The document discusses the concept of 'reinventment' as a positive alternative to retirement, emphasizing it as a journey of personal transformation rather than an end. It outlines an eight-stage 'hero's journey' framework that guides individuals through challenges, self-discovery, and contribution to society, celebrating the ongoing process of self-realization and growth. Highlighting the importance of mindset, it encourages readers to view life stages as opportunities for greatness and self-actualization.

1. Arturo J. Bencosme, PhD

2. … I too have decided to retire from full time employment. How is this transition different
than my other career or life transitions? Moving from being single to married, from being
a couple to being a family? Or leaving one job to go to another job?
I've thought about this a great deal. I sometimes think the word retirement is what challenges
us the most. It seems rather final. Like the end of something, rather than a reinvention, new
phase, or change. In conversation over lunch with two colleagues Kevin McDonald and Jim
Morrison the other day. Kevin used the term reinvention. It stuck with me and resonated.
I have decided I'm going into 'reinventment'. Somehow this coined term for me makes much
more sense. I will be learning new things, spending my time in innovative ways, choosing
a different path than the one I have been on. Taking time to explore and experience life
at a pace I set. I plan on doing some consulting work if it comes my way too.
So, if you find yourself at this stage in your life, don't think about retirement. Think about
reinventment. Somehow your mind and heart opens up differently when using this term.
What we call things do make a difference. Labels as we know are sometimes limiting,
I prefer the more limitless term reinventment. Try it, you may like it!
Debbie Payne
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/reinventment-retirement-debbie-payne

3. What a person does currently or have done in the past does not define who the person is…
Neither does the life or work stage at which the person is now …
Everyone can choose how to manifest the person that really is
thus, the possibility of going into reinventment.

4. While going into retirement is understood frequently
as going into a stage of unproductive leisure,
reinventment consists of leaving behind that which has been the usual doing
in order to manifest one’s potential through an expanded way of doing.

5. *
Reinventment is actually a personal journey
that involves reflecting, discovering, and manifesting purposefully.
The most significant self-reinvention
consists of an inner transformation
aimed to be a part of something greater than self:
A journey of the heroic kind…
?
!

6. A reinvention heroic quest aims at gaining wisdom, appreciating beauty, garnering love,
experiencing joy and expanding mastery
through service to others – a journey to greatness.
The process involved in pursuing such a quest is known as a “Hero’s Journey”

7. A hero is anyone who leaves the world as usual
to go on a journey to an extraordinary world …
… where trials, challenges and fears are overcome to secure a treasure
which is shared with others in the community at the return from the journey.
What is a Hero ?
Adapted from Joseph Campbell,
The Hero with a Thousand Faces
The Hero’s Journey is an archetype.
As such, it is a part of the collective unconscious
(universal pattern) suggested by Jungian psychology.
It is a cycle that goes through three parts:
• Departure/Preparation,
• Initiation/Passage/Transformation and,
• Return/Celebration.

8. … A good life is one hero journey after another.
Over and over again,
you are called into the realm of adventure,
you are called to new horizons.
Each time, there is the same problem: Do I dare?
And then if you do dare, the dangers are there,
and the help also, and the fulfillment or the fiasco.
There is always the possibility of a fiasco.
But there's also the possibility of bliss.
As explained by Joseph Campbell,
leading a life that matters is a succession of hero’s journeys:
Excerpt from Joseph Campbell,
Pathways to Bliss

9. It can offer guidance allowing to re-frame one’s life path
into an epic perspective:
see where one is currently,
where one has come from, where one is headed,
what challenges and rewards are involved,
and the meaning of it all.
Such a construct can be used to understand further one’s personal becoming,
much as navigational devices help in comprehending the route being followed
when traveling across the oceans.
Choosing to become the hero in one’s life
can have profound, positive personal implications

10. Each of the three parts of the hero’s journey
pattern might encompass several stages:
Campbell suggested 17 possible stages
in “The Hero with a Thousand Faces”.
The stages might be different
for each individual, culture and time –
the overall pattern is what matters.
An 8 stage pattern
will be used here.

