Encore Performance: An interesting metaphor

Marc Freedman's book, Encore: Finding Work That Matters In The Second Half of Life targets baby boomers who want second careers that "matter," i.e, that make a difference. These days, as people live longer, retirement no longer makes sense.

The "encore" title creates an appealing metaphor - the idea that we've finished the plan performance and yet are not ready to leave the stage. At first I thought, "Wow - I wish I had come up with that title for some of my own work."

But think about it. Performers give encores to please the audience. Encores are gratuitous extras - we love getting them but we don't feel cheated if the performers simply pack up and go home. Symphony orchestras typically choose crowd-pleasing pieces that send everyone home with a smile.

I love encores myself. But performers know they've got another "real" show tomorrow and the day after that. To think that you're nothing but an encore for the rest of your life...an extra, a crowd-pleaser, but with no real show tomorrow?

Books like this one are actually dangerous because prospective employers think, "Oh, they're older boomers. They don't care about rewards and promotions. They're not forward-looking."

For his Encore, one former teacher put away his graduate degrees and decided to be a greeter at Wal-Mart. Is that a career that "matters," as the subtitle promises?

Thanks but no thanks.