Recovery, Reading, and Discovering My "Encoding"

First, thank you to everyone who sent well wishes, food, gifts, flowers, and encouragement. Your kindness meant a great deal to me.

It's now been five weeks since my back surgery.

Recovery has been slower than I would like. Healing takes a little longer for us "superagers," but I'm making steady progress. I hope to begin physical therapy by next week!

After the first couple of weeks, I began looking for ways to occupy my time. For some reason, I found it easier to listen to podcasts than watch television or movies. And, of course, I had plenty of time to read.

Books have always influenced my thinking and many of my business decisions. Several books I read years ago still shape how I approach life and work today.

Among the most influential were:

What Color Is Your Parachute? by Richard Bolles
My takeaway: The difference between a job and a career is how much you love what you do.

Megatrend & High Tech, High Touch by John Naisbitt
My takeaway: Use technology to free up more time for human relationships. This helped me embrace technology as a way to better serve clients.

Future Shock by Alvin Toffler
My takeaway: Change is inevitable and accelerating. The book helped me become more comfortable adapting to change rather than fearing it.

Winning Through Intimidation by Robert Ringer
My takeaway: The importance of working with experts. I also loved one of Ringer's famous lines: "Working harder doesn't guarantee success; it guarantees you'll get old."

The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck
My takeaway: If you accept that life is difficult, the rest becomes easier. Personal growth requires facing problems directly rather than avoiding them.

I still recommend these books today because they helped shape my thinking and supported me through more than 45 years of building a successful practice.

Recently, a close friend recommended Jim Collins' new book, What to Make of a Life. Since I suddenly had plenty of time on my hands and have always respected Collins' work, I decided to give it a try.

Like many people entering a new phase of life, I was hoping to gain some insight into what might inspire and energize me in the years ahead. I knew I didn't want anything overly demanding, but I did want something meaningful and fulfilling.

This is not a typical self-help book. Instead, Collins examines the lives of remarkable people who faced major life disruptions, such as losing a job, a spouse, their health, or some other life-changing event. He refers to these moments as life's "cliffs."

What fascinated me most was his concept of "encoding."

Collins uses the term to describe something deeper than talent, skill, or passion. It is the natural way we are wired to contribute, think, create, solve problems, and find fulfillment. Our encoding is not something we invent. It is something we discover through experience, observation, and self-awareness.

Intrigued by the idea, I decided to do a brainstorming session with Microsoft Copilot (similar to ChatGPT) to explore what my own encoding might be.

I have to admit, the experience was fascinating and fun.

The insights were surprisingly simple and, in hindsight, obvious, yet they gave me a fresh perspective on how I can continue using my experience to help others make better financial decisions and navigate life's challenges with greater confidence.

I'm still exploring what this might mean for the next chapter of my life, but I have enjoyed the journey so far.

If any of you are interested in learning more about Collins' concept of "encoding" or hearing about my own discovery process, I'd be happy to chat. You may find it helpful in thinking about your own next chapter as well. What experiences, talents, or interests have been quietly guiding your own life all along? Perhaps, like me, you may discover that what energizes you today isn't all that different from what has motivated you for years.

In Closing….Now it’s the end of August and…..

Kids are back in school, signaling the end of summer for most of us, despite the continuing hot days. This Labor Day, I'm reminded that while careers may evolve and seasons may change, the talents and passions that energize us often remain constant. Wishing you all a happy, healthy, and enjoyable holiday weekend.