Age Is Not a Cage: Positive Aging, Reinvention, and Purpose After 65 | Ep. 85 w/ Ande Lyons
Is Anything Real?October 28, 2026
85
00:25:5759.41 MB

Age Is Not a Cage: Positive Aging, Reinvention, and Purpose After 65 | Ep. 85 w/ Ande Lyons

Age is not a cage.

In this episode of Is Anything Real?, Adam W. Barney sits down with Ande Lyons, host of Don’t Be Caged By Your Ageand founder of The New England Podcasters Group, for a conversation about positive aging, ageism, reinvention, visibility, purpose, and what it really means to keep becoming after 65.

Ande’s work challenges one of the quietest and most expensive myths in our culture: After a certain age, your life is supposed to get smaller. You’re supposed to be realistic. Slow down. Step aside. Stop starting new things. Accept that the most expansive chapters are behind you.

But what if that story isn’t reality? What if it’s just a cage we inherited?

Through Don’t Be Caged By Your Age, Ande spotlights people who are thriving after 65: people who are repurposing lived experience, reimagining retirement, challenging ageist assumptions, and building lives filled with meaning, creativity, connection, wellness, entrepreneurship, and purpose.

This conversation is not about pretending aging is fake. It’s about telling the truth more completely.

Yes, bodies change. Energy changes. Priorities change. Responsibilities change. But purpose does not expire. Visibility does not expire. Creativity does not expire. Contribution does not expire. And your next chapter does not have to be smaller than your last one.

Adam and Ande explore why ageism wastes talent, why “someday” is such a dangerous story, how people can reclaim possibility in later life, and why younger generations need a better relationship with aging too.

This episode is for anyone who has ever wondered: Am I too old to start? Is it too late to reinvent? Do I still have something meaningful to build?

What if the cage isn’t my age...but the story I’ve been told about it?

The big takeaway: Age is not a cage. Start anyway.

Guest: Ande Lyons
Host of Don’t Be Caged By Your Age: https://www.dontbecagedbyyourage.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andelyons/
Email: ande@dontbecagedbyyourage.com

Also mentioned:
New England Podcasters Group: https://newenglandpodcasters.group/

Host: Adam W. Barney  
Transition Leadership Coach
Creator of EnergyOS
Author of Make Your Own Glass Half Full
Host of Is Anything Real?

Book your 20-min Exploration Call: https://calendly.com/adamwbarney/explorationplugin-20min

Subscribe to Is Anything Real?: https://isanythingreal.adamwbarney.com/



00:00:05

Here's a myth




00:00:05

that deserves to be wheeled directly into the ocean:




00:00:09

age makes you less relevant.




00:00:11

That's absolutely not true.




00:00:13

It's not wisdom.




00:00:14

It's cultural laziness with a birthday candle on top.




00:00:18

Because I think the idea that people become less useful,




00:00:22

less creative, less visible,




00:00:23

less interesting,




00:00:24

or less worthy of investment




00:00:26

as they age is not just wrong.




00:00:28

It actually tells people to disappear




00:00:30

right when they may have the clearest view




00:00:33

of what actually matters.




00:00:35

And in a world obsessed with scale,




00:00:37

shiny founders, vanity metrics,




00:00:39

and whatever bro with a pitch deck




00:00:41

discovered community last Tuesday,




00:00:43

we need elders who are not caged by age.




00:00:47

Welcome back to "Is Anything Real?",




00:00:49

the reality-first leadership show




00:00:51

where we test advice,




00:00:52

publish the receipts,




00:00:53

and ship what actually works under pressure.




00:00:56

I'm Adam W. Barney,




00:00:57

transition leadership coach,




00:00:58

author of "Make Your Own Glass Half Full,"




00:01:01

and builder of Energy OS,




00:01:02

where I help leaders rebuild their operating system




00:01:05

when the tools that got them here stop working.




00:01:08

Today's guest is Ande Lyons,




00:01:10

host of




00:01:11

"Don't Be Caged by Your Age,"




00:01:13

founder of the New England Podcasters Group,




00:01:16

longtime podcasting force,




00:01:18

startup ecosystem truth-teller,




00:01:21

a visibility champion,




00:01:22

and one of those people




00:01:24

who somehow makes you feel like




00:01:26

you've been both warmly welcomed




00:01:28

and immediately assigned homework.




