#FLY with Prerna Goel (Jeff Courtney)

Meet our guest- Jeff Courtney, and listen to her story of what keeps him fiercely fabulous in his 40s.

From Jeff:

"By the time we reach our forties, we’ve inevitably lived through some highs and lows, we’ve been surprised by how great the good times can be and how rough the low times can be.  We’ve probably also identified what we like – the people, things, jobs, places and activities that give us energy – and what we don’t like.  And we are probably responsible for things we care about; whether children, parents or both, a partner, friends, a career.  

We also have agency.  By the time we’re in our forties we know things, we have skills and experience, networks and earning power.  We can make a dent in the world if we know where to focus our energy.  

I think few of us get advanced warning about how these dynamics can crash together in the “sandwich years”.  It’s an amazing time to face new challenges – caring for older parents and growing children – get back to basics in taking care of ourselves and our most important relationships and really deciding what’s important for the next stage of life.  

I’ve discovered amazing places, hobbies and friendships in my forties.  I’ve rediscovered entrepreneurship, community, nature and the joy of spending quality time with loved ones.  I’ve also learned first-hand about the pain and the power of grief and the gift of clarity it offers if you commit to the process.  To quote Saul Bellow, “Death is the dark backing that a mirror needs if we are to see anything”.

If our thirties are often about achievement and the drive to compete in “the game”, our forties can be about choosing and enjoying long term games with long term people.  If we focus on taking care of ourselves, taking care of others and purposefully building the world around us, our forties can be extraordinary."

About Jeff:

Jeff has lived on three continents, which probably helped fuel his curiosity and love for exploring.  He has been fortunate to have extraordinary people in his life, from family to friends, which have made the good times that much sweeter and the rough times easier.  His first job was in an early-stage startup.  His second job was in a large corporate.  The rest of his career has blended the two in a mix of entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial roles building new spaces or helping established businesses thrive in disruption.