And On The Joys Of Expert Knowedge

I remember reading an article a long time ago about expert knowledge. The article contended that while many, many types of skills and capabilities diminish with age, one class of skills does not. In fact it just gets better and better with age. This is called expert knowledge. Expert Knowledge is the base of knowledge that comes from one having worked in a particular area of expertise for so long that one develops such a deep experiential base - meaning not just facts but how various patterns work or don't work. This allows a person to understand the logical possibilities for problem-solving in a fraction of the time that it would take a person without that depth of knowledge.

I remember  thinking at the time, "Well at least that's ONE THING to look forward to about the aging process." And of course never really thought about it again. Until the last couple of months.

As I have been going through my renewed enjoyment of the work portion of my transitioned life, I have become aware of these situations where I will be in a meeting, someone brings up a particular subject, problem or challenge and out of my mouth will pour this rather fully formed blast of information that is totally appropriate for what has been brought up. Often I'm rather amazed. It's not that I have to think a lot about these responses. It's as if based upon the stimulus of the question, a door to preformed solutions is opened and they just pop out. And I'll have this realization, "Ah, so this is what they were talking about...expert knowledge."

I have to tell you, it feels pretty damn good. Not in an ego way but as the feeling you get whenever you've worked hard at something to the point that the execution of it almost seems effortless. Sort of makes up a bit for the continuous frustrations of one's body going downhill HA!

On Becoming An Eminence Gris

My fascination with the transformations related to the transition process continue apace. Every time I think I've reached a kind plateau where I can say, "Ah, I've arrived. I can just enjoy this for the next X years until I die" still new revelations occur.

I'm sure you remember my post of February 22, 2015, An End To Tilting At Windmills, (because I know you are faithfully maintaining a searchable database of all my blog posts...right?...you really are doing that...You're Not?...How could you not?...sigh 😢) where I spoke about my life long battle with the dragon ego.

The happy ending to that story was the realization that this was not just some simple issue of lack of recognition for accomplishment, but a deep seeded, karmic attitude that I literally came into the world with and which I could therefore joyfully jettison. Okay now fast forward to 2018.

I've been out in the world doing my business thing with new enthusiasm as I reported last month. In the course of doing so, I have noticed something. I am getting all kinds of kudos because of all my experience and accomplishments and knowledge, blah, blah, blah. You know RECOGNITION. The damn thing my ego yelled in my head for my whole life I wasn't getting.

What the BLEEP is this! Now that I go about my business life not really giving a damn, I have seemed to morph into some eminence gris. Crazy. Who knows what will happen next?

But with no attachment to it, I have to admit it is kind of fun LOL!

We Are Rocking!!!!

I would love to take some kind of credit for how things are going at the moment but in all truth I'm not really sure why things are going so well.

I am now in full TRAVEL PLANNING MODE...Oh the Bliss 😂. And yes I know all you skeptics out there were mocking me when I revealed the New and Vastly Improved Travel Planning Algorithm (Now with 30% More planning response time!). But I have to tell you, it has reduced substantially the amount time, communication effort and stress on Wife and I.

In the meantime, work is cruising...I mean cruising. Prospects keep coming in. I've closed a ton. We're in great shape financially. I am filled with energy. AND I am staying totally disciplined on the amount of time and total energy I am putting in work. No backsliding to bad pre-semi-retired life work habits.

It's all very mysterious.

But don't get me wrong. I am going to ride this horse as long as it has the legs to carry me.

Rein In The Sales Dogs!

Savvy readers will remember that just a couple of months ago I was bemoaning the fact that, I, the great de-I, was going to have to get off my ass and make some sales, that is bring in the dinero to build the bank account up if dearest CFO Wife was going to let me consider ever traveling again.

Well Mister de-I is nothing if not results oriented. So I flung myself full bore into bringing in the new clients.

Well the month of January has seen a slew of new business come down the pike. With no travel expenses to date, our liquid capital base has been building rapidly. I suddenly had the realizaion...

