At Midlife, What Does Success Mean to You?

We don’t understand life any better at forty than at twenty, but we know it and admit it. Jules Renard

What’s money? A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night and in between does what he wants to do.

Bob Dylan

When I was 10, my goal was to complete my “Daredevil” comic book collection.

At 17, I owned a 1979 Chevy Camaro with t-tops.  My goal was to have the loudest bass-hitting stereo system in the neighborhood.  I achieved my goal with four 12″ woofers and two 200-watt amps…until the entire system was stolen several months later.

At 21, I thought I wanted to become a police officer…until I realized I hate confrontation.

At 30, married with a wife and daughter, I set out to be the best husband, father, and worker I could be.

At 40…I realized (on average and if blessed with good health) that I was halfway through my lifespan. Then the inevitable questions come…What am I doing?  Where am I going?  Is this the career for me? Do I have enough money saved?  What about the college fund?  Am I gaining weight? What’s up with my receding hairline? The list goes on and on…

Midlife is a unique time.  It’s a time of reflection – What have I done? – and anxiety/excitement – Where am I going?  I’ve gone through (and still continue to do) the whole reflection thing, alone during the quiet times, in discussions with my wife (and even my 13-year old daughter), with co-workers, with friends at dinner and even with strangers at parties.  Admittedly, I’m a self-improvement, self-help, or whatever you want to call it, personal success junkie.  I love reading books, magazines, blogs, and websites, and listening to podcasts – anything in the realm of getting better or improving yourself.  This desire to learn intensified when I reached my late 30’s.  Maybe subconsciously I was beginning to prepare for the second half of my life.

My purpose in launching Midlife Upswing is to both learn and share about the primary areas of success (in no particular order)  as they pertain to those of us who are at, or approaching, middle age:

• Family
• Personal Relationships
• Financial
• Spiritual
• Career
• Health and Fitness
• Personal Development

My vision for this blog is that it becomes a place where I can share with you things that I have learned or observed having to do with the above topics – and to pick up suggestions, tips, pointers and opinions from you, as we all move through midlife…and beyond.