Baby Boomers As Transformers – Boomers Impact Everything They Touch!

The Pig in the Python

For decades, the Americans born right after world war II have been tagged as “Baby Boomers”.  The U.S. Census states that a Boomer is “someone born during the demographic birth boom between 1946 and 1964″.

This demographic comprises roughly eighty million members with incredible purchasing capacity.

Lots of us, particularly marketers, consider this cluster of people to be a homogeneous one; nevertheless doing so is really a mistake.  Traditionally the class has been thought to be comprised of malcontents, as evidenced by the time of the 60s (e.g., free love, peace-niks and war protesters), but lots of members are essentially very mainstream in their principles and habits.

People born in this timeframe are varied: many (but not all) are now parents; some are grandparents and/or “empty-nesters;”  others are single, caring for an old parent, separated, gay, or belong to multi-generational or alternate lifestyle families.  Some are actively employed, some are retired, others giving serious evaluation to retirement.

Change Agents Affect All That They Encounter

There is, however, one inherent trait that has defined this cohort – they are transformers.  Due to their numbers, and relative wealth, they have had a renewing impact on living conditions and economy in the United States spanning the previous six decades.  In fact, author Doug Owram has called Boomers “a shockwave,” and writer Landon Jones has referred to them as “the pig in the python”.

This cohort has impacted nearly everything as they have moved through their teenage years, early adultness, their jobs, the economy, etc.  – and there is no need to infer that they’ve stopped their transformative actions on our economy.

I am betting that the latest area to be impacted by this group is retirement.

I recall when I was a child, I believed anyone aged fifty, or more, was “old” but now, demographers consider fifty to be the start of Early Middle Age, and argue that Old Age doesn’t begin until after seventy five.  Now, Americans aged fifty will probably live another thirty five years, and thus, be “retired” for twenty years or longer – so what are they intending to do with all that time?

In previous generations, the period of retirement was sometimes comparatively short-lived and characterized by deteriorating healthfulness, little money, and few choices; however, for this collection of just about eighty million US people, those constraints don”t fit.  In their thirties, they bragged about “never growing old,” and now, it’s up to them to support that claim.

So, just what are they going to do with an additional 20 or 30 years of active aging?  Modern diet and health care have significantly extended that period of time when individuals stay healthy and functioning (as an example, my mom is in her 90s, resides alone, and still  drives her own car).

Ways that Retirement Is Being Changed

Are the so-called “Boomers” going to be willing to pull out the rocking chair, sit on their stoop, and watch the world pass them by?  I believe not!

In general, members of this generation are on the path to self-actualization (as Maslow defined the term):

• Many of them have tons of things they want to attain yet in their lives.
• Considering they’ll have 20-30 years of time to fill, they will have an interest in a wide selection of leisure activities (e.g, travel, golfing, at-home entertainment).
• As a effect of all this time, they also wish to stay fit enough to like that time – so they will be very interested in services and products that may help them remain healthy and robust.
• Many of them will really “reinvent” their careers – starting that career or position they’ve always fantasized about, but had to put off because of family or other needs.
• A lot of Boomers will begin their own firms, and the internet provides them with many possibilities they have never had previously.
• Training, novel experiences and things that will provide them with time freedom will be high priorities for this group of financially comfortable americans.

How can you divide that time across work and play?  Are there goals that you have put off for years but want to realize throughout your “retirement”?

If you’re one of those folks desiring to launch your own company, give some thought to starting an affiliate or other internet business – but be advised that the difficulty with most online programs is that their coaching tends to be superficial.  Sadly, you’ll need more training than they normally provide.  One excellent place to start achieving the skills that you will need is to enroll in the Online Success for Beginners course.

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