Executive-life coach, author Richard Leider to talk about ‘purposeful aging’ at virtual presentation

Del Mar Community Connections will host an April 6 virtual presentation by Richard Leider, an executive-life coach, founder of Inventure - The Purpose Company and author of “What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Old? A Path of Purposeful Aging.”

Richard Leider

(Courtesy)

“The basic theme is everyone is getting old, but not everyone is growing old,” said Leider, who has written, lectured and coached people on “the power of purpose” for decades. “And the path of purposeful aging is fundamental, not a luxury. It’s fundamental to health, to happiness and longevity.”

With life expectancy increasing, he added, a growing portion of the population is 60 or older and looking for purpose, a reason to wake up in the morning.

“Can science explain purpose? Yes,” said Leider, who has a master’s degree in counseling and has worked with organizations including AARP, Ameriprise, Ericsson and Habitat for Humanity. “It’s now self-evident that this is not a luxury. In addition to health and financial resources, we also need meaning to live a long and healthy life.”

According to the most recent estimates by the Census Bureau, America’s 65-and-older population has grown by a little more than 34% over the past decade, fueled by the aging of Baby Boomers.

“It’s about resetting or recalibrating,” Leider said, referring to finding purpose later in life. “The term I use is reimagining the next phase of life.”

Leider also said there are three themes he has seen repeatedly in the interviews he’s conducted with people who are 65 and older: more reflection on the big picture and recurring patterns throughout their lives, finding the courage to take more risks and be more authentic, and wanting to find more meaning in the things they do.

“They want to make a dent, make a mark,” Leider said. “You don’t have to be famous or do something big, you just have to be authentic and understand that purpose is always about your contribution to others, never about self-absorption.”

Leider, who is based in Minnesota, has written 11 books, including “Repacking Your Bags” and “The Power of Purpose.” His PBS special “The Power of Purpose” has been viewed by millions.

“I consider myself a pioneer in the purpose movement,” he said. “I’ve been studying and writing about purpose for four decades.”

Registration for the April 6 presentation to DMCC, which will be at 3 p.m., is required and free. For more information, visit dmcc.cc/calendar.