During the 1970s the food industry began to introduce the concept of the expiration date (also known as “use by dates”, “sell by dates” and “good until dates”).
You now see that date on virtually every product sold through all classes of trade. From baked goods to beverages and meats to cosmetics, each features information on when the product is at its freshest.
The implication is that if we use that product after that date, it will be less useful at that point.
We don’t buy products outside their expiration date. And we often avoid products that are close to expiration. If we do buy products nearing their expiration date, we expect a deep discount for the diminished value.
This is a straight-forward concept when it comes to inanimate products.
But what about people?
My friend Rich Jones and I had this very discussion when we spoke about ageism in the workplace. Rich is a leading expert on ageism issues. I’ve written about Rich in a previous post.
Who Decides Our Expiration Date?
When it comes to people, who gets to determine when our value expires? At what point are we used up…in a professional and/or personal sense? How much of this is within our control?
Conventional Wisdom May Be Obsolete
We have a system in place in our country to support and encourage a retirement at around the age of 65. Our collective systems have been built around the expectation that our ‘value’ as contributors to society will be “used up” by that time.
But we now know that many people are extending their expiration dates by maintaining good health, staying up to date on their careers, and investing in continuing education. Many professions routinely work into their 70s and 80s.
We also know that we may undervalue youthful intelligence. Shouldn’t the standard be the same for everyone?
Reinvention, Renewal and Relevance
According to Glenn Llopis, author of the new book, Make Reinvention your new Superpower, we are entering a period of major disruption. Anytime we enter a disruptive period, it requires everyone to adjust. Each disruption period allows us to reinvent ourselves, renew our commitments and increase our relevancy in the world.
As Glenn says, “Reinvention is a continuous cycle of discovery plus action: Learn. Unlearn. Relearn. Repeat.”
Take Inventory of Your Skills
With age comes wisdom and experience. With youth comes energy and enthusiasm. We need all these ingredients working together for the most successful outcome. Identify what your key attributes are in comparison to those that are needed by the world today, and then embrace them.
It’s up to you to control your own expiration date!