In It for Life: Maximizing Longevity
The Power of One:
Making a Difference for the World in Our Later Years (Part III)
By Tim Lybarger
“A mentor is someone who sees more talent and ability within you than you see in yourself and helps bring it out of you.” — Bob Proctor
He flew his airplane out of the Cuyahoga County airport. Everyone there knew him, and not just because he was friendly and engaging. No, what really captured their attention was what he had done. Jim Dunlop hadn’t started flying until he retired at age 65 — a noteworthy endeavor for someone his age when many others settled for simple leisure as the end goal.
But that was just the start.
Jim had a sense of adventure that he wore in an unassuming, humble kind of way. He flew a Cessna 182, a single engine, general aviation airplane that one might fly just for the fun of it. Something in him wanted to see how far he could fly it. At just past the age of 70, he flew that airplane across the Atlantic Ocean and back. But that was just the warmup. In 1990, at the age of 74, Jim took that same plane and flew it around the world – by himself.
I was 30 years old and lost in the midst of “career transition.” I knew of Jim because, in my wanderings, I took up flying; something I’d always yearned to do. (There’s a lesson in that!) But I also knew that this flying thing was just a hobby, not a career for me.
In his career, Jim had done something in human resources. That appealed to me in a certain way. I’d always wondered why organizations didn’t work better. Was there something in that direction that might fit for me?
It took some courage, but I asked Jim for his advice. He invited me over to his home and listened to me.
Then he said this, “What you are talking about is the field of Organizational Development. If you are truly interested in it, this is what you do: Go to the weekend college program at Hiram College to get your undergraduate degree. I’m on the Board of Trustees and will help you make your application. Then, proceed on to the two-year master’s degree in Organizational Development at Case Western Reserve University. That will give you the foundation to launch your career.”
It’s been 37 years since we met – just that once. But in the quick one hour we spent together, he changed everything about my life. I followed his directions to the letter and have had an amazing career because of it.
Now, it’s time to pay it forward. In our stage of life, we have experience, wisdom and insights to offer.
Find someone who is lost. Get to know them. Listen. And, when they trust you enough to ask for advice, shine some light. Lay out some options. (No preaching allowed.)
