Topping out in career at 50

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have come to realize that I am not going to make it to the next level in my organization. I am about 5 years from retirement but just feel so deflated about gutting it out knowing I have been passed over. I do not think I will be fired b/c I have a lot of institutional knowledge and specialized expertise, but the humiliation of toiling away and failing to top-out has me so discouraged. I do not think I have it in me to switch jobs at this point - esp. in this market and at my age. I was always the golden child and top performer with good relationships but truth-be-told, I did prioritize time with my kids and never really leaned into the grind lifestyle that would have been required. I assume the conventional advice is - just suck it up and be grateful I have a job?

Just tough to make peace with after being pretty ambitious my whole life.

You don’t sound ambitious at all. You prioritized your family, you don’t like the grind, and you’re retiring at 55. If you were really ambitious, you’d start grinding right now, looking to move organizations, etc., instead of already throwing in the towel.

I have to agree with this! 55 is entering the pinnacle years, and they go until 65 or so. I don’t understand why you are choosing to check out if you still hold those dreams? 55 is super young.

Arr you kidding? Most people are laid off and never find work again in their 50s. Happened to all my aunts and uncles. But we grew up poor and Im sure lacked the executive presence or whatever weasel word execs use to hire a mini-me.

I got a big job at 54, 57 and 60. And I grew up poor. I don’t think it is until 62 it gets hard to job hunt.

Are you a white male over average height?

Yea which has been a massive disadvantage over last 20 years. Lost job in 2016 in take over and every white male is sr. Mgt let go. Purchasing company full of older white makes to improve D&I canned all of us. Next job built big dept from scratch (I got paid well) but once done in run state canned me for younger Asian women, next job start up underpaid but tons of stock once set up this time moved on own. Now Trump killed D&I my company removed it and we hired so D&I folks over last 25 years I am safe! I am also now interviewing Board jobs as D&I dead for now!! After 25 years of oppression the straight, married, white male can come out of closet at work

From what country? Your writing above is atrocious...I can't believe you serve in any professional capacity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have come to realize that I am not going to make it to the next level in my organization. I am about 5 years from retirement but just feel so deflated about gutting it out knowing I have been passed over. I do not think I will be fired b/c I have a lot of institutional knowledge and specialized expertise, but the humiliation of toiling away and failing to top-out has me so discouraged. I do not think I have it in me to switch jobs at this point - esp. in this market and at my age. I was always the golden child and top performer with good relationships but truth-be-told, I did prioritize time with my kids and never really leaned into the grind lifestyle that would have been required. I assume the conventional advice is - just suck it up and be grateful I have a job?

Just tough to make peace with after being pretty ambitious my whole life.

You don’t sound ambitious at all. You prioritized your family, you don’t like the grind, and you’re retiring at 55. If you were really ambitious, you’d start grinding right now, looking to move organizations, etc., instead of already throwing in the towel.

I have to agree with this! 55 is entering the pinnacle years, and they go until 65 or so. I don’t understand why you are choosing to check out if you still hold those dreams? 55 is super young.

Arr you kidding? Most people are laid off and never find work again in their 50s. Happened to all my aunts and uncles. But we grew up poor and Im sure lacked the executive presence or whatever weasel word execs use to hire a mini-me.

I got a big job at 54, 57 and 60. And I grew up poor. I don’t think it is until 62 it gets hard to job hunt.

Are you a white male over average height?

Yea which has been a massive disadvantage over last 20 years. Lost job in 2016 in take over and every white male is sr. Mgt let go. Purchasing company full of older white makes to improve D&I canned all of us. Next job built big dept from scratch (I got paid well) but once done in run state canned me for younger Asian women, next job start up underpaid but tons of stock once set up this time moved on own. Now Trump killed D&I my company removed it and we hired so D&I folks over last 25 years I am safe! I am also now interviewing Board jobs as D&I dead for now!! After 25 years of oppression the straight, married, white male can come out of closet at work

From what country? Your writing above is atrocious...I can't believe you serve in any professional capacity.

AI Baby is my friend. Amazing what it can do. I have a buddy who is worse then me was giving me a board recommendation. Was pure drival that made no sense. I took board posting, my bio, his slop rant it through AI and gave it back to him to approve. He was like wow I look so smart. In that case I did double AI with two or three prompts.

[Anonymous]

Read the wsj article from a few years back about quiet quitting. Enjoy pulling in decent salary, use all your leave without guilt and do the minimum.

[Anonymous]

It happened to me at the same age and it took me a while to accept this. I am a first generation immigrant. I have worked since I was 14. I was always the best at everything.

But you know what? I have done very well. I am successful by any objective standards. The retirement is saved for. The mortgage is nearly paid off. I can afford the kids' college tuition (and I have great kids). So I have been taking more vacation, we have been traveling more and I am going to coast while I can.

