinforced that relevance is gone. That's one reason retirement can be about much more than deciding what to do with your time. It's also an opportunity to reconsider where your sense of value comes from. Your career may have given you a powerful way to express who you are.

• Your ability to lead.

• Your wisdom.

• Your compassion.

• Your creativity.

• Your curiosity.

• Your ability to solve problems.

• Your ability to bring people together.

• Your willingness to help others grow.

But your job didn't create those qualities. You brought them to the job. And you take them with you when you leave.

The challenge — and opportunity — of retirement is deciding where you want those parts of yourself to show up now.

• Perhaps your experience becomes valuable to someone you're mentoring.

• Perhaps your ability to bring people together strengthens your community.

• Perhaps your curiosity takes you somewhere completely unexpected.

• Perhaps being present for your family becomes more meaningful than anything that ever appeared on your résumé.

Or perhaps contribution becomes quieter and more personal than it was during your career. You don't need to replace your professional identity with another impressive title. And you don't need to prove that you're still relevant.You get to decide what mattering means to you now.

So if you find yourself wondering: Will I still matter? Try turning the question around:Where and how do I want to make a difference in this next chapter?

Your answer doesn't have to look anything like your career. It only needs to matter to you.