00:01:30

You know, Ande's been podcasting since 2012,




00:01:33

which in podcast years,




00:01:35

makes her something between




00:01:37

a pioneer and a lighthouse.




00:01:39

Ande, welcome to "Is Anything Real?".




00:01:41

Oh my gosh, Adam,




00:01:42

thank you so much for having me.




00:01:44

That introduction, listener,




00:01:46

I gotta tell you,




00:01:47

that was pure deliciousness.




00:01:49

And had me laughing out loud from




00:01:51

the cultural laziness




00:01:52

to being a lighthouse.




00:01:54

Come on!




00:01:55

Thank you, thank you, thank you




00:01:56

so much for having me.




00:01:58

I'm so excited, Ande.




00:01:59

Let's start here, though.




00:02:00

You know,




00:02:01

what does it mean to not be caged by your age?




00:02:04

Oh my gosh!




00:02:05

Well, you know, so often




00:02:07

we get indoctrinated




00:02:08

with theseinternalized beliefs




00:02:10

based on culture out in the world,




00:02:13

society, corporations, et cetera,




00:02:15

that say, hey,




00:02:16

the clock is striking midnight on 65.




00:02:18

You're out of here,




00:02:20

as we say here in Boston, right?




00:02:22

Right.




00:02:23

And so, it's time for you




00:02:24

to go out to the pasture.




00:02:26

Well, first of all,




00:02:27

pastures are for horses,




00:02:28

not humans.




00:02:30

On top of which,




00:02:32

generations of talent are being wasted




00:02:35

every day.




00:02:36

Corporations are kicking folks,




00:02:39

after 65,




00:02:40

out of the queue in their companies.




00:02:43

For many reasons.




00:02:44

One is that we have institutional knowledge




00:02:47

that folks younger have not picked up yet.




00:02:52

They don't know how to go through




00:02:53

what we've already gone through,




00:02:55

navigated since, you know,




00:02:57

all the downturns in the economy,




00:03:00

how to onboard new talent or customers




00:03:04

in a really bad economy,




00:03:07

how to weather the storms,




00:03:09

But also, just all the tips and tricks




00:03:11

that we have worked out,




00:03:13

the kinks that we've worked out




00:03:14

over the years.




00:03:15

So, the fact that corporations are making a huge mistake




00:03:19

by kicking us out,




00:03:21

coupled with, you were talking about founders,




00:03:24

younger founders, yeah,




00:03:25

hey tend to hire folks that look like them.




00:03:28

They don't know what they don't know,




00:03:31

and so, you know,




00:03:32

that is something we need to take a look at




00:03:35

and say why.




00:03:37

But on the other hand, in all honesty,




00:03:40

as you age,




00:03:41

you have to do something that we call




00:03:44

managing your energy portfolio.




00:03:47

Because you just don't always have the energy




00:03:51

for doing things




00:03:51

that you might have




00:03:53

when you were 40 or 50 years old.




00:03:55

And so, but at the same time,




00:03:57

because you become a master of discernment,




00:04:00

and time management, and efficiency,




00:04:03

you can get




00:04:04

a good week done in 20, 25 hours.




00:04:07

And so, you know, we the older generation,




00:04:10

the older adults,




00:04:11

the inspired elders,




00:04:13

need to find ways to be 1099s,




00:04:16

be okay with maybe being brought on




00:04:18

not as an employee




00:04:19

but as a consultant




00:04:21

and find different ways.




00:04:23

And I'm always talking about




00:04:25

how can we find pathways




00:04:27

to fuel our passion, purpose, and pocketbook




00:04:30

during these ages, because, Adam ,




00:04:33

If you make it to 65,




00:04:35

the stats show it's highly likely




00:04:38

you're going to make it to 85.




00:04:40

And if you look back over those last 20 years,




00:04:43

and everything you did,




00:04:44

what are you going to do




00:04:46

with the next 20 or 30 years?




00:04:48

How are you going to




00:04:49

continue to bring your spark to the world?




00:04:51

Like Dolly Parton said, she goes,




00:04:53

"I ain't retiring, right? Ever."




