50odd.co.uk is one week old today.
It’s probably one of the best things I’ve ever done. For me that is. I don’t know how it is for you yet. I still have to work out exactly what it is. But I will.
Anyhow, early indications are that at least some people like it. People I know, or people that are one or two steps away from people that I know, have said nice things to me about this online diary.
Two Surprises
There are two things that have taken me by surprise though.
Firstly, a general consensus amongst the nice comments is that I have some how ‘got my shit together’ as I enter this new decade, that I am doing well and that I am not at all afraid by what I am doing with Always Wear Red.
This, for the avoidance of doubt, is not true.
I swing from (literally) paralysed with fear and uncertainty, to elated because of the delivery of value and excellence. Always Wear Red is a purpose-driven brand . It makes a promise. I created it to change the behaviour of the wearer. And when I learn this has happened I am high. Like, heroin high. Even though heroin is one drug I haven’t tried. But you know whet I mean.
Secondly, 50 is a really significant milestone for a lot of men that have contacted me. It’s surprised me. And I think I know why it’s so significant.
Death.
The 85%
About 85% of all 50 year old men in the UK (that includes you if you are one and are reading this) are really, really lucky. They can choose what hitting 50 means to them.
Generally, it’s one of two things:
- A decade in which you can excel. Do your best work – ever. Give back. Make a difference. Do it for you. Spread joy. Share. Use your accrued experience and cleverness for good. Give people your time and help them, for free. Be generous. Stop measuring yourself against other people. Stop listening to what everyone’s telling you you should do – and do only what you must.
OR - A decade when you can start to get your house in order and generally go about preparing for your impending death.
So make a choice. If you can. And if you are finding this kind of decision making hard, please drop me a line at michael@50odd.co.uk and I will try to help you. Or comment below.
And by the way, if you are a 50odd year old man pondering which decision to make, you are one of the very privileged 85% that are in a position to decide.
The other 15% are dead.
Photo: Taken by me at Do10.
2 Comments
I am not a 50odd-year-old man. However, since I
– prefer swinging a sledgehammer doing demolition over getting my nails polished
– will impulsively hug someone I like the first time I meet them
-like pepperoncini and parmesan in my oatmeal rather than sugar, and a million other things…
some people think I’m a bit odd.
“If everything is going your way, you’re in the wrong lane.”
That saying can be interpreted in two ways. Most people understand it to mean that if everything is going against you then you must be in the wrong lane and should change directions or change lanes. Another way to read that is that if everything is going your way then you are going with the flow, not making any disturbance or effecting any change and you need to change lanes so that you making a disruption because change is something worthwhile and it requires challenge, discomfort, and agitation to create.
I like to think of that piece of irritating grit inside the oyster that becomes a pearl.
Judy Garland was sweet. Phyllis Diller was a blast!
Hello Rebecca. It’s brilliant that you have taken the time to comment. I am very flattered.
Inside the 50odd logo there is, you may have noticed, a little fish. She/he is swimming to the left.
As you allude to, I think that this little fellow is swimming against the tide and not going withe the flow. Not for effect or for show. Rather because if she was going with the flow… following the ‘how to’ book… she’d be bored already.
So thank you again Rebecca. Your comments and observations mirror exactly what is happening here in 50odd.co.uk world.