Life after power
On the day he flew away from the White House after serving as president, George W. Bush was ready to leave politics behind. As it turns out, the most creative part of his life was about to begin. He disembarked the aircraft to become the quiet president, eventually finding his voice through painting and content to distance himself from public life.
I couldn’t help but think of next chapters as I watched today’s inauguration, and of a book I recently read called “Life After Power: Seven Presidents and their Search for Purpose Beyond the White House” by Jared Cohen. Whoever takes the oath of office will eventually leave it, and in some ways their story at that moment becomes even more interesting. As Cohen’s book explores, how will they contend with their identity, power and legacy – and the challenges and opportunities they face after leaving the White House? The book holds life lessons for anyone navigating a significant career transition and ready to dream up the next chapter of their lives.
The presidents profiled in the book have very different post-presidency stories. Grover Cleveland was the first (and before today, the only one) to return for a second non-consecutive term. Thomas Jefferson went on to realize his lifelong dream of founding of a university; John Quincy Adams took on a new cause as anti-slavery advocate; Jimmy Carter went on to win the Nobel Peace Prize for his post-presidency work; and, as noted above, George W. Bush found his voice through artistic expression.
Each story highlights that there is no playbook for life beyond the biggest job of our lives. In fact, there comes a time when each of us needs to pause and explore what comes next. This is active work. It takes time and intention, and it involves both letting go and reaching forward into unknown territory. As Bush said, “I felt like I had gone from a hundred miles an hour to about ten. I had to force myself to relax.” Carter feared “an altogether new, unwarranted, and potentially empty life.” Others quickly experienced the challenge of no longer having rank and power, and what it takes to transition to a different way of being in the world. What Bush came to discover was, “A quiet exit leaves room for an influential voice.” In each of these stories, the presidents portrayed found their unique path to purpose and impact after leaving the White House.
These stories hold lessons for us all – whether we are “retiring” or moving into our next role or chapter. Our life beyond our biggest (or current) job is a chance to expand our sense of self and purpose. As we leave our role and title behind, we get to ask ourselves: What might lie beyond this pinnacle? How might I use my reputation, status and privilege wisely? What does fulfillment look like in this next phase of my life?
Big questions that we would do well to reflect upon to make the most of the time we have left.
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