The Peak Years: Why Your Best Career Moves Happen After 50

Hello lovely people!

Coming to you with a rather liberating thought that I wish someone had shared with me about 20 years ago: your career might just hit its most magnificent stride after your 50th birthday bash, and what comes after can be even more exciting.

I know, I know. Everything we’ve been told suggests that after 50, we should be planning our exit strategy and winding down. But here’s the delicious truth I’ve discovered: those last ten years of your main career can be absolutely smashing – and they set the stage perfectly for whatever brilliant way you’ll deploy your hard-earned skills next.

The Experience Dividend

Remember when you were in your thirties, frantically Googling “how to sound confident in meetings” five minutes before presenting to the board? Or that time in your forties when you stayed up until 2 AM preparing for a conversation you could now handle while simultaneously making a cuppa?

That’s what I call the experience dividend, and it’s paying out handsomely now.

Last month, a young colleague turned to me in a bit of a flap about a client presentation gone sideways. “How are you so calm about this?” she asked, clearly expecting me to join her panic party. I realised that twenty years ago, this hiccup would have had me reaching for the rescue remedy. Now? It barely registers as a blip. I’ve seen this movie before – often enough to know all the alternative endings.

This isn’t just confidence – it’s earned competence, and it’s your superpower in your 50s and beyond.

The Liberation of “Been There, Done That”

Here’s something rather wonderful that nobody tells you about the peak years: the politics matter less. The posturing becomes transparent. The games reveal themselves for what they are.

Last year, I found myself in one of those tedious territorial meetings where everyone was carefully positioning themselves to look brilliant without actually committing to anything. In my younger days, I’d have played along. Instead, I heard myself saying, “I think we’re dancing around the actual problem here. Shall we address it directly?”

The relief in the room was palpable. My younger self would have worried about the consequences for days. My peak-years self drove home thinking about what to have for dinner.

That’s the liberation of the peak years – you’ve likely seen every workplace drama play out before, which means you can choose whether to audition for a role or simply direct the action towards a better conclusion.

Your Emotional Intelligence is Off the Charts

Remember how mystified we all were by office relationships in our twenties? Like trying to defuse a bomb while wearing oven mitts.

Now? You can practically smell interpersonal issues before they arise. You know exactly when the finance director needs handling with kid gloves (monthly reporting week, always), and when the creative team needs gentle encouragement rather than hard deadlines.

This isn’t manipulation – it’s mastery. It’s understanding human nature well enough to create environments where people thrive rather than merely survive.

My finest moment last year wasn’t landing the massive contract we’d been chasing (though that was lovely). It was watching two departments that had been at loggerheads for years finally collaborate effectively after I’d spent six months quietly rebuilding those bridges. Twenty years ago, I wouldn’t have noticed the problem, let alone known how to fix it.

The Joy of Selective Ambition

Perhaps the most liberating aspect of the peak years is becoming pickier about where you direct your energy.

In my thirties, I said yes to everything. Committee for the office Christmas party? Yes! Extra project that no one else wanted? Absolutely! Working weekend to impress the boss? Sigh… yes.

Now? I’ve become gloriously selective. I’ve learned that my energy creates the most value when it’s directed towards meaningful work with people I genuinely enjoy. I’ve started asking myself, “Is this worth one of my remaining working days?” It’s remarkable how clarifying that question can be.

Last month, I declined joining a prestigious industry panel that would have had me travelling to conferences I didn’t care about with people who mainly wanted to hear themselves talk. Instead, I’m mentoring three brilliant professionals leading their companies’ most innovative project to date. The panel would have looked impressive on LinkedIn. The work I’m doing instead feels impressive to my soul.

Advice for Those Planning Ahead

So, my friends, whether you’re approaching these peak years or you’re in your 40s planning ahead, here’s my heartfelt counsel:

• See your skills as transferable assets. The expertise you’re building now isn’t just for your current career – it’s your toolkit for whatever exciting ventures you pursue later. I’ve watched countless colleagues transform executive skills into thriving consultancies, mentoring programs, and charity leadership positions.
• Identify what truly energises you. Which parts of your current work make you lose track of time? Those are clues to what might become your focus when you have more freedom to choose.
• Build your network with the long view. The relationships you’re cultivating now aren’t just for your current role – they’re the foundation for collaborative projects, mentoring opportunities, or board positions later.
• Invest in your physical health now. Nothing enables an active future like maintaining your health today. The small choices you make in your 40s and 50s compound dramatically by your 60s and 70s.
• Start experimenting early. Don’t wait to try new applications of your skills. I started mentoring young professionals one evening a month in my 50s – it’s now evolved into one of my most fulfilling activities.

What I love about our approach in the UK is how we value both fresh perspectives and seasoned wisdom. We celebrate young talent stepping into leadership roles with their innovative thinking, while equally appreciating the depth of insight that comes with decades of experience. There’s something quite brilliant about organisations that create space for both – the energy and fresh thinking of youth alongside the nuanced judgment of those who’ve navigated countless business cycles. The key isn’t age at all, but rather the unique combination of talent, drive, and vision that each individual brings to the table, regardless of which birthday they’ve just celebrated.

What’s particularly exciting is how we’re embracing the concept of careers that evolve rather than end. I’m constantly inspired by the creative transitions I see around me – former executives now running international development projects, senior accountants teaching financial literacy in schools, and marketing directors applying their expertise to environmental campaigns. They’re all as engaged and dynamic as they ever were in their corporate roles, just with more autonomy and purpose.

For those of you in your 40s and early 50s, now is the perfect time to be thinking about how your career expertise might evolve into your next chapter. How might your professional superpowers be deployed in new and exciting ways a decade from now? The skills you’re honing today are creating the foundation for whatever brilliant ventures you’ll choose to pursue tomorrow.

Drop me a comment below – I’d love to know what you’re planning for your own evolving career journey!

Until next time