I ran a 10km race dressed as The Sugar Plum Fairy
Give your life a negative split
When you’re running a race, a negative split is when you run the second half of the race faster than the first half.
My days of running actual races are well and truly behind me now.
And even when I did run races, it was less about executing a race plan and hitting a personal best, and more about winning the dress-up prize.
(Which, by the way, my friends and I did for six years in a row. We remain Canberra Times Fun Run legends!)
But races aside, this negative split idea is proving more useful to me now than ever …
Here’s how: I recently learned that 54 years old is the “adult midpoint”. 36 years back to 18, 36 years forward to 90. Which means I’ve just entered the second half of things (I’m 56), and applying the “negative split” idea to my life is helpful indeed.
The power of the second half
The suggestion in this second half (which for many, means retirement or nearing it) is to slow down.
To move from a run to a jog to a walk. (To a stroll, to the couch, perhaps?)
But I’m taking a different approach. And perhaps you’d like to as well.
Because this second half is also the time in your life you are likely most resourced.
And I don’t just mean material stuff, like seniority at work and corresponding remuneration. Or money freed up by kids having moved out of the home. Or savings.
(These things may or may not be true for you.)
I’m talking about some of the internal resources I hope you have.
The stories and scars you’ve collected – that accumulated wisdom that gives you a perspective on the world and on yourself that you’ve never held before.
The self-understanding and self-acceptance you’ve grown into. You’re (at least a little) less worried about others’ opinions about who you are.
Rich in wisdom and perspective + feeling a greater freedom to be who you truly are = a powerful combination indeed.
And not one you want to take for granted.
This could be your most meaningful chapter yet
I’m not saying sprint to the end. You’ll want to manage your energy and these precious resources for sure.
But what if you changed your stride?
Or your strategy?
Or your direction?
What if you saw mid-life (or whatever number you’re at) as a beginning as opposed to the beginning of the end?
What might you do differently? More of? Less of? What might you start? Or stop?
Where might you go next?
Who might you become?
These are all questions I’m asking myself in my second half. And questions members of The Conspiracy ask themselves too. We see every chapter as having the potential to be the most meaningful yet. If that’s how you’d like to approach the next chapter of your life, we’d love for you to join us. Doors open for the next cohort in January 2025.
