Small Business Trends Column: Entrepreneurs, Does Retirement Fit Into Your Plans?
By David B. Bohl | November 19, 2007 | 13 Responses
There are 78 million Americans that make up the “baby boomer” populace. The values and beliefs of the baby boomer population was handed down from the parents, most of which lived in the post-war era and the great depression; self sacrifice and hard work are what it takes to get ahead and earn a respectable living. With many baby boomers reaching what would have been the retirement age ten to fifteen years ago, the end is nowhere in sight.
Approximately 78 million Americans comprise the Baby Boomer demographic. If you are one of the many born after World War II, then you were likely brought up as I was … believing that you had to make sacrifices to get ahead and earn a respectable living.
Our generation was taught from a tender age to place the highest value in family, friends, and community as well as hold honesty, integrity and ethics in high esteem. Those of us who “live the dream” according to Boomer standards consider ourselves ambitious, disciplined, willing to sacrifice and able to conform (if and when we have to). We maintain loyalty to our commitments — often willingly bearing the financial responsibilities of those who came before us and those who come after. We grow concerned as the next generation shapes their own set of values which sometimes appear to contradict that which we’ve been taught.
The values and beliefs of the Baby Boomer generation were handed down to us from our parents, many of whom survived the post-war era and Great Depression. The underlying message became loud and clear, and formed a blueprint for life: If I just work hard enough and long enough, my life will turn out just fine — eventually – and it will all be worth it in the end.
Many of us do not fit or identify with the generation we are born into.
Additionally, for many of us approaching what most would have considered retirement age ten or fifteen years ago, the finish line is nowhere in sight.
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Husband, father, friend, Life Coach and Lifestyle Designer David B. Bohl is the creator of Slow Down FAST at www.slowdownfast.com.
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13 Responses to “Small Business Trends Column: Entrepreneurs, Does Retirement Fit Into Your Plans?”
Comments
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November 19th, 2007 at 6:09 pm
Integrity is something I love about the boomers, but the sacrifice/conformity value system just has never resonated with me, it is like fingernails on a blackboard to me. I agree with you and Penelope in that now we all have the (freedom?) to choose which generational traits to keep and which not to… we can really make our own value system and we discover that no single generation has all the answers.
November 19th, 2007 at 6:39 pm
John,
Very well said.
Creating our own conventions and way of life is something that I feel is the secret to life. Despite what everybody else is doing, we need to define and design, for ourselves and ourselves only, the lives we desire to lead.
David
November 26th, 2007 at 12:18 pm
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