00:04:57

So, you know, yeah,




00:04:59

and until your last breath,




00:05:00

you're so important.




00:05:02

Right, right.




00:05:03

And I love how you framed up




00:05:05

through many conversations we've had




00:05:08

how age is a gift.




00:05:09

It's not a disappearing act.




00:05:12

And I felt that very deeply because,




00:05:14

you know I lost my mom




00:05:15

almost 12 years ago to ALS.




00:05:18

She didn't get the chance




00:05:20

to age the way she deserved.




00:05:21

My father just turned 73.




00:05:23

He had a successful career in wealth management,




00:05:26

went through health challenges.




00:05:28

And now he's actually in that identity space




00:05:30

that so many people hit




00:05:31

after a career chapter closes.




00:05:33

And, you know, you immediately said,




00:05:35

"Tell him to read,




00:05:37

Don't Retire, Rewire."




00:05:38

You know, tell him he can be an inspired elder.




00:05:42

And that phrase is some really good stuff here.




00:05:46

What do you think people misunderstand




00:05:48

about the transition




00:05:49

after career identity changes?




00:05:52

You know, life is filled with chapters, right?




00:05:55

You had a great chapter, hopefully,




00:05:57

you know, the first 20 years,




00:05:59

and then you had another chapter,




00:06:01

and you're exploring,




00:06:02

and you're continuing to figure out




00:06:04

who you are.




00:06:05

You're still becoming.




00:06:06

It doesn't end




00:06:07

just because you turn a certain age.




00:06:10

And it's so important




00:06:11

that we continue being curious




00:06:13

and wanting to learn new things.




00:06:16

Oh my gosh,




00:06:16

just getting out of the house




00:06:18

and doing something new.




00:06:19

The studies show that helps your brain.




00:06:22

It's amazing, and of course,




00:06:23

if you're in partnership with someone




00:06:25

doing that together,




00:06:26

is juicy for your relationship, as well.




00:06:29

But get out, explore, be curious,




00:06:33

and one of the things that I reflected on




00:06:36

as I was entering the year 2024,




00:06:39

and I was 67,




00:06:41

I wanted to be in intergenerational groups.




00:06:43

I didn't want to be hanging out




00:06:45

with just my own age group.




00:06:47

But even though we all have a lot in common,




00:06:48

we can laugh,




00:06:49

and sing the same songs




00:06:50

and all the good things.




00:06:52

I really wanted to be part of




00:06:54

folks who were in their 20s,




00:06:56

30s, 40s, and 50s, and 60s.




00:06:58

So I looked around on Meetup and Eventbrite




00:07:01

to see if there were any groups I could join,




00:07:03

and I just wasn't that turned on.




00:07:05

And can tell you this too:




00:07:06

as you age, you become like,




00:07:08

who am I going to spend time with?




00:07:09

Because I don't know how much time I have left,




00:07:11

and I want it to be fun.




00:07:13

And so, one of the things I'd known




00:07:15

since I've been podcasting since 2012,




00:07:17

how much I love hanging out with indie podcasters.




00:07:20

And since, you know,




00:07:21

I have a track record of launching things,




00:07:24

I said I am going to launch a community,




00:07:26

it's going to be intergenerational,




00:07:28

I will highly likely be the oldest person in the room,




00:07:32

and that's okay.




00:07:34

And I launched the New England Podcasters group,




00:07:37

and since May of 2024,




00:07:39

we have met every second Saturday of the month.




00:07:43

And the folks who have come in and delighted




00:07:46

and lit my life up




00:07:48

and each other's lives up




00:07:49

has been so inspiring,




00:07:51

and often what happens is, again,




00:07:54

those indoctrinated ageist beliefs that we take on




00:07:57

that we don't even know, Adam,




00:07:59

are telling us you're too old for that.




00:08:01

Hang out with your own people.




00:08:03

Who do you think you are?




00:08:05

Instead of, and yes, we are shrinking,




00:08:08

we are shrinking with age.




00:08:11

We actually cannot shrink




00:08:15

how we are as we age;




00:08:17

we really have to learn to take center stage.




00:08:21

And be okay with being the oldest person in the room.




00:08:24

Well, needless to say,




00:08:25

I'm not the oldest person in the room




00:08:27

at New England Podcasters Group.