Life is to short not to accept what you can't change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have come to realize that I am not going to make it to the next level in my organization. I am about 5 years from retirement but just feel so deflated about gutting it out knowing I have been passed over. I do not think I will be fired b/c I have a lot of institutional knowledge and specialized expertise, but the humiliation of toiling away and failing to top-out has me so discouraged. I do not think I have it in me to switch jobs at this point - esp. in this market and at my age. I was always the golden child and top performer with good relationships but truth-be-told, I did prioritize time with my kids and never really leaned into the grind lifestyle that would have been required. I assume the conventional advice is - just suck it up and be grateful I have a job?

Just tough to make peace with after being pretty ambitious my whole life.

You don’t sound ambitious at all. You prioritized your family, you don’t like the grind, and you’re retiring at 55. If you were really ambitious, you’d start grinding right now, looking to move organizations, etc., instead of already throwing in the towel.

I have to agree with this! 55 is entering the pinnacle years, and they go until 65 or so. I don’t understand why you are choosing to check out if you still hold those dreams? 55 is super young.

Arr you kidding? Most people are laid off and never find work again in their 50s. Happened to all my aunts and uncles. But we grew up poor and Im sure lacked the executive presence or whatever weasel word execs use to hire a mini-me.

I got a big job at 54, 57 and 60. And I grew up poor. I don’t think it is until 62 it gets hard to job hunt.

Are you a white male over average height?

Yea which has been a massive disadvantage over last 20 years. Lost job in 2016 in take over and every white male is sr. Mgt let go. Purchasing company full of older white makes to improve D&I canned all of us. Next job built big dept from scratch (I got paid well) but once done in run state canned me for younger Asian women, next job start up underpaid but tons of stock once set up this time moved on own. Now Trump killed D&I my company removed it and we hired so D&I folks over last 25 years I am safe! I am also now interviewing Board jobs as D&I dead for now!! After 25 years of oppression the straight, married, white male can come out of closet at work

😅😂🤣😂😅😂🤣 Do you believe the nonsense you have written. There is a difference between educated UMC white male and trailer-trash white male. just because you are white or have been paid more than you deserve in the past doesn’t mean things will remain the same. The confidence and entitlement of an average white man is breathtaking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have come to realize that I am not going to make it to the next level in my organization. I am about 5 years from retirement but just feel so deflated about gutting it out knowing I have been passed over. I do not think I will be fired b/c I have a lot of institutional knowledge and specialized expertise, but the humiliation of toiling away and failing to top-out has me so discouraged. I do not think I have it in me to switch jobs at this point - esp. in this market and at my age. I was always the golden child and top performer with good relationships but truth-be-told, I did prioritize time with my kids and never really leaned into the grind lifestyle that would have been required. I assume the conventional advice is - just suck it up and be grateful I have a job?

Just tough to make peace with after being pretty ambitious my whole life.

You don’t sound ambitious at all. You prioritized your family, you don’t like the grind, and you’re retiring at 55. If you were really ambitious, you’d start grinding right now, looking to move organizations, etc., instead of already throwing in the towel.

I have to agree with this! 55 is entering the pinnacle years, and they go until 65 or so. I don’t understand why you are choosing to check out if you still hold those dreams? 55 is super young.

Arr you kidding? Most people are laid off and never find work again in their 50s. Happened to all my aunts and uncles. But we grew up poor and Im sure lacked the executive presence or whatever weasel word execs use to hire a mini-me.

I got a big job at 54, 57 and 60. And I grew up poor. I don’t think it is until 62 it gets hard to job hunt.

Are you a white male over average height?

Yea which has been a massive disadvantage over last 20 years. Lost job in 2016 in take over and every white male is sr. Mgt let go. Purchasing company full of older white makes to improve D&I canned all of us. Next job built big dept from scratch (I got paid well) but once done in run state canned me for younger Asian women, next job start up underpaid but tons of stock once set up this time moved on own. Now Trump killed D&I my company removed it and we hired so D&I folks over last 25 years I am safe! I am also now interviewing Board jobs as D&I dead for now!! After 25 years of oppression the straight, married, white male can come out of closet at work

From what country? Your writing above is atrocious...I can't believe you serve in any professional capacity.

😅😂🤣 Country of Alabama.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have come to realize that I am not going to make it to the next level in my organization. I am about 5 years from retirement but just feel so deflated about gutting it out knowing I have been passed over. I do not think I will be fired b/c I have a lot of institutional knowledge and specialized expertise, but the humiliation of toiling away and failing to top-out has me so discouraged. I do not think I have it in me to switch jobs at this point - esp. in this market and at my age. I was always the golden child and top performer with good relationships but truth-be-told, I did prioritize time with my kids and never really leaned into the grind lifestyle that would have been required. I assume the conventional advice is - just suck it up and be grateful I have a job?

