The Legacy Chapter
Design the final phase of your career bringing together your expertise, purpose and passion
Designing the final phase of your career - The Legacy Chapter
You’ve had success in your career, but you’ve achieved all you can in your current setting and you’re now looking for a new challenge. Perhaps retirement is on the horizon, or you’re selling your business. You don’t want to sit back and put your feet up as you still have so much to contribute. You want to give back, leave a legacy, use your knowledge, expertise, skills - and learn something for yourself in the process.
Perhaps you’ve already considered a few options, but you’re not sure which would be best for you. You may have an idea - something you always wanted to do - but you’re not convinced if it can work. While you may need some income still, it’s doing something of value that is most important to you at this point.
So where do you go from here?
When you’re not clear about what this final chapter looks like, it’s difficult to take the next steps.
Some people can feel daunted by the prospect of reinventing their professional selves at this stage of their career. Others may feel they should really have this stuff sorted - after all, haven’t they made a success of their career so far? There’s a sense of doubt and of feeling just a bit stuck, even while the general sense they have is of optimism and hope that all their skills are just waiting to be harnessed to the right idea.
To break out of this inertia and release energy and that huge stock of expertise and experience, let’s get clear about what’s holding you back.
What are the most common obstacles?
Working with clients on their legacy chapter - potentially the final phase of their work life - I see these common problems:
Too many ideas - or no ideas at all
Being unable to make a confident choice
Being unsure that any of their ideas are practical and achievable
Wondering whether these ideas can give them what they want and need
Wondering whether they have it in them to reinvent their professional life at this point
Losing momentum as their doubts continue to grow
Unsure how they would make the transition
Fear of the blank canvas - there’s no template for this!
There is a huge amount of freedom in designing this phase of a career, but first these obstacles have to be overcome.
Over the years, what I’ve found works best is to have a systematic process to generate and explore options that have the potential to create a meaningful and exciting new phase of your life, that gives you what you want and need, and allows you to make a worthwhile contribution.
By working systematically and creatively, clarity is achieved, ideas are generated and it’s possible to make a confident choice that you believe in and are excited to start.
A systematic approach: The Legacy Chapter
Some of the vital elements to this process include:
Gathering ideas with no judgment attached, giving all ideas their space
Considering that a portfolio of different strands could be an option
Understanding what you want and need from this phase of your life and work
Understanding the ‘why’ that you’re seeking - what matters most to you (values), which skills your want to use (strengths), and what would feel meaningful (purpose)
Picturing what you want your life to be in this phase
Understanding how the work you’re exploring could fit into your vision (or not)
Creating a path to bring this new phase to life
Managing doubts and fears so you can believe in your choice and make it happen
By both working systematically and being open-minded and creative in exploring ideas, you will give yourself the best chance of designing a new start that excites and energises you.
And please don’t feel you’re too old - I started my legacy chapter in my early 60s and have been enjoying it hugely. It really has proved to be the pinnacle of my career, and has given me great energy and enthusiasm.
What’s involved?
The Legacy Chapter coaching programme includes:
6 x 1 hour individual coaching sessions via Zoom
A structured, comprehensive and proven process to enable you to approach this change with confidence
Dedicated resources on a private web page containing reflective exercises and activities to progress and deepen your learning
Email contact throughout the programme plus check-ins on request to maintain momentum on completion
Tailored support with applications and interviews as necessary
Support, career change expertise, encouragement, and coaching through the gremlins that can beset any change
Fee: £600 payable in advance or in 3 instalments of £105 payable before each pair of sessions
To arrange a free 30-minute consultation, contact me using the button below.
We can discuss your current situation and how we might work together.
“I can highly recommend working with Becky. She challenged me to think deeply about what I want from work and life and, especially, WHY.
She helped me to identify and clarify ideas, how to choose the right ones to focus on and what to do next; also, how to evaluate opportunities properly when they came up.
By the end of the programme, I felt much more secure in where I was going and as if I’d really achieved something. I learned a lot. It was hard work - but not too hard - and always enjoyable.”
“I had recently left the Public Sector, and I was having difficulty defining my next career move.
Becky’s Coaching Programme has helped to gain clarity about my core values, passions and true purpose.
With a renewed sense of confidence, and after my third session with Becky, I had a breakthrough moment, a great job opportunity came my way.
The role was in line with my experience, beliefs and values and perfect for me. We also discussed other options that would complement my new role.
I can’t thank Becky enough for her assistance. I now have a new lease of life and a blueprint for my next steps.”
“Becky’s Coaching Programme was invaluable in helping me to take control of the next stage of my life and career.
I had been in the same job for 15 years and on the same career path for even longer. I had lots of ideas but no plan. Working with Becky gave me clarity over what I want to do and most importantly why, and the confidence to commit to a clear plan.”