00:08:28

We've had quite a few people




00:08:30

who are much older than I am,




00:08:31

and how cool is that




00:08:33

to have community with folks




00:08:35

of so many different ages?




00:08:37

And I'll tell you,




00:08:38

what that does to help dissolve ageism




00:08:42

is folks see you vibrant, inspired,




00:08:46

passionate on purpose,




00:08:47

and they go, " Wow".




00:08:49

Because I just turned 70,




00:08:50

so they're thinking,




00:08:51

wow, you mean I could be




00:08:52

doing that when I'm 70?




00:08:54

I can't tell you how many folks




00:08:56

in their 40s and 50s have come up to me




00:08:58

since I launched "Don't Be Caged by Your Age"




00:09:01

and said, oh my gosh,




00:09:02

I feel like this anvil on my back




00:09:04

has been lifted.




00:09:05

I thought I had to get everything done




00:09:07

by the time I'm 65,




00:09:08

and here I am raising two kids,




00:09:10

and I've got elder parents,




00:09:11

and I don't know what and I don't know how




00:09:13

I'm ever going to get that done




00:09:15

and now I hear you talking to people




00:09:16

who said, and who say,




00:09:18

"I have never felt more free in my life".




00:09:21

And are doing these remarkable things,




00:09:23

whether they're writing books,




00:09:25

or becoming ninja warriors,




00:09:27

or, you know, doing everything in between.




00:09:30

They are pulling on threads,




00:09:32

and it doesn't mean




00:09:32

that's what you do for the rest of your life.




00:09:34

You might spend a couple of years doing one thing,




00:09:37

and then you find another thing




00:09:39

that fuels your passion, purpose,




00:09:41

and pocketbook, and off you run.




00:09:43

Right, right, right.




00:09:44

Well, and this all circles around




00:09:47

that idea of visibility.




00:09:48

You know, Ande,




00:09:49

I think that's something




00:09:50

that lights both of us up.




00:09:53

You know, if people can't be seen,




00:09:55

they can't be funded, promoted,




00:09:57

supported, you know,




00:09:58

sponsored when the opportunity moves.




00:10:01

And you know, visibility, it's not ego,




00:10:03

it's actually infrastructure.




00:10:04

And that's especially true for women,




00:10:07

people of color,




00:10:08

older founders,




00:10:09

microbusiness owners,




00:10:11

and anyone not already centered by the machine.




00:10:14

So, I want to repeat




00:10:16

that quiet part loudly, right?




00:10:18

Invisibility is not neutral.




00:10:20

Who do you think benefits




00:10:22

when people stay unseen, though?




00:10:26

Who benefits?




00:10:27

Nobody.




00:10:28

And what happens, too, is that again,




00:10:30

those indoctrinated messages




00:10:32

that we don't even know about,




00:10:33

but we take a look at ourselves in the mirror,




00:10:36

and we're like, who is this person?




00:10:37

And we get shoved down our throats




00:10:40

that youth, youth, youth, youth, youth, youth




00:10:42

is what's important.




00:10:43

Well, I'll tell you right now,




00:10:45

anti-aging is the most profitable form of ageism,




00:10:50

and the messaging, especially women get




00:10:53

about how you are not valuable




00:10:55

unless you are young.




00:10:56

You are not worthy




00:10:58

unless you look young.




00:10:59

You are not important




00:11:00

unless you have a younger age.




00:11:03

Screw that message, right?




00:11:06

But again, it's in our heads,




00:11:08

and so what happens is




00:11:09

we're afraid to be visible




00:11:10

because we just assume we're going to be ignored




00:11:13

because that's the message we see all the time.




00:11:15

You're old, you're frail, you're not important.




00:11:17

And I'm saying, folks,




00:11:19

that's our culture here in America,




00:11:20

UK, Canada, Australia.




00:11:22

There are plenty of cultures




00:11:24

that honor the elder,




00:11:25

and are thrilled,




00:11:27

and want you there in their lives.




00:11:30

Well, and, you know,




00:11:31

this is why I love a phrase




00:11:33

that I say pretty often:




00:11:34

"Say a woman's name




00:11:35

when she's not in the room."




