Starting over at 50+: Why clarity matters more than a plan
- Jan 12
- 2 min read
Starting life over at 50 – without a set plan
Starting over later in life is often associated with having a clear plan. Goals. Milestones. Timelines. My experience was different.
When I began to redesign my life, I didn’t have a plan. But I was very clear about one thing:my life could not continue the way it was. And I had a few ideas. Unripe. Superficial.
Why my first fresh start failed
My first attempt to reinvent myself failed for exactly that reason. I was half-hearted, unprepared and afraid. I jumped into self-employment without looking at my life as a whole. I focused only on work – and failed badly.
That failure hurt. I returned to my old life, disappointed and full of self-doubt. But at some point, I began to analyse what had gone wrong.
This process took time.It was uncomfortable. I had to face truths about myself that I had ignored for years.
Clarity instead of actionism
Only when I asked myself how I truly wanted to live did things begin to shift. Not what I wanted to do for work – but how I wanted my life to feel. How do I want to live? What do I need to achieve this? What is truly important to me? For the first time, I properly shaped and articulated my ideas about life, dreams and values.
That’s when I realised this would not be a quick reset. It would be a long journey. It's frightening when you only really get started at 50. And the road still has many turns, detours and potholes in store.
A new start as a long journey
I wanted to change many things and had no clear idea how to get there. The plans I then drew up changed several times as a result of my experiences along this long journey. But I had clarity about the direction. And that made all the difference.
Looking back, I know now: clarity matters more than any plan.
Plans change. Clarity stays.