11. THE CALL TO ADVENTURE:
The Journey begins...
THE GATE KEEPER:
Dealing with fears & concerns.
Re-commitment to the vision.
DEPARTURE:
Commitment, aides & opponents,
challenges to overcome.
CONVERGENCE WITH THE TRUE SELF:
At-Onement: Acceptance, cooperation,
understanding and enthusiasm.
CLAIMING THE TREASURE:
Thriving in discovery & fulfillment.
ABYSS – SUPREME CHALLENGE:
Death & Rebirth. Acknowledging that
what most frightens us is our inner light.
ENDURANCE TRIALS:
Utilizing everything to learn,
grow & advance.
PREPARING TO RETURN:
Owning the journey. Being grateful.
Recovering from inner wounds.
ARRIVAL & CELEBRATION:
Master of two worlds. Sharing the learning.
Contributing to society.
End of the Journey.
1st THRESHOLD
Entering the Extraordinary World
of Transformation.
2nd THRESHOLD
Leaving the Extraordinary World
of Transformation
~ Reconnecting to Society ~
This 8-stage pattern
highlights the inner transformation
of the hero along the journey.

13. Retirement time has arrived. No more work, just leisure.
Time goes by unnoticed while recalling how retirement
was awaited and hard earned.
It feels nice to visualize enjoyable activities and people to
hang out with.
Perhaps some financial, personal or health issues arise.

14. T H E C A L L T O A D V E N T U R E
An event, person or situation brings awakening and awareness
to personal potential not yet realized, or a mission not yet
accomplished.
This ignites a passionate purpose albeit clarity about what
needs to be done is still elusive.

15. D E P A R T U R E
Anticipating challenges reinforces the sense of purpose and
the resolve to move ahead in the search for reinvention:
the key driving question is, how to be of the greatest service?
The best aide for the journey ahead is disciplined preparation
and the worst opponents are the self-doubts.
Guidance and advice are to be seek, as is propitious to focus on
personal strengths and resources, including all the learning
from past experiences both failures and successes..
Time to:
• Clarify values, strengths, preferences.
• Commit to make a difference.
• Build a personal vision: a vivid description of self making
the difference in the world.
• Specify the mission: choose/specify the service to deliver.
• Develop a personal strategy: arranging synergistically
personal strengths to attain the vision.

16. T H E G AT E K E E P E R
All knowledge deemed false is let go.
A sense of choosing self-realization is applied.
Commitment to going on the journey of reinventment
is reconfirmed and as a result, all sorts of supports and
opportunities surge.
A tipping point is attained and momentum toward self-
reinvention insights is gained.

17. C R O S S I N G T H E 1 S T T R E S H O L D
Leaving the world as usual and entering the
extraordinary world of transformation, discovery and
the pursuit of greatness.
A thrilling sensation is present
as the search for the re-invented self actually begins.
Looking ahead with enthusiasm,
looking back only to recall learned experiences.

18. EN D U R A N C E T R I A L S
Open mind and heart are demanded
for releasing mental assumptions and worldviews
that are no useful for attaining insights
leading to reinventment.
Searching for the true self
and striving a deeper understanding of the meaning of life
are undertaken eagerly and heartily:
What is it? How to manifest the full potential?
As trials appear on the path, it is required to utilize everything
to learn, grow and advance.

19. A B Y S S - S U P R E M E C H A L L E N G E
Singular trials might be faced that are so demanding
that temptations to abandon the journey are felt strongly.
Nevertheless, the dream of reinventing self
can be stronger than the feeling of being stretched.
Time to once again embody the dream of greatness
because this dream is indeed a larger “YES”.
It is propitious to reflect on the following quote:
“Always before realizing a dream,
the Soul of the World decides to examine
all that was learned along the journey …
It is the moment at which most of the people desist.
A quest always begins with the beginner’s luck
and ends with the conqueror’s test.”
Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

20. C L A I M I N G t h e T R E A S U R E
Eureka!!!
Insights are drawn from a Greater-than-Self place:
a vision of greatness and a sense of transcendence
can be constructed now...
Entrainment of these insights allows for synergizing
different aspects of self into a coherent whole.
A discovery will lead to reinventing self takes place:
a new personal reality starts being created.