00:11:37

I think that applies




00:11:38

to all of those different categories,




00:11:40

and it's not flattery;




00:11:41

it's actually infrastructure.




00:11:43

How do you think about visibility as advocacy, actually?




00:11:48

In what way, as far as advocacy?




00:11:50

Having other people amplify you




00:11:52

when you're not in the room




00:11:54

if you're over 65?




00:11:55

Almost like visibility, you know,




00:11:57

becoming real when it becomes, say,




00:12:00

a pathway to resources, right?




00:12:02

Not just applause, let's say.




00:12:05

This is so important because, you know,




00:12:07

I used to have a monthly pitch event




00:12:10

here in Boston for startup founders,




00:12:12

and I would hear well-meaning advisors and investors




00:12:16

tell founders,




00:12:18

"Pitch your business as if you were telling your grandma."




00:12:22

How harsh was that?




00:12:23

I mean, I would want to jump up




00:12:26

and slap people around




00:12:27

whenever I heard that,




00:12:29

but it's because of the message




00:12:31

that boomers are tech-challenged,




00:12:34

and we're not.




00:12:36

Older adults are tech legends,




00:12:39

and I wrote this post on Reddit.




00:12:42

Boomers are tech legends, not tech-challenged.




00:12:45

You would not believe the stories.




00:12:47

I had 300 plus stories of people




00:12:49

talking about remembering




00:12:51

when they first heard




00:12:52

that there was a handheld calculator.




00:12:55

All the technology that we have not only




00:12:57

had to learn and grow with,




00:13:00

we had to teach.




00:13:01

So in the 70s,




00:13:02

folks were gaming with punch cards on mainframes,




00:13:06

okay?




00:13:07

And people continue to think




00:13:09

that we're stupid.




00:13:10

No.




00:13:10

Either your brain doesn't form quickly




00:13:12

to technology,




00:13:13

or it doesn't.




00:13:14

There's no age involved.




00:13:16

And so, to come back to that




00:13:18

visibility and advocacy.




00:13:20

A lot of people don't want to invite you into the room




00:13:22

because they're going to have the eye roll.




00:13:24

Well, what are they going to know, right?




00:13:26

And that's why we have to keep pushing ourselves out there,




00:13:30

stay viable, stay visible,




00:13:31

and amplify others,




00:13:32

which is what I do on




00:13:34

"Don't Be Caged by Your Age" podcast,




00:13:36

who are thriving,




00:13:37

who have found ways




00:13:39

to continue to contribute to the world.




00:13:42

Here is what happens, though, Adam.




00:13:44

There's a shift around ambition as you age.




00:13:48

You're still passionate.




00:13:49

You're still on purpose.




00:13:51

But you may not be part of, like,




00:13:53

that highly ambitious.




00:13:55

You may be self-directed.




00:13:56

You've got things to do that are important to you,




00:13:59

but that hustle, that deep drive




00:14:03

because you're a certain age




00:14:05

and you want to get some stuff done, right?




00:14:08

That is almost like released, and you're like,




00:14:12

"Whew, don't have that anymore."




00:14:13

And it's a good thing.




00:14:15

So there's all these transitions that we're always




00:14:18

talking about on the podcast




00:14:20

to help others our age know that,




00:14:22

but to help them with the messaging.




00:14:24

So, for example,




00:14:25

you might be going somewhere in a plane




00:14:28

and a flight attendant said, "




00:14:29

Oh, may I help you with that, dear?"




00:14:32

And you're like, "uh, the name's Ande".




00:14:34

Okay?




00:14:35

I'm not three.




00:14:39

Knock it off with the infantilizing me




00:14:41

because of my age.




00:14:42

You know, different things like that.




00:14:43

So, we have to take charge




00:14:46

in showing and amplifying ourselves




00:14:50

and how we be in the world as older adults




00:14:53

to help change the narrative.




00:14:57

Mm.




00:14:58

Well, the other piece of this, you know,




00:15:00

I talked about this earlier,




00:15:01

you've been podcasting for quite some time,




00:15:04

since 2012.




00:15:05

You know, I launched this podcast "Is Anything Real?"




00:15:08

just over a year ago




00:15:10

after people told me for years




00:15:12

I should start a podcast.