...I had a shit load of work to do and was going to be pressed to get it done before we left on the next trip! Ergo the sales dogs have to be leashed.

You know it took two decades to build up an extensive network of referral sources, and build a compelling marketing message and value proposition. But man I am really enjoying having it as a tool to fuel my transitioned state needs!

HAPPY!!!!!!

At 12:01 this morning January 21 the official ban on travel talking will be lifted.

I SERIOUSLY considered setting the alarm clock, and waking up Wife with a whole set of travel discussion topics at exactly 12:01.

Well not SERIOUSLY. I don't have a death wish.

And we WILL have lots to discuss as we have our next big trip not that far on the horizon.

YAY!

Basking In Balance - A Transition Process Update

It is so very easy to fall into linear, event thinking...as in I have reached this threshold, I have gone through this barrier. I am now at this stage, etc., etc., etc.

But our actual reality is a continuum. There are certain stops along the way - you get born, you die, you start school, jobs, graduate, get fired, have children, etc. And those are markers for sure but they don't mark the specific evolution of your being (except the being born and dying ones...I guess those are pretty finite markers). Our being - that sum total of what we can do and think about what we are doing moves on like a river. It might go faster like going over a drop or it might meander as when the river is on a plain. But it keeps going. So I shouldn't be surprised that what I have been calling 'transition' continues to evolve.

As I marked completing year 70 and the 3rd year of official semi-retirement, I noticed that there has been a decided attainment of a new balance. That balance is predicated on sufficient amounts of travel and work to keep me stimulated at the level I need to be stimulated. Let's review some of the theory I've developed on dealing with transitioning.

As we age, our overall energy capability (the amount of energy available at any moment in time and the ability to recharge that energy) diminishes. However while we are working, the amount of energy required to do our work tends to stay rather constant. So as we reach the end of our working life there is a gap between energy available and energy required to do work. This tends to lead to fatigue and frustration. It is what drives most people who like their work to eventually retire.

When we transition into the next phase, we are not devoid of energy. We still have energy and we have to find outlets for that energy. If we don't, we start to atrophy and we've all met the people who have nothing after their working days who are like that.

Finding outlets for that energy can uncover other restrictions such as the diminishing of other capabilities. For example, I loved hiking but the deterioration of my joints and muscles meant that was not going to be a realistic outlet for my energy. But I have discovered that I need a certain level of mental stimulation and challenge. Travel has been the primary activity that has satisfied that. However, for monetary and other reasons, there is only so much travel one can do even if you are doing a butt ton of travel. And up until recently, there was nothing here at home that gave the same stimulation. Work has evolved to fill that piece.

Originally I decided to keep working because I needed the money to fund the travel and I couldn't think of anything else that was crying out to me to fill the time. But as I've pruned away all kinds of work types I don't like, focused only on the things I really like and are easiest/most profitable to do and have gotten very disciplined about the amount of time and energy I put into work, I've found work to have become this very stimulating activity.

So now there is a very nice balance with the twin pillars of my active life being travel and work. I've gotten each of these to a point where I know how best to participate in them to give myself the maximum stimulation and enjoyment.

January Posting Blues

I don't know what it is about January but it is not typically a month when I post a whole lot. Perhaps it is because after coming back from our fall trip I need a writing breather or that after the holidays it is about hunkering down to work (to make money for the next trip HA!). Any way, the muse of blog posts seems to have taken the time to go back to Bali and chill leaving me barren.

HOWEVER, there is one very bright spot on the horizon. January 21st. A very important day. It is the day that Wife's ban on discussing travel ends. On our return from our Italia adventure, she  requested two months of no talking about travel and no travel planning. I have respected that wish. But like all acts in nature there are consequences. If yo dam up a stream, the water builds up to a great volume. If you release it all at once, it is going to come up in a flood.

January 21 the dam holding back the torrent of travel planning in me will be released. Wife says she's going to head for higher ground.