Just tough to make peace with after being pretty ambitious my whole life.

You don’t sound ambitious at all. You prioritized your family, you don’t like the grind, and you’re retiring at 55. If you were really ambitious, you’d start grinding right now, looking to move organizations, etc., instead of already throwing in the towel.

I have to agree with this! 55 is entering the pinnacle years, and they go until 65 or so. I don’t understand why you are choosing to check out if you still hold those dreams? 55 is super young.

Arr you kidding? Most people are laid off and never find work again in their 50s. Happened to all my aunts and uncles. But we grew up poor and Im sure lacked the executive presence or whatever weasel word execs use to hire a mini-me.

I got a big job at 54, 57 and 60. And I grew up poor. I don’t think it is until 62 it gets hard to job hunt.

Are you a white male over average height?

Yea which has been a massive disadvantage over last 20 years. Lost job in 2016 in take over and every white male is sr. Mgt let go. Purchasing company full of older white makes to improve D&I canned all of us. Next job built big dept from scratch (I got paid well) but once done in run state canned me for younger Asian women, next job start up underpaid but tons of stock once set up this time moved on own. Now Trump killed D&I my company removed it and we hired so D&I folks over last 25 years I am safe! I am also now interviewing Board jobs as D&I dead for now!! After 25 years of oppression the straight, married, white male can come out of closet at work

From what country? Your writing above is atrocious...I can't believe you serve in any professional capacity.

AI Baby is my friend. Amazing what it can do. I have a buddy who is worse then me was giving me a board recommendation. Was pure drival that made no sense. I took board posting, my bio, his slop rant it through AI and gave it back to him to approve. He was like wow I look so smart. In that case I did double AI with two or three prompts.

If your AI assisted writing makes you sound so uneducated…lol…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have come to realize that I am not going to make it to the next level in my organization. I am about 5 years from retirement but just feel so deflated about gutting it out knowing I have been passed over. I do not think I will be fired b/c I have a lot of institutional knowledge and specialized expertise, but the humiliation of toiling away and failing to top-out has me so discouraged. I do not think I have it in me to switch jobs at this point - esp. in this market and at my age. I was always the golden child and top performer with good relationships but truth-be-told, I did prioritize time with my kids and never really leaned into the grind lifestyle that would have been required. I assume the conventional advice is - just suck it up and be grateful I have a job?

Just tough to make peace with after being pretty ambitious my whole life.

You don’t sound ambitious at all. You prioritized your family, you don’t like the grind, and you’re retiring at 55. If you were really ambitious, you’d start grinding right now, looking to move organizations, etc., instead of already throwing in the towel.

I have to agree with this! 55 is entering the pinnacle years, and they go until 65 or so. I don’t understand why you are choosing to check out if you still hold those dreams? 55 is super young.

Arr you kidding? Most people are laid off and never find work again in their 50s. Happened to all my aunts and uncles. But we grew up poor and Im sure lacked the executive presence or whatever weasel word execs use to hire a mini-me.

I got a big job at 54, 57 and 60. And I grew up poor. I don’t think it is until 62 it gets hard to job hunt.

Are you a white male over average height?

Yea which has been a massive disadvantage over last 20 years. Lost job in 2016 in take over and every white male is sr. Mgt let go. Purchasing company full of older white makes to improve D&I canned all of us. Next job built big dept from scratch (I got paid well) but once done in run state canned me for younger Asian women, next job start up underpaid but tons of stock once set up this time moved on own. Now Trump killed D&I my company removed it and we hired so D&I folks over last 25 years I am safe! I am also now interviewing Board jobs as D&I dead for now!! After 25 years of oppression the straight, married, white male can come out of closet at work

😅😂🤣😂😅😂🤣 Do you believe the nonsense you have written. There is a difference between educated UMC white male and trailer-trash white male. just because you are white or have been paid more than you deserve in the past doesn’t mean things will remain the same. The confidence and entitlement of an average white man is breathtaking.

Most people have not worked at 70-90 companies, 10-15 industries and 10-15 different types of jobs and done work in multiple countries and worked with nearly every regulator. Most have a very very deep knowledge of a two to three things. I have a little to medium knowledge of a few hundred things. In an interview it stays high level and I can talk on any topic at an interview level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have come to realize that I am not going to make it to the next level in my organization. I am about 5 years from retirement but just feel so deflated about gutting it out knowing I have been passed over. I do not think I will be fired b/c I have a lot of institutional knowledge and specialized expertise, but the humiliation of toiling away and failing to top-out has me so discouraged. I do not think I have it in me to switch jobs at this point - esp. in this market and at my age. I was always the golden child and top performer with good relationships but truth-be-told, I did prioritize time with my kids and never really leaned into the grind lifestyle that would have been required. I assume the conventional advice is - just suck it up and be grateful I have a job?

