RESEARCH_FILE
Marc Freedman
Encore.org (founder)
Known for:Documenting 'encore careers' — the pattern of reinventing work around purpose in midlife and beyond
SEE THE PRACTICE
Turn a thought this research explains into one clear move.
THE THOUGHT
“It's too late to change careers”
YOUR RECORDED RESPONSE
“The sunk cost is already spent; the question is what the next years are for.”
ONE PRIVATE MOVE
Open a notes app or scrap paper and list three careers or roles you have quietly ruled out. Under each one, write one skill, contact, or past task that would still matter there. Stop at five minutes.
Key findings
- 2007
A growing number of people in their 40s, 50s and 60s deliberately pursue 'encore careers' — work that combines personal meaning, continued income and social impact — reframing midlife reinvention as a considered choice rather than a symptom of crisis. Encore: Finding Work That Matters in the Second Half of Life ↗
- 2008
A national survey found roughly 8.4 million Americans ages 44-70 were already in encore careers, with tens of millions more expressing strong interest in making a similar transition. Encore Career Survey ↗