00:15:14

You know, you also mentioned something to me




00:15:17

that I've felt deeply;




00:15:19

people rarely say no to a podcast interview.




00:15:22

That's magical, though.




00:15:24

But, you know,




00:15:25

what do you think newer podcasters miss




00:15:29

when they only think about downloads?




00:15:32

Oh my gosh,




00:15:33

it's never about the numbers.




00:15:35

It's always about impact.




00:15:37

It's always about reach.




00:15:39

So you may have a podcast,




00:15:41

and you're going to go,




00:15:42

and see that you got 20 downloads,




00:15:44

50 downloads,




00:15:45

or woohoo, 100.




00:15:47

Okay, stop it with this




00:15:49

10 downloads per episode stuff




00:15:51

you hear all the time.




00:15:52

Enough with that.




00:15:53

You go into a room with 50 people




00:15:56

and look around.




00:15:57

I go into a room of 20 to 30 people




00:15:59

every month




00:16:00

with the New England Podcasters Group.




00:16:02

That's a lot of people whose eyeballs are on you.




00:16:04

Right?




00:16:05

And here you are as a podcast host,




00:16:08

you have an ability




00:16:09

to do something that's so unique,




00:16:11

especially during today in the AI world.




00:16:15

You are a human voice going into a human ear.




00:16:19

How wonderful is that?




00:16:20

Into human eyeballs,




00:16:21

if they're watching you.




00:16:24

So first of all, you've got your podcast interview, like,




00:16:26

Adam and I are having right here,




00:16:28

but then Adam's going to do a few video clips,




00:16:30

or he's going to do some posts.




00:16:32

He's going to share some things.




00:16:33

So that's going to go out into the world




00:16:35

based on the conversation we have.




00:16:37

Think about that total reach that you have,




00:16:40

not just your downloads.




00:16:42

Think about the opportunity you get




00:16:44

to have a conversation with




00:16:46

someone you never would have ever met




00:16:48

or had the conversation with.




00:16:50

And I'm always saying to folks,




00:16:52

if you're entering a new industry,




00:16:53

let's say you decided to become a consultant,




00:16:55

or a coach,




00:16:56

or something new in a different industry.




00:16:58

Launch a podcast right away




00:17:00

and interview all the experts in that industry,




00:17:03

you know, prepare you to be a better,




00:17:06

whatever it is that you're doing.




00:17:07

But also, they would never respond to an email,




00:17:11

or, as we used to say,




00:17:13

pick up the phone, answer the phone,




00:17:15

if you didn't have a podcast,




00:17:17

because if either they know they need to get out




00:17:20

and be visible,




00:17:21

or they've got a PR team




00:17:22

or a communications team




00:17:23

that's telling them




00:17:24

"be on that podcast".




00:17:26

Every time you're out there,




00:17:27

it amplifies the work we're doing.




00:17:30

So they are more approachable and responsive




00:17:33

when you have a podcast,




00:17:35

and you're going to learn so much from that person




00:17:38

and be curious,




00:17:39

and ask all your delicious questions.




00:17:42

Well, that's where podcasting gets real, I think,




00:17:44

when it stops being thought of




00:17:46

as just content extraction, maybe,




00:17:48

and becomes relationship infrastructure,




00:17:50

as well, Ande.




00:17:52

You know, I was just at Podcast Movement




00:17:53

and that's what we were talking about.




00:17:55

It isn't so much content




00:17:57

as it is about community and connection.




00:18:01

And collaboration.




00:18:03

A lot of seeds right there.




00:18:05

It really is this ability to build a relationship,




00:18:08

whether it's with your guest,




00:18:09

with your listener,




00:18:11

with the community at large,




00:18:13

how they view you.




00:18:14

So when I launched "Don't Be Caged by Your Age"




00:18:19

in March of 2024,




00:18:21

I wasn't in the pro-aging world.




00:18:24

In fact, I was I had left the startup ecosystem.




00:18:27

That's what all the algorithms knew me as.




00:18:30

Founder, mentor, global mentor, startup life,




00:18:33

all of those things.




00:18:34

And I had to shift.




00:18:36

And only took me nine months




00:18:38

to then be recognized




00:18:40

as a thought leader in the pro-aging space.




