Turning 40
Embracing a New Decade and Reflecting on Career Cycles
Next week, I turn 40, and to my surprise, I’m actually pretty excited about it. Forty has a certain weight to it—like it should feel old. But in many ways, I’m proud to reach this milestone. Reaching a new decade without falling apart is almost like a badge of honor.
When you consider that the average lifespan of Americans is 76 years old, technically, I’ve already passed the midpoint of my life. By that measure, 38 was the real “mid-life.” But aging doesn’t bother me as much as it used to; it’s more of a reflection point than a source of anxiety.
Just the other day, a student told me she was freaking out because she didn’t know what she wanted to do after graduation. I might have reassured her—or freaked her out even more—when I said that uncertainty doesn’t go away. Even at my age, and probably 20 years from now, we still ask ourselves, “Is what I’m doing what I’m meant for?” or “Is there something bigger on the horizon?”
This got me thinking about career cycles. I’ve come to see careers as having three main phases, typically spanning four to five ten-year cycles.
Career Phases
1. The Learn Phase
The first phase of any career is the learning phase. This usually starts in college but doesn’t take shape until you gain hands-on experience. This phase can take about ten years. For those who go straight to college after high school, this means being in the learning phase from about 22 to 32 years old.
I like to break down skill-building into 70% experience, 20% exposure, and 10% education. College is supposed to teach you how to learn and become more disciplined—basically, how to get work done without a parental figure holding you accountable. A college degree points you toward your interests and passions but doesn’t make you an expert.
Why do you think doctors, even after 8 to 10 years of education, spend another 3 to 7 years in residency before becoming board-certified? Because experience is king.
You might think that entrepreneurs who drop out of college to start businesses are skipping this learning phase, but that’s rarely true. Take Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, or Michael Dell, for instance. They all left college early but had already begun their learning phase long before university. Bill Gates wrote his first computer program at 13. By the time he was a sophomore at Harvard, he had spent seven years honing his craft. Michael Dell first encountered computers at 15. Steve Jobs attended lectures at Hewlett-Packard while he was still in high school. These entrepreneurs had put in the time, which allowed them to transition into the next phase early.
I spent my learning phase in the Army from 24 to 30. This was a time when I learned a lot about leadership and operations as an infantry officer and technical knowledge around network security and setting up computers as the Battalion Signal Officer. When I got out of the army, my learning phase continued as a Project Engineer for a Software Startup. This is when I really started to learn a lot about business and how a technology companies operates.
2. The Earn Phase
After about ten years in the learn phase, you’re ready to start making a decent living and creating impact and value in the world (hopefully). This is the earn phase, usually from your early 30s to late 50s—a couple of decades of leveraging your skill sets for financial growth. This is also a time for networking and building relationships with like-minded people. It is easier to network in the earn phase because you have built some credibility from your work or your craft. During this phase, people often become leaders or subject matter experts, contributing individually or managing teams.
Now, I’m not saying you can’t switch careers or develop new skills during this time. But if you do, your learn phase will be much shorter. Your accumulated experience will help you adapt and learn more quickly.
3. The Return Phase
At some point in your career, the focus shifts to giving back. This is the return phase, where you start mentoring those in their learn phase or early in their earn phase. It’s also a time when many consider teaching and sharing their experiences with university students.
This is also a time to write more, engage in policy-making, or do advocacy work within your field. Those who have accumulated wealth can focus on philanthropy and helping people in need.
I took an unusual path, jumping into this phase earlier while still in my earn phase. It’s been rewarding to give back and help guide others on their journeys, as I believe it helps me grow as a leader and a learner.
Conclusion
As we grow older, it’s natural to question whether we’re on the right path and if there’s something bigger out there. However, understanding these career phases can give you a framework to navigate these feelings. Whether you’re just starting, in the thick of your earn phase, or considering how to give back, each stage has its value and purpose.
So, as I step into this new decade, I’m excited about what lies ahead—both the challenges and the opportunities to keep learning, earning, and returning.
Don’t get captured,
Zach
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