First published 2022
Success often makes aging harder, not easier. High achievers notice their declining abilities more acutely and feel the pain more deeply when professional relevance starts to slip away. Arthur Brooks faced this reality at age 50, at the peak of his career as a Harvard professor and Atlantic columnist. Rather than accept inevitable disappointment, he spent seven years researching how to transform the second half of life from decline into opportunity. Brooks interviewed dozens of ordinary people and studied social science, philosophy, biography, theology, and Eastern wisdom traditions. He discovered that true success in later years requires shifting focus to different priorities: cultivating deep wisdom, releasing attachment to external rewards, strengthening connections with others through service, and pursuing spiritual growth. These habits can be learned by anyone willing to reorient their definition of achievement. The book provides a practical guide for navigating this transition, showing readers how to set themselves up for greater happiness as they age.
Genres: adult-fiction, non-fiction, academic
Vibes: intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: personal-growth, self-improvement
272 pages · Hardcover · Portfolio