Boomers As Change Agents - Boomers Modify All They Contact!
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The Pig in the Python
For years, those Americans born shortly after World War II have been named “Baby Boomers”. Per the U.S. Census, a Boomer is “someone born during the demographic birth boom between 1946 and 1964″.
This demographic includes roughly 80 million people with amazing buying potential.
Lots of people, especially marketers, believe this body of people to be a uniform one; however doing so is actually a mistaken approach. Historically the group has been thought to be made up of nonconformists, as defined by the decade of the 60s (e.g., free love, peace-niks and war protesters), but many representatives are really quite traditional in their principles and conduct.
People born during this timeframe are diverse: many (but not all) have children; some are grandparents and/or “empty-nesters;” others are alone, taking care of an aged parent, separated, gay, or members of non-nuclear or alternate lifestyle families. Some are actively employed, some already retired, others giving heavy consideration to retirement.
Change Agents Affect Everything They Encounter
There is, however, one characteristic that has accurately reflected this cohort - they are transformers. Due to their numbers, and relative wealth, they’ve had a revolutionizing effect on living conditions and culture in the US over the past 6 decades. In fact, writer Doug Owram has called them “a shockwave,” and author Landon Jones has described them as “the pig in the python”.
This generation has altered nearly everything as they’ve moved thru their teenage years, early maturity, their roles, the economy, etc. - and there is not any need to think that they’ve ended their morphing of our world.
I’m betting that the next sphere to be changed by this generational cohort is retirement.
I recall that as a youngster, I thought any one aged fifty, or more, was “old” but today, demographers consider 50 to be the beginning of Early Middle Age, and agree that Old Age doesn’t start until after age 75. Now, Americans at age fifty can expect to live another 35 years, and thus, be “retired” for 20 years or longer - so what are they intending to do with all that free time?
During the past, the time of retirement was sometimes relatively shortened and distinguished by deteriorating well-being, limited funds, and few decisions; however, for this cluster of virtually 80 million northern Americans, those limits don”t apply. In their 30s, they bragged about “never growing old,” and now, it’s their responsibility to support that claim.
So, just what are they going to do with an extra twenty or thirty years of active aging? Modern diet and health care have greatly extended that period of time when people remain healthy and functioning (for instance, my mother is in her 90s, resides alone, and still drives her own automobile).
How Retirement Is Being Changed
Are the so-called “Boomers” going to be content to pull out the rocking chair, relax on their porch, and let the world pass them by? I believe not!
Generally, individuals of this generation are on the path to self-actualization (as Maslow defined the term):
- Many of them have lots of things they want to attain yet in their lives.
- Considering they’ll have 20-30 years of time to fill, they will have an interest in a wide selection of leisure past-times (e.g, travel, golf, at-home entertainment).
- As a consequence of all this time, they also need to keep healthy enough to like that time - so they are going to be extremely interested by products and services that may help them stay fit and strong.
- Many of them will really “reinvent” their work - beginning that job or position they have always dreamed about, but had to put off because of relationship or other duties.
- Lots of them will create their own businesses, and the internet gives then many possibilities they have never had previously.
- Education, learning and things which will provide them with time freedom will be important for this group of financially comfortable americans.
How are you going to divide that time spanning work and play? Are there goals that you have put off for a long time but want to achieve during your “retirement”?
If you’re among those folks desiring to start your own company, consider starting an affiliate or other internet business - but be aware that the difficulty with most online businesses is that their coaching tends to be superficial. Unfortunately, you’ll need more education than they commonly furnish. One very good place to start picking up the skills that you will need is to sign up for the Online Success for Beginners class.
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