ROUNDING LIFE'S SECOND CURVE A HARD ROAD OF SELF DISCOVERY

It took Jack Craven 20 years to grasp that running his family’s wholesale business selling goods to discount stores wasn’t how he wanted to spend the second half of his life. He also figured out his ever-mounting unhappiness had taken a toll on his relationships with loved ones.

“I realized that I wasn’t taking ownership of what I really wanted,” said Craven, who lives in suburban Chicago. “I was more focused on blaming others.”

So how did he make it through to the other side?

With the pandemic’s Great Resignation has come a Great Reinvention as more people of all ages have given up on jobs and find themselves pondering the work-life balance that lends meaning to their lives. At times, it’s transforming a side hustle as Craven did. In other cases, it’s chasing a long-dormant dream. In still more, it’s a complete surprise.

After a stint as a trial lawyer, then taking the reins of the business his father founded, Craven said he had no idea what he really wanted. That’s when he turned to a holistic leadership retreat and dug deep into every aspect of his life.

The retreat turned into a long-term support system of like-minded business people offering both direction and support. In 2015, out of the emotional work he did on himself, came his new full-time gig as an executive coach, helping CEOs and presidents of companies and organizations overcome the things that bog them down. Turns out, he said, helping others was exactly what he needed.

“Being vulnerable is definitely the first step,” Craven said.

His family closed the business after he left, but not all second acts — also called second curves — need to be complete life overhauls.