In the Midst of Life
Men and women around 50 used to be just 10 years from retirement. Back then, a typical employee had suffered for years in the same job, and would continue to do so until the bitter end. Today, men or women aged 45-50 find theirself at midlife. People are living longer, and the retirement age has been raised to 67. Many men and women around 50 are asking themselves whether it might be possible to switch occupations altogether. Having lived half of their lives, they are searching now for genuine meaning, and find themselves wanting to launch new careers. Having reached new levels of self-awareness, long after having married and raised families, they ask themselves: Isn't there more to life ?We accompany three men and women minute over a period of a year on their paths toward professional reorientation. What motivates them to take this step, to abandon established occupations and seek out the new? How difficult is it to switch tracks and reestablish oneself? What are the risks for their families when they resign from secure positions to pursue something entirely different? Who succeeds, and who fails? And in the latter case, what next?