Just tough to make peace with after being pretty ambitious my whole life.

You don’t sound ambitious at all. You prioritized your family, you don’t like the grind, and you’re retiring at 55. If you were really ambitious, you’d start grinding right now, looking to move organizations, etc., instead of already throwing in the towel.

+1. I started a whole new career at 50, and am working my way up to the top, after leaving my previous career that the top. Nothings stopping you from getting to the top.

You're being held back by your lack of ambition. You want the rewards of having worked hard and having the necessary professional achievements, without have either. IF your reputation where you are precludes a course correction, it's time to either plug along until retirement as you are, or seek new employment with higher potential, in a role where you'll put in the necessary time and effort to add sufficient value to your new employer to justify greater compensation, more responsibility, a more prestigious job title, or whatever it is you're not going to get where you are now.

[Anonymous]

Learn to love the freedom. I'm so done with working and can't wait till I retire once the youngest goes to college. I feel fortunate that I can retire early, but I also saved saved for this eventuality. I also mommy tracked myself. When I was younger, I wanted to be a c suite. I later learned that corporate life sucks and wanted to be free from it.

-55 yr old

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have come to realize that I am not going to make it to the next level in my organization. I am about 5 years from retirement but just feel so deflated about gutting it out knowing I have been passed over. I do not think I will be fired b/c I have a lot of institutional knowledge and specialized expertise, but the humiliation of toiling away and failing to top-out has me so discouraged. I do not think I have it in me to switch jobs at this point - esp. in this market and at my age. I was always the golden child and top performer with good relationships but truth-be-told, I did prioritize time with my kids and never really leaned into the grind lifestyle that would have been required. I assume the conventional advice is - just suck it up and be grateful I have a job?

Just tough to make peace with after being pretty ambitious my whole life.

You don’t sound ambitious at all. You prioritized your family, you don’t like the grind, and you’re retiring at 55. If you were really ambitious, you’d start grinding right now, looking to move organizations, etc., instead of already throwing in the towel.

I have to agree with this! 55 is entering the pinnacle years, and they go until 65 or so. I don’t understand why you are choosing to check out if you still hold those dreams? 55 is super young.

Arr you kidding? Most people are laid off and never find work again in their 50s. Happened to all my aunts and uncles. But we grew up poor and Im sure lacked the executive presence or whatever weasel word execs use to hire a mini-me.

I got a big job at 54, 57 and 60. And I grew up poor. I don’t think it is until 62 it gets hard to job hunt.

Are you a white male over average height?

Yea which has been a massive disadvantage over last 20 years. Lost job in 2016 in take over and every white male is sr. Mgt let go. Purchasing company full of older white makes to improve D&I canned all of us. Next job built big dept from scratch (I got paid well) but once done in run state canned me for younger Asian women, next job start up underpaid but tons of stock once set up this time moved on own. Now Trump killed D&I my company removed it and we hired so D&I folks over last 25 years I am safe! I am also now interviewing Board jobs as D&I dead for now!! After 25 years of oppression the straight, married, white male can come out of closet at work

😅😂🤣😂😅😂🤣 Do you believe the nonsense you have written. There is a difference between educated UMC white male and trailer-trash white male. just because you are white or have been paid more than you deserve in the past doesn’t mean things will remain the same. The confidence and entitlement of an average white man is breathtaking.

Most people have not worked at 70-90 companies, 10-15 industries and 10-15 different types of jobs and done work in multiple countries and worked with nearly every regulator. Most have a very very deep knowledge of a two to three things. I have a little to medium knowledge of a few hundred things. In an interview it stays high level and I can talk on any topic at an interview level.

And then can't really do the work so on to the next interview.

[Anonymous]

This is a really profound concept because many of us could probably live without having to work. I think the tricky part is embracing not being chosen, selected, rewarded or acknowledged. It takes a moment to go through life realizing that chapter of your life and identity is closed. For those who are financially capable, embracing the freedom of not working can open up amazing new experiences. We have spent 30 years programming ourselves for a job. Now we must reset.

There will be a birth of a new group of people who are (pre-retired) or explorers who are not old enough to retire but not young enough to stay on the white collar hamster wheel.

[Anonymous]

Ha, I am so happy to middle along in my current role. I hate managing others, I just want to do my work and go home to my family! My boss almost got promoted and asked me to consider applying for their role and I had major anxiety about. Breathed a huge sigh of relief when they did not get it.

Something to be said for being a very, very happy worker bee.

[Anonymous]

I’m a little older. BTDT. Realized it at 47. Stayed until I was 50. Now I do fractional work and love it. I’m busy engaged needed trusted ANNND I log off at noon to do other stuff. There is life after Full Time / 60 hours a week + travel / Corporate Life. You did just fine OP now work on redefining the next stage of your life

[Anonymous]

OP,

If you are retiring at 55, you have won.