00:18:44

And how did I know that I was recognized?




00:18:46

Because one of the top five pro-aging thought leaders,




00:18:51

Janine Vanderberg,




00:18:52

when she opened up her




00:18:53

Bluesky recommendation header,




00:18:55

I was in the five that she recommended




00:18:58

as a thought leader in pro-aging,




00:19:00

and nobody was more surprised than I was.




00:19:02

I hadn't even interviewed her yet.




00:19:04

Wow.




00:19:05

So, you know,




00:19:07

the perception of you as a podcast host




00:19:10

in the professional world.




00:19:13

I mean, uou're gonna say to your friends and family,




00:19:15

"Yeah, I host a podcast,"




00:19:17

and they're gonna be like,




00:19:18

"Isn't that nice?"




00:19:19

Right, "that's so sweet".




00:19:21

They don't have a clue.




00:19:23

But those in the professional world,




00:19:26

there's a veneer,




00:19:27

there's a certain credibility,




00:19:30

there's a certain cachet,




00:19:32

whatever that comes with,




00:19:33

oh, podcast host.




00:19:34

Okay.




00:19:35

And then you hang out with podcasters,




00:19:37

and then they definitely know all the hard work,




00:19:40

and effort, and creativity




00:19:42

that goes into producing a wonderful podcast.




00:19:45

That's beautiful.




00:19:47

Ande, I want to move this into




00:19:49

one move our listeners can run this week.




00:19:51

And you know,




00:19:52

inspired by our conversation here,




00:19:54

I want to call it actually




00:19:56

"The Uncaged Contribution Audit".




00:19:58

And I would say it's for founders,




00:20:00

podcasters, microbusiness owners,




00:20:03

people in transition,




00:20:04

or anyone who just




00:20:05

quietly started to believe




00:20:07

there's a culture expiration date,




00:20:12

but that's just nonsense, right?




00:20:14

So, and it's four simple questions.




00:20:16

You know, first being:




00:20:18

where have I let age define




00:20:19

the size of my contribution?




00:20:22

The second:




00:20:23

whose name can I say in a room they're not in?




00:20:26

The third being:




00:20:27

what small room could I build




00:20:29

that would make people feel less alone?




00:20:32

And then finally:




00:20:33

what micro-mighty move can I make this week?




00:20:35

Is it, you know, one offer,




00:20:37

one story, one relationship.




00:20:40

Ande, what would you add,




00:20:41

or how would you make that list




00:20:43

be even more powerful




00:20:45

for anyone starting today?




00:20:48

If, whatever age you are,




00:20:50

find someone older than you,




00:20:52

and go hang out with them.




00:20:55

Go have coffee,




00:20:56

have a conversation,




00:20:57

a video chat,




00:20:58

whatever.




00:20:59

Find out some gems that they have.




00:21:03

You're going to be blown away




00:21:05

by the insights and inspiration they will provide you,




00:21:09

and you're going to love




00:21:10

how curious they are about you,




00:21:13

and how they're going to ask questions




00:21:15

that are thoughtful and caring and interested,




00:21:19

as well as being interesting.




00:21:22

Yeah, I love that,




00:21:24

and that contribution gets real




00:21:25

when we stop asking whether we're still relevant




00:21:28

and really start asking where the lived wisdom we have




00:21:32

is needed next.




00:21:33

Absolutely, our lived experiences are very valuable.




00:21:37

And again, our institutional knowledge,




00:21:40

that is the 40 or 50 decades




00:21:42

that we've been through the fires of life,




00:21:45

that we know.




00:21:45

And elders can really help you,




00:21:48

those in your 20s and 30s and 40s,




00:21:49

if you're going through something tough,




00:21:51

like Adam did with his mom, okay?




00:21:53

Not many people his age




00:21:54

will have been faced with




00:21:56

such a devastating experience,




00:21:58

but someone older will definitely have




00:22:00

and can hold your hand,




00:22:02

and give you the wisdom and empathy you need




00:22:05

as you navigate that difficult time.




00:22:07

Yeah, all right.




00:22:09

You know, Ande,




00:22:10

you know how we end here;




00:22:11

after all of this,




00:22:12

but especially the myth




00:22:14

that age makes you less relevant,




00:22:16

is anything real?




