I grew up in the city of Mississauga, just West of Toronto, and the only mayor I ever knew was Hazel McCallion. Hazel was the mayor of Mississauga until the age of 93. Hurricane Hazel, as she is often referred to, not only helped create the city of Mississauga, but also redefined how one remains a high-level performer well past the mythical retirement age of 65.
So what keeps Hazel keen and sharp in the work she does? Well, here are a few human performance skills I learned from her:
Purpose
I know the term “purpose” gets a lot of media attention however, there is a good reason it does. Sometimes we find ourselves working in an “ok” career that meets our needs, but deep down we know there is another side of work to us, and it revolves around a deeper sense of purpose. Then, all of a sudden, you discover it and you think it’s too late to pursue that career. Well, the reality is, this new world economy is the place with new and exciting careers for people who have discovered their purpose and are ready to pursue them. It is often said, we hit our “prime” when we turn 65.
Passion
Having worked with many high-level performers over the years, one thing is certain: they have such a sense of passion (and commitment) for what they do. Often, we get trapped into thinking that we can only have one passion in life, which again, is more media myth than reality. We have several passions, yet we limit ourselves to thinking that we can only pursue one passion in life. Did you know Hazel was actually a professional hockey player early in her career journey?
Service
One performance skill often overlooked when creating high performing teams and organizations is a sense of service. Hazel McCallion has always shown a deep sense of service for the people of Mississauga: I realized this the first time I met her around age 8. Her unrelenting energy and the way she connected with people made it clear that she was truly committed to serving the people of Mississauga. Having a sense of service really deepens your passion and purpose, which is essential, especially during challenging times.
So the high performance secrete for working and thriving beyond 65? Become a hurricane!
All the best in achieving your highest performance.
Paul
Image courtesy of mrpuen at FreeDigitalPhotos.net