According to a recent financial survey, the historic recession and lingering economic recovery of the last decade has led to a “reinvention renaissance.”

A full eighty percent of Americans are “ready and willing to make sacrifices in the short-term in order to become financially independent in the long-run.  Nearly 3/4 went so far as to say thay need to “reinvent themselves” as a result of the financial crisis in order to increase earning power and accumulate wealth.

This latest crisis has added fuel to an already growing movement that I call the “Renaissance Boom.”   Unlike previous generations, members of the baby boom generation are not content to simply retire when they turn 65.  In increasing numbers, “Renaissance Boomers” view their golden years as a time to renew their passions and reinvent themselves. 

Who are the Renaissance Boomers?

I am a proud member of the baby boom generation, which includes people born between 1946 and 1964.  That means the earliest Boomers will reach the age of 65 in 2011, while the youngest are not quite 50.

More than 76 million strong, we Boomers have had an enormous impact on American art, culture and politics.  Bill and Hillary Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama are all members of the Baby Boom generation… as are Oprah Winfrey, Madonna, and Spike Lee.

Like other Americans, baby boomers are concerned about their economic security.  Many have seen their retirement funds dwindle, and are anxious about the future of social security.  Yet, they are not necessarily planning to continue in their current careers longer than previous generations.

Instead, these Renaissance Boomers are planning to focus on more personally rewarding experiences.  Many are engaging in encore careers…using this time to explore meaningful work that fulfills their dreams or contributes to their legacy. Some are becoming entrepreneurs after a long and successful stint as employees or professionals. Others are engaged in volunteer work, capitalizing on their talents to give back to their communities.  Some have said that they are reinventing retirement, or simply 2 young 2 retire!

Meet Renaissance Boomer Les Brown

Renowned motivational speaker Les Brown is the emodiment of Renaissance Reinvention.  He once said, “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”

Brown should know.  He and his twin brother were abandoned at birth. At six weeks old, they were taken in by a loving mother who raised them on food and clothing leftover from her domestic work.  Brown was labeled “educable mentally retarded” by his school, but found his inspiration when he met Mr. Leroy Washington, the speech and drama teacher at his high school.

Brown could not participate in the school’s oratorical contest, but Washington took him under his wing and helped him develop his gifts as a speaker.  From that day on, he dreamed of becoming a speech coach, trainng and teaching people how to speak.

It was a long and winding road, but Brown grew up to be a three-time State Legislator from Ohio, host of his own television talk show, and a hugely successful speaker, winning over 80 awards for his work.

Despite all that success, Brown considers his life a work-in-progress.  He goes to bed each night thinking, “There is more in me than I’m now expressing, and I’m committed to finding it, to getting in touch with it.”

I had the honor of listening to Brown speak at a convention, and his passion was palpable.  He reminded us that many a talented and gifted person has gone unnoticed and the world never had a chance to be exposed to their greatness.  There are two things that he says to himself on a daily basis:

Number one is, “I will win if I don’t quit.”

The second thing is, “I refuse to die an unlived life.”

What is Your Renaissance Dream?

As Les Brown has taught us, it is never to late to start creating the life you always wanted.  If you could name just one goal that you would like to manifest in the coming year, please leave a comment and share it here.  Goals take on power when they are stated out loud and shared with others.

And I have a free Les Brown audio interview for the first 5 people who post comments.  Be sure to include your e-mail address so I will know where to send it!