00:22:19

Life is so real,




00:22:21

and being able to age is a gift




00:22:24

and a privilege,




00:22:25

and we must not waste it.




00:22:27

We must get off couches,




00:22:29

and continue to be out in the world,




00:22:31

and be curious, and explore,




00:22:33

and pull on threads,




00:22:34

and find out ways




00:22:35

that we can still be relevant




00:22:37

and contribute




00:22:39

our own deliciousness to the world.




00:22:42

We are all delicious,




00:22:43

and what feels real to me is contribution,




00:22:46

right?




00:22:47

It's not about performance.




00:22:48

It's not scaling for scale's sake.




00:22:51

You know it's the rooms we build,




00:22:53

maybe the names we say.




00:22:54

The wisdom we share,




00:22:55

the communities that get strengthened,




00:22:57

and that refusal to disappear




00:22:59

just because culture got lazy about imagination, right?




00:23:04

Ande,




00:23:04

where can folks find you,




00:23:06

listen to "Don't Be Caged by Your Age",




00:23:09

and find the New England Podcasters Group?




00:23:11

You can find me Ande




00:23:13

A N D E




00:23:14

Lyons




00:23:15

L Y O N S




00:23:16

all over social media.




00:23:18

But really, connect with me on LinkedIn.




00:23:20

Please visit




00:23:21

dontbecagedbyyourage.com




00:23:23

to catch all the episodes,




00:23:25

or find one that really resonates for you.




00:23:28

And please, if you're interested in podcasting,




00:23:31

please come join us at




00:23:33

newenglandpodcasters.group.




00:23:35

You can join us physically or virtually.




00:23:38

We have a monthly meetup.




00:23:39

I have a free ticket for you.




00:23:41

Just ping me, and I'll get it to you.




00:23:43

It's a wonderful way




00:23:44

to be in community with creatives




00:23:47

who are making an impact.




00:23:49

Fantastic,




00:23:49

and I'm a proud member




00:23:51

of the New England Podcasters Group.




00:23:53

I will mention that here, but you know,




00:23:55

for our listeners, stop treating age like a cage.




00:24:00

You know, start treating visibility like vanity.




00:24:04

You know, and if you're alive,




00:24:05

there is still something to build.




00:24:08

Share, teach, question, amplify, or repair.




00:24:11

Could be through a podcast.




00:24:13

It could be just mentoring someone younger.




00:24:16

Or maybe it's finally admitting




00:24:17

the next chapter is not a downgrade;




00:24:19

it's simply a redesign.




00:24:20

So, you know, if this hits,




00:24:22

send it to a founder,




00:24:23

podcaster, a woman building visibility,




00:24:26

an inspired elder,




00:24:27

or anyone who just needs to remember




00:24:29

they're not finished




00:24:30

just because the culture ran out of imagination.




00:24:34

And if you're navigating a leadership transition,




00:24:36

there's also a 20-minute foundational call




00:24:38

with me linked in the show notes below.




00:24:40

But Ande, thank you for your generosity,




00:24:43

your advocacy,




00:24:44

those podcasting receipts,




00:24:46

the community building,




00:24:47

and that reminder




00:24:48

that the best rooms are often built




00:24:50

by people who got tired of waiting for someone else




00:24:53

to open the door.




00:24:54

Thank you so much for having me, Adam.




00:24:56

I love your podcast.




00:24:58

I love your emails, as you know,




00:25:01

and I just love how you do you in the world.




00:25:03

Thank you for inviting me to be on your podcast.




00:25:06

Thank you, Ande.




00:25:07

It was such a pleasure.




00:25:09

You know, listeners,




00:25:10

until next time,




00:25:10

stay grounded,




00:25:11

stay human,




00:25:12

and keep questioning the noise.
positive aging, Is Anything Real podcast, purpose after 65, creativity after 65, New England Podcasters Group,Ande Lyons, aging after 65, entrepreneurship after 65, retirement, retirement reinvention, pro-aging, Don’t Be Caged By Your Age, starting over,reality-first leadership, unretirement, podcasting, adam w barney, ageism, longevity, older adults,visibility, thrive after 65, healthy aging, life after 65, reinvention, aging well, life after 60,