21. C O N V E R G E N C E w i t h t h e T R U E S E L F
For the reinventment to actually occur,
the insights just found must be self-appropriated
and a commitment to taking action must be made too.
Deep self-appropriation is achieved
through acknowledging the experience of insight
and the values asserted.
Owning the journey, being grateful & abundant,
and experiencing self-appropriation
lead to becoming one with the success
in the reinventment journey.

22. C R O S S I N G T H E 2 N D T R E S H O L D
There might be temptations to remain in a place of exhilaration
from the discoveries made but there are still important stages
ahead in order to complete the journey fully.
The commitment to take action on the insights gained
impels the return from the extraordinary world
of self transformation in order to cross the threshold
to reconnect with society.

23. P R E P A R I N G T O R E T U R N
The will to implement the insights gained
translates into exploring ways to materialize the reinvention
in a useful form: first, visualizing and then, prototyping.
In fact, materializing the reinvented self and through this,
contribute to society is now on sight.

24. A R R I V A L & C E L E B R AT I O N
The reinvented way of living is made a part of the usual way
of functioning, and a sense of bliss invades thoroughly.
A passion for contributing to a better world
now drives the future.
It is propitious to enjoy and celebrate
the newly enhanced connection with society.

25. A special kind of mastery
defines the “new world as usual”:
It is about being a Master of Two Worlds,
the ordinary world
(that was left behind at the beginning of the journey)
and the extraordinary world of transformation
(the self-inquiry process leading to reinventment).
The new world is indeed an expansion of the old one:
the reinvented person experiences that expansion inwardly...
There is freedom to live…

26. Emotions are an integral component
to the journey of reinventing self.
THE GATE KEEPER
DEPARTURE
CONVERGE`NCE
WITH THE TRUE SELF:
CLAIMING
THE TREASURE
ABYSS –
SUPREME CHALLENGE
ENDURANCE
TRIALS
PREPARING
TO RETURN
ARRIVAL &
CELEBRATION
1st THRESHOLD2nd THRESHOLD

27. The preparation stages involve
building trust, striving for
serenity, deciding with resolve
and fostering compassion
THE GATE KEEPER
DEPARTURE
CONVERGE`NCE
WITH THE TRUE SELF:
CLAIMING
THE TREASURE
ABYSS –
SUPREME CHALLENGE
ENDURANCE
TRIALS
PREPARING
TO RETURN
ARRIVAL &
CELEBRATION
1st THRESHOLD2nd THRESHOLD

28. The passage / transformation stages
involve: discerning with appreciation,
being overwhelmed with surprise,
driving through awe,
and building with Passion.
THE GATE KEEPER
DEPARTURE
CONVERGE`NCE
WITH THE TRUE SELF:
CLAIMING
THE TREASURE
ABYSS –
SUPREME CHALLENGE
ENDURANCE
TRIALS
PREPARING
TO RETURN
ARRIVAL &
CELEBRATION
1st THRESHOLD2nd THRESHOLD

29. THE GATE KEEPER
DEPARTURE
CONVERGE`NCE
WITH THE TRUE SELF:
CLAIMING
THE TREASURE
ABYSS –
SUPREME CHALLENGE
ENDURANCE
TRIALS
PREPARING
TO RETURN
ARRIVAL &
CELEBRATION
1st THRESHOLD2nd THRESHOLD
For the return stages, getting things
organized is undertaken with enthusiasm,
celebration, and a sense of gratitude,
combined with thriving in joy.

30. THE GATE KEEPER
DEPARTURE
CONVERGE`NCE
WITH THE TRUE SELF:
CLAIMING
THE TREASURE
ABYSS –
SUPREME CHALLENGE
ENDURANCE
TRIALS
PREPARING
TO RETURN
ARRIVAL &
CELEBRATION
1st THRESHOLD2nd THRESHOLD
 The “New World as Usual” is filled
with Self-realization and Bliss.

31. No matter how much you have achieved,
you will always be merely good
relative to what you can become.
Greatness is an inherently dynamic process,
not an end point.
Jim Collins