Why checking out at 40s is not normal

Work Hard, Party Harder. That is the quote which should sum up the work-life balance of modern work culture. Unfortunately, it does not. Gone are those days when people used to talk about working till the age of 60s and then sit down on a beach with a Margarita. You can just open your TV and ads after ads detailing the plans and enormous benefits of retiring early will be shown.

Instead of 60s, younger generations are planning to retire in their 40s, in few cases even the 30s. They just want to empty their energy tank rather than rationally distributing it. The trend has already begun and people are chucking out in large numbers. Not only average workers, even people with big public following are doing it.

However, there is a difference between you and me quitting and politicians or CEOs quitting their jobs. We can retire anyway we like and very few care. When big personalities retire, there are millions who eagerly wait to hear their reasons for retiring early and out of the blue. Imagine hearing that your hero/heroine left their job because they were tired. You would have sympathy for them. You wouldn’t blame them. But, what impact will it have on your work ethic? Will you keep going or leave your job when tiredness strikes you next?

Nicola Sturgeon quits

Few days ago, Nicola Sturgeon, Scottish National party leader and Scotland’s first minister resigned. She was at the top of her game for nearly 20 years. It is due to her that the demand for Scotland’s independence from the United Kingdom kept burning. Unfortunately, the flame could not keep burning forever.

Nicola was not able to bear the brunt of ruthlessness of modern-day politics. 24-hour news cycle, politics on whims and fancies of social media and excessive focus on person rather than issue acted as damper for her. She could not go out for coffee or take a comfortable walk, or meet friends like a normal person would do.

That sadness was coupled by the fact that her job demanded 24*7 attention. She did her best, and with the realisation that she could face criticism, decided to go off the chart.

Quote ,”I am not expecting violins here, but I am a human being as well as a politician. Giving absolutely everything of yourself to this job is the only way to do it. The country deserves nothing less. But in truth that can only be done by anyone for so long. For me, it is now in danger of becoming too long.”

Jacinda Ardern also quits

“It is now in danger of becoming too long.” The sum and substance of that part of Nicola’s speech was observed a few weeks ago in another continent, Australia. The country is New Zealand and the amplifier of this feeling is Jacinda Ardern, former Prime Minister of the Kiwis. In the 3rd week of January, Ardern surprised the world with a sudden resignation from her job. For the last few years, Ardern has been at the centre of attraction for both local and global media.

She broke many glass ceilings supposedly designed to stop women from excelling. She gave birth while in office and used emotions, a trait used to deride women, for the good cause. Just after the Christchurch mosque shooting, she wore a Hijab and attended to the Muslim community. It was a great and respectful gesture. During Covid times, Jacinda calmed the storm with a mix of empathy and discipline.

These things took a toll on her. At the tender age of 42, the age in which people begin their political career, she resigned. Jacinda accepted that she did not have much left in the tank.

Quote, “Having reflected over the summer I know I no longer have that bit extra in the tank to do the job justice. It’s that simple.” Later she also added, “I am human. Politicians are human. We give all that we can, for as long as we can, and then it’s time. And for me, it’s time.” She will now focus on family life.

Controversies and questions

Arden’s resignation was not without controversy. Her resignation came at a time when elections are due and her popularity is in decline. Nicola’s case is not much different. She is in the midst of huge controversy over a rape convict man using her party’s support for transgenderism to gain entry into female cells. Despite that, both got their deserved share of praise for timely calling it quits. Both realised that people could no longer benefit from them and hence left the domain. The courage to leave was well received.

But the resignations left some questions unanswered. Did they have only that much in the tank? Is it possible that the top brass of their respective countries could never keep their work-life balance intact? What impression does these resignations leave on future generations? If wrong, should these leaders have realised the impact and lied about the cause?

Problem for high end performers

The answer to the first question is that, it is highly likely that quitters have not much left in the tank. That is because, most of the people at the top are at the top because they have given every ounce of their blood and sweat to get there. They burn midnight oil to study the impact of their decisions in early days. These people remember names of people, GDP growth rate and other key facts and figures.

Along with these issues, politicians, businesspersons and others of their leagues have to handle the most complex phenomenon of human lives called human nature. A political or boardroom coup is always around the corner. Until and unless one does not know how to show love without being disrespected, show respect without compromising someone’s mental autonomy and show submissiveness without harming self-respect, one can’t get to the top of any field and remain there.

Coordinative approach with everyone around always brings positive results in the long term and is a recipe for dominance over a long period of time.

This kind of dedication demands sacrifice on more levels than one. A leader can’t have a switch on and switch off mode. Even private time poses a risk of turning into sting operations. Resultantly, kids and other close family matters suffer the most. This kind of stuff gives rise to mom’s guilt or dad’s guilt.

It affects women more than men and this is the reason why western countries see a mad rush of women bailing out from jobs in their 30s. Companies have not been able to find an amicable solution for it in the last 30 years and it does not look foreseeable in the near future.

People are constantly getting depressed and depression increases the prospects of early retirement by a huge 27 per cent. You can expect more leaders to quit in their 40s, or even 30s in their future. Mark my words, they will be honest about it.

Public faces impact millions

Unfortunately, this is where their shrewdness is required the most and not the honest side of things. At the end of the day, these people have their respective auras built around them. The aura is that of hard work, give it all, in your face attitude kind of person. People idolise them due to these qualities. To put it simply, their image requires them to be winners, rather than quitters.

Their supporters attend seminars, Ted Talks, read books about them and enquire about them from the Internet. These stories fill them with enthusiasm to give their best. There are moments when a prodigy has to decide between quitting or going on. The decision in those moments is based on the stories going around the head of that person. If a wicket keeper knows that Rishabh Pant has not given up despite life threatening injuries, chances of him not quitting his passion gets exacerbated.

Now multiply that with 99 per cent of the population. In our tough times, most of us have nothing but hope. We derive hope from reading stories about people who suffered in similar circumstances like us and came out victorious. Suddenly, one day we realise that our ideal has decided to quit. And then one more quits and then another. The number keeps mounting.

More planned approach is need of the hour

The same has happened in the last few years. Players, actors, writers, politicians all of them are quitting en masse. This is definitely not going to boost the morale of a person who spends their daily life toiling hard and looking up to them. For the more sensitive of the bunch, it may literally end up killing their spirit to go on forever.

Quitting is not bad. The moment you realise that you are not cut out for the job, you need to quit. But, the method and reasoning of quitting needs a radical change. People need to plan early for 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s. They should outline what they need from their life and how careers will help in it. If that plan demands resignation in the 40s, it’s well and good.

It is good also in the sense that they were not forced by problems. They had enough in the tank and now other aspects of life like family and friends will enrich from the dynamism.