We all long for something: love, family, success, money, connection. How our longings evolve in middle age, and the opportunities those changes bring, have been central themes of this blog. Not long ago, I visited Portugal with my family and found myself intrigued by a particular kind of longing the Portuguese refer to as saudade. … Continue reading We’re Not Done Yet: On Dreams and Regrets In Our Fifties
Managing Your Career
Advice and thoughts from myself and others on how best to manage your career
Fathers, Sons and Heroes
I had a birthday recently, which always makes me think of my dad. This isn’t unusual, birthdays cause many people to think of their parents. Although in my case there is a more uncommon connection: my dad and I shared a birthday. On the day I was born he turned 49. I used to joke … Continue reading Fathers, Sons and Heroes
What Is LinkedIn For?
I’ve been asking myself that question a lot recently. As a longtime user and fan, I want to believe LinkedIn sees itself as a platform designed to help professionals expand their networks, learn new skills, discover job opportunities and grow their careers. But lately it seems LinkedIn’s primary purpose is to get us to spend … Continue reading What Is LinkedIn For?
Which Way Are You Running?
Maybe it’s the commute. Or the job. Or the boss. Or the company you work for. It happens to those close to retirement and young executives unhappy with their current roles. No matter the issue or where you are in your career, at some point all of us feel the urge to run away from … Continue reading Which Way Are You Running?
What Did You Do This Week?
This simple question has caused quite an uproar recently. It’s a common question for those of us who like to spend part of our Sundays preparing for the upcoming week. Of course, the controversy isn’t about the question itself, but the manner in which it was asked. Normally employers don’t coldcock their employees with a … Continue reading What Did You Do This Week?
The Reason to Work Past the Number
What’s your number? If you’ve done even the most basic financial planning, you’ve got a number–the amount of savings needed to retire. For many people, that number represents the finish line and the primary motivation for working. And once that line is crossed, retirement quickly follows. However, not everyone stops working once they’ve attained financial … Continue reading The Reason to Work Past the Number
The Ones That Got Away
During the Super Bowl, Tom Brady made an intriguing revelation. With the Eagles cruising in the second half and the outcome no longer in doubt, Brady reflected on how he processed losing Super Bowls. He admitted to dwelling much more on his three Super Bowl losses than on his seven victories. As a long-suffering Giants … Continue reading The Ones That Got Away
Your Productivity Isn’t the Problem
There’s nothing wrong with your productivity. Yes, I know the prevailing wisdom in our corporate cultures today is that we must learn to be more productive. Work longer. Do more with less. Our futures, and that of the companies we work for, depend on it. The never-ending pursuit of productivity has many of us running … Continue reading Your Productivity Isn’t the Problem
The Right Way To Worry
One of the wonders of this time of year is we experience a calendarized, culture-wide commitment to wiping the slate clean and beginning anew. But for many media execs and marketers, particularly those in their peak years, the good cheer of the holidays is quickly being replaced by worries and anxieties about the future. It’s … Continue reading The Right Way To Worry
There Are Only 10 Commandments
When I was the CMO at Weather Group the company’s founder and CEO, Byron Allen, used to tell me, “Fred, there are only 10 commandments in life, everything else is negotiable.” It was a reminder that one’s approach to problem-solving or decision-making should never be carved in stone. Byron is a true maverick and one … Continue reading There Are Only 10 Commandments
The Seven Steps To Finding A Job In Sports
“Hey Fred, would you mind talking with my ______, (insert son, daughter, niece, cousin, next door neighbor’s kid, etc). They want to get into the sports business?” Like many friends and colleagues in the business, I’ve been asked this question more times than I can remember. Make no mistake, this is not a complaint. I … Continue reading The Seven Steps To Finding A Job In Sports
Be Indifferent
Forget passion. What all of us could use at work is more indifference. I realize in many quarters such a notion is career blasphemy. Coaches, educators and pretty much everybody who likes to blog, post or pontificate about building a career says the key to professional happiness and success is finding work that ignites our … Continue reading Be Indifferent
Worn In Good
