Conclusion

The road taken by the professionals we interviewed was not seen as retirement, but as a step toward regaining control of life and work in the late career and a way to begin constructing a new flexible lifestyle that would provide a bridge into the final career and retirement. This was a multiple lifestyle seeking to integrate work- family- giving back- and personal passions into a smorgasbord, a patchwork, or a plural life. Some sort of work or business connection was always part of this process, and some are nearly full time, but with flexibility and more control than they had in their primary careers. This process sometimes included a final return to a full- time position, to fill in the gaps or to be completely ready for a multiple lifestyle, a sign that the image of the career itself has changed. There were differences in the choices made depending on the type of career: business owners were seeking to turn over their businesses to family before cutting down, those in vocations tended to want to remain in their primary career activity longer and slow down, giving themselves space for their other activities, while those in corporate career did board work and consulting. Pursuing one’s passions and turning this into a business connection is possible in any field. The relationship with family was affected by career choice and culture: entrepreneurs remained connected with family after transitioning out through foundations or by turning their business over to a family member, in Asia the extended family and its responsibilities are still a unifying force in their choices. The importance of choosing was also essential. Many of the Boomers in industry were in their 50s when they took these steps, far enough ahead of “official retirement” to exploit their professional networks and change directions with time to plan. There was a search for and desire to integrate meaning into this new, multiple lifestyle. Rather than the greediest generation we found that they were keenly aware of their debt to society and toward future generations and have chosen to give back in the form of non- profit board work, foundations, volunteer work, creating universities, or volunteer consulting. These interviews showed that the extra 20–30 years available to the B2-generation will be dedicated to a flexible fusion of work, family, giving back, and pursuing one’s passions. Our road map is a practical guide to the process these early Boomers have followed, from knowing thyself and seeking core values and activities to taking the steps in the first days out, and as the road continues. We hope that this will make it easier for other members of the B2-generation who wish to keep control of this period, give it meaning and remain active and engaged, making retirement in the form of a life of vacations obsolete and a thing of the past.