Hi ,
What if the best, most meaningful chapter of your career hasn’t even begun yet?
We’re often sold this quiet lie: that reinvention is the realm of the young. That if you haven’t figured out your “thing” by 40, or worse, if you have and it no longer fits, you’ve somehow missed your shot. But I’ve spent decades immersed in conversations with people across every age, background, and career path.
And if there’s one truth I’ve learned, it’s this:
Reinvention doesn’t have an expiration date.
In fact, some of the most remarkable transformations I’ve witnessed, from corporate execs stepping into healing professions, to engineers becoming storytellers, to teachers launching global nonprofits, happened in the so-called “second half” of life. Not in spite of their age, but because of it. Because they brought a wealth of experience, self-knowledge, and, often, an urgent desire to make their time count. And, to center purpose, contribution, and expression.
I’m actually in the process of my own season of reinvention right now, which you’ve seen me write about. I call it my 2×20 (pronounced “two by twenty”). If you missed my last big update on it, you can dive in here
So why does the myth persist?
The Fear Beneath the Myth
Reinvention triggers deep vulnerability. It means releasing identities you’ve worked hard to build, status you’ve earned, and the comfort of competence. That’s scary, especially when others see you as someone who’s already “made it.”
I remember talking with a colleague in their late 50s who’d spent 25 years building a career, the last decade or so in a C-suite role. On paper, they had it all. But inside, they felt restless, disconnected. Their Sparketype profile showed a Scientist/Maker, someone who needed to problem solve and create, but their day-to-day was filled with meetings, politics, and spreadsheets. The dissonance was soul-draining.
They asked me, “Isn’t it too late to start over?” My answer: “Not only is it not too late, it’s the perfect time.”
Here’s why.
1. You Know What No Longer Works
The gift of experience is clarity. You’ve had time to try on roles, companies, identities, and let go of the ones that didn’t fit. That knowledge is gold. And, it often comes from either a blend of deep self-discovery work (which almost no one undertakes in a genuine way), or years of experience, plus a highly-developed sense of self-awareness.
Reinvention later in life isn’t starting from scratch. It’s starting from wisdom.
You’ve already done the trial and error. You’ve learned which environments stifle you, which kinds of work drain or energize you, which values you’ll no longer compromise on. That clarity is your compass.
2. Your Sparketype Isn’t a Sentence. It’s a Signal
Your Sparketype profile (whether you’re a Sage, Advisor, Maven, or any of the 10 types) gives you a language for the work that lights you up. But it doesn’t dictate how that gets expressed.
You might’ve spent decades in a role that aligned with your Sparketype on paper, but the expression was off. A Nurturer in a culture that values productivity over people. A Performer stuck behind the scenes. An Essentialist chasing someone else’s checklist. Or maybe the job you got hired to do was well-aligned, but over time, it crept and oozed and morphed into something very different.
Even if what’s being professed publicly aligns with your Sparketype, if your day-to-day, lived experience conflicts with it, that is what is real for you.
Reinvention often means shifting not just what you do, but how and where you do it, so it finally matches the truth of who you are. Sometimes, if you have the vision, agency, and support, that reinvention can even happen within the bounds of your current circumstance.
3. Your Relationships Are Deeper and More Valuable
When you’ve been around the block a few times, you’ve built relationships that run deep. Whether it’s former colleagues, clients, friends, or even family members, you have a built-in network of people who know your values, your strengths, and your integrity.
That network becomes your launchpad.
Reinvention doesn’t happen in isolation. It thrives in community. And you already have one, whether you realize it or not. The key is being brave enough to reach out, share your vision, and ask for support.
So, How Do You Start?
If you’re feeling the pull to reinvent, here’s what I’d suggest:
- Revisit your Sparketype Profile. Ask: how well does my current work align with what I’m truly wired to do? What needs to shift? Not necessarily everything, but maybe something?
- Start with small experiments. You don’t have to leap without a net. Try reimagining how you step into the same role. Expand the confines of what you do. Explore taking on a new role, volunteer, teach, consult, create. Run tiny experiments first. Let curiosity lead before you commit.
- Tell a new story. The stories we tell ourselves can either trap or liberate us. Replace “I’m too old” with “I’m finally ready.” That shift alone can open doors.
- Find your reinvention allies. Whether it’s a coach, Certified Sparketype Advisor™, community, or just a few trusted friends, don’t go it alone. You need people who can reflect your truth back to you when your own self-doubt gets loud.
Your Takeaways
Here’s the heart of it:
- Reinvention is possible at any age.
- Experience brings clarity, not limitation.
- Your Sparketype is a signal, not a sentence.
- Community is key to transformation.
- The first step doesn’t have to be big. It just has to be yours.
End of the day, you’re never too old, or too entrenched to reclaim work as a source of meaning, possibility, and joy.
This Experiment Helped Me Rethink Everything. Now, I’m Sharing It
What started 18 months ago as a personal inquiry, “Do I really want to live and work this way for the next 20 years?” turned into one of the most profound frameworks I’ve ever used for change.
I call it the 2×20 (two by twenty), and it blends deep reflection with intentional action and tiny experiments to help you get clear on what matters most and start designing toward it, now.
For a limited time, I’m offering three ways to explore the 2×20 with me: through individual coaching, a guided group journey, or an intimate retreat.
If you’re ready to reimagine what’s next, lets work together to make it happen.
With gratitude,
Jonathan & the Spark Team
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