I was about nine the summer my Grampa found a treasure map and asked me and my two little brothers to help him find the treasure. I still remember the thrill when he unrolled that map on the kitchen table.

I’ve just recently discovered Marie Kondo and her KonMariTM methods for decluttering physical space. As someone on the packrat end of the tidiness spectrum, I need all the help I can get when it comes to decluttering.

The entire field of time management was created to address the human tendency to prioritize the urgent over the important. We are opportunists by nature. Given the choice between dessert today and a beach body by summer (I didn’t say which summer), which one typically wins?

Every other month, I like to share one of the great second Second Rodeo stories that has inspired me personally. I hope it will do the same for you. This week, I want to reflect on the legacy of television icon, Julia Child.

Here’s an interesting statistic for you. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the “labor force participation rate” is increasing fastest among the oldest segments of the American population (people 65-74 and 75 plus.)

The Olympic Games are in full swing as I finalize this week’s post, a perfect backdrop for our topic. In the weeks after the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, I was startled to read several articles about the high rates of depression among medal-winning athletes in the months following.

Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi’s work has been one of the primary inspirations behind Second Rodeo. In 1995 he released his book, From Age-ing to Sage-ing: A Revolutionary Approach to Growing Older.

In a world that idolizes youth, it takes a lot of optimism to see the actual, real advantages of several dozen birthdays. By the time most people start considering a Second Rodeo, they’ve pretty much abandoned the notion that they have all the time in the world.

Where did the time go? It’s a common question throughout life, but time seems to accelerate as we get older. Months turn into years, every day feeling like the last.

When considering any significant life change, do you make a list to help organize your thoughts? I call mine the gains/losses list. Our personal orientation to time plays a role in how we approach this kind of analysis.

One of the buzz words of the digital guru is optimization. In the past few days I’ve received offers to help optimize my workspace, my morning routines, even my online dating profile (we’ve been married for almost 36 years so I’m not even sure what that means, but thanks for the offer!)

Retirement is a complicated word. We each assign our own emotional meaning to the term, and increasingly we are hearing very different interpretations of what was once commonly understood.

An old man and his dog used to sit on the porch every afternoon waiting for the mail. One day while he was making small talk with the mail carrier, the dog, who had been sleeping, raised his head and let loose a long, mournful howl.

From time to time, I will be highlighting some remarkable people, both contemporary and historical, who’ve had a significant second half–what we call a Second Rodeo. This is not to hold them up as role models, but to inspire and share examples from which we can all learn.

How do you decide where to focus your life’s energy–your most valuable commodity? Ever have that feeling that you’re the only one who hasn’t figured it out? I can assure you, you’re not alone.

It’s not unusual for people who’ve been successful in one career to assume they can step into a different role at the same level, without upgrading their skills or knowledge. Recruiters refer to this as the bias of “confidence over competence”.

Here on Colorado’s Front Range, spring is affectionately known as “still winter.” Even though we see hints of warmer weather, we often get our biggest snows in April and May. Waking up to a foot of the white stuff can be a real surprise if you were planning a picnic.

You know the most common response I hear when I ask people how they ended up at Second Rodeo? “I’m bored and ready for a change.” A little boredom could be nothing to worry about. If you have kids in the house, you hear it all the time. But prolonged boredom can do some real damage.

“I’m no good at navel-gazing. Is there a point to this?” I laughed. This comment came from Al, a long-time coaching client and senior executive. Al prided himself on “not sugar coating it,” and his assessment came as no surprise.

“When I grow up I want to be a…” How did you answer that question as a kid? Growing up in ranch country, of course I wanted to be a cowboy. I actually had a chance to live that dream for a few years, working on big ranches in New Mexico.