That corridor between 50 and 60 years of age… Apparently a number of doctors refer to it as “Sniper Alley”.
“If you make it to 60, you’re winning!” is how one of my supervisees put it today after one of her (otherwise fit, healthy and sporty) friends died very suddenly from a heart attack.
In the face of ever increasing life expectancies, it’s easy to turn our attention away from the uncomfortable reality that many people do die very unexpectedly, and that’s especially true for ages 50-60.
I’m turning 40 this year, so time is something that’s pretty present for me these days. And endings are intricately linked with an awareness of time. Pair that with the general uncertainty of everything, and it can leave you in a pretty eerie place.
Sniper Alley… Fucks sake. What a hardcore metaphor. And I so get it.
It hit me. It’s uncomfortable. And I also appreciate the awareness.
It made me live more fully today.
So if you’re feeling a bit uncomfortable right now… Sorry-not-sorry. I hope you can turn it into something meaningful, and perhaps embrace what you have right now with a different quality.
And talking about other existential “hits”…
A few days ago I had sent word to the coaching street that after a 2-year hiatus I’d be running my popular “Introduction to Existential Coaching” again (get it?! Popular, hit, Sniper… I’m a dad now. Puns are my life now!).
And guess what: It’s still popular. So I’ll be running it again. And given the demand it looks like I’ll run it over a weekend as well as an additional 5x 3hours version.
If you wanted in on this and would like your availability to be considered, hop over to this poll and let me know your preferences. I’ll decide on a date early next week.
If you wanted to learn more, there’s a link to a past event page on with more information at the top of the poll.
If you’re reading this too late but are keen, just fill it in anyways. I’ll make sure to reach out when it’s running again, or you can use the same poll to express interest in our online programme, which has finally been edited and will launch some time later this year.
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New content:
David’s such a considered guy! He really thinks with you. And he’s got a fascinating story too. We’ve explored modern psychoanalysis and its relevance in coaching as well as all those hidden dynamics that are going on in relationships. I also loved his take on networking. No wonder he’s built such a successful business. Hope you’ll like this episode as much as I did recording it. You can watch or listen to this episode. Enjoy!