It’s your favorite chair or a spot on the couch. It's your trusty, old baseball glove. If you like to cook, it could be your old cutting board or cast-iron pan. In the Fall, it’s a well-worn pair of jeans or, in my case, an increasingly frayed but still unbelievably comfortable pair of NY Giants … Continue reading Worn In Good
The Only Way Out Is Through
Readers of this blog know that I’m a firm believer that the peak years of our lives can be our best years. But there’s no denying they can be challenging times as well. As my mom reminds me, “sometimes getting old sucks, but it beats the alternative.” One of the most rewarding parts of writing … Continue reading The Only Way Out Is Through
Old Dogs & New Tricks
They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Faithful readers of Peak Years know that I don’t buy into this notion. Sure, it can be harder to learn as we get older. But can’t? No way. I thought of the old dog trope recently while watching the terrific new Netflix documentary, Inside the … Continue reading Old Dogs & New Tricks
Should I Stay Or Should I Go
The Clash’s hit song Should I Stay or Should I Go is about the end of a broken relationship. It’s also a question every professional struggles with at one point or another in their career. Right now, it’s THE question being debated in the corridors of power and across the media as it relates to … Continue reading Should I Stay Or Should I Go
It’s Supposed To Hurt
No pain, no gain. Embrace the burn. Take the hard way. Rise and grind. Just do it. These pithy mantras and urgent admonitions permeate the worlds of sports and fitness. They’re everywhere: posters, tattoos, memes and ads. Coaches and trainers swear by them. Athletes of all levels, from the pros to the weekend warrior, breathlessly … Continue reading It’s Supposed To Hurt
A Career Lesson From Charlie Brown
It’s one of the all-time classic recurring bits from the Peanuts comic strip. Charlie Brown charges full speed to kick a football held up by Lucy. Right at the moment he’s about to make contact she snatches it away, causing Charlie Brown to flip into the air and crash spectacularly to the ground. Part of what … Continue reading A Career Lesson From Charlie Brown
Goals Are Cheap
Everybody has goals. I do. I’m sure you do as well. Having a clear set of goals is Career/Life Coach 101 stuff. Chapter 1 of every self-improvement book ever written. We’re told that it’s important to write them down. Even better, we should go one step further and visualize what achieving our goals will look … Continue reading Goals Are Cheap
AI and Your Next Salary Negotiation/Have We Reached Peak NFL?
A two for one this week at Peak Years - thoughts on AI and the NFL. Let's start with AI. Like so much else in our world, AI has revolutionized the job search process in a short period of time. ChatGPT writes resumes and cover letters. It is a powerful research tool. And it’s great for interview prep. … Continue reading AI and Your Next Salary Negotiation/Have We Reached Peak NFL?
Sprint to the Finish
She said it almost every day during the transition: “I’m going to sprint to the finish.” The company we worked for, Time Warner Cable, was in the midst of being absorbed by Charter Communications. A number of my colleagues were looking forward to the close of the transaction so they could take their packages and … Continue reading Sprint to the Finish
Will There Be Enough?
Will there be enough? Maybe we don’t use those exact words, but that is THE question all of us ask ourselves at some point, perhaps many times, during our lives. The question can apply to the basic essentials: food, water, clothing, and shelter. Sadly, way too many people around the world are forced to confront … Continue reading Will There Be Enough?
Stop Chasing Success
Chasing professional success is a fool’s errand. Fulfillment is what we should be after. Attaining fulfillment requires that you do two things every day. I will explain in a minute. But first, on the surface, I realize the idea of not pursuing success sounds ridiculous and runs counter to the very essence of the American … Continue reading Stop Chasing Success
Hot Tubs and Practicing Relaxation
I’m not very good at relaxing. My mind is always going. Every time I try to relax, it’s hard for me to not think about the things I could be accomplishing. I’m not getting any better at it as I get older, in fact I might be getting worse. Millions of people have this same … Continue reading Hot Tubs and Practicing Relaxation
What’s Your Name?
My name is Fred Bucher. But, if I’m being honest, there have been times in my life when my name was longer and hyphenated. For example, for a good chunk of my career my name was: “Fred Bucher-from-ESPN.” There is a revealing little exercise for determining how much of our identities are tied to our … Continue reading What’s Your Name?
Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
The break-up. The end of a relationship. For eons it’s been a bottomless well of inspiration for artists, musicians, and writers. And that will never change. As long as humans walk the Earth, we will seek solace and comfort in art from the emotional pain of break-ups. Now before you stop reading, rest assured I’m not about to offer … Continue reading Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
Eyes Forward
“Eyes forward” was one of the first lessons my dad drilled into me when he taught me to drive. He didn’t want me fiddling with the radio or getting distracted by other people in the car. For the record, I can only imagine how my dad would have handled driving lessons in the era of … Continue reading Eyes Forward
A Shout Out to Tough Bosses
Everyone should have at least one tough boss in their career. Nothing will make you stronger, better, more aware of new possibilities and just flat out smarter. I’ve worked for some very tough bosses during my career. (Check out my blog post, When I Worked for Andrew Cuomo). It certainly wasn’t easy, at times it … Continue reading A Shout Out to Tough Bosses
Riding Out the Storm
We are entering the peak of hurricane season. This is the time of year when my former colleagues at The Weather Channel, the most trusted news organization in the business, do their best work. Live on the ground coverage of tropical hurricanes is what the network is most known for. Footage of Jim Cantore, Steph … Continue reading Riding Out the Storm
You Make Me Feel So Young
It’s one of Sinatra’s classics. You make me feel so young You make me feel there are songs to be sung Bells to be rung And a wonderful fling to be flung My wife comes from a big Italian family so Sinatra tunes like “You Make Me Feel So Young” were always on the play … Continue reading You Make Me Feel So Young
Horseshoes and Hand Grenades
Like a lot of people my office is littered with keepsakes from my career. One of my favorites is a horseshoe. It’s a reminder of a memorable business trip I made to the thoroughbred horse farms of Kentucky years ago. (I highly recommend going if you get the chance.) Horseshoes are symbols of luck, that’s … Continue reading Horseshoes and Hand Grenades
Write It Down
I can still hear his voice. Direct, commanding, with more than a tinge of a Queens accent: “Write it down, Fred. Write it down.” He’d pantomime the writing motion with his hand, sometimes quite intensely, if he thought I didn’t react quick enough. The voice and hand belonged to Andrew Cuomo. In the past I … Continue reading Write It Down
In Defense of the Hare
One of the things that happens to empty nesters, at least in my case, is that occasionally you find yourself getting sentimental when coming across objects from the early days of parenting. I had this experience recently when I found a book of fables and short stories I used to read to our kids when … Continue reading In Defense of the Hare
What Are You Thinking
All of us have a to do list. Whether we write it down or keep it in our heads, the to do list is pretty much standard operating procedure for any professional. But when was the last time you gave any thought to what you’re going to think about on a given day? I realize … Continue reading What Are You Thinking
Things That Go Bump In The Night
What were you doing at 3 a.m. last night? I read recently that more people than ever are dealing with anxiety-related sleep issues. Given the state of the world right now I guess this isn’t a surprise. Probably all of us remember being scared during the night at one time or another when we were … Continue reading Things That Go Bump In The Night
The Walls We Build
“Something there is that doesn’t love a wall,” wrote Robert Frost in his timeless poem Mending Wall. I’m not much one for poetry but I’m a fan of Frost and Mending Wall because it speaks to a fundamental truth of the human condition – we love walls. We build them in our work and in … Continue reading The Walls We Build
The Boss’s Job
Very often it’s the one we most covet. We look at the person immediately above us on the corporate ladder and think we could do that job. We want that job. This is especially true for the young and ambitious. Early in your career when you’re eager to take the next step, make more money, … Continue reading The Boss’s Job
What’s Your Kryptonite?
It’s Superman’s greatest weakness in case you’ve forgotten. The mysterious alien mineral that robs him of all his superpowers. Kryptonite makes him a mere mortal, like the rest of us. I think the word has meaning even for those who haven’t read the comics or seen the movies. The dictionary defines it as “something that … Continue reading What’s Your Kryptonite?
“We Live Our Lives in Chains…”
“And we never even know we have the key.” So sang the late, great Glenn Frey and The Eagles in their classic hit “Already Gone.” I love that song. It’s about a break-up. But don’t worry, no need to stop reading, I’m not about to share relationship advice. The Eagles Similar to my blog post … Continue reading “We Live Our Lives in Chains…”
My New Book
The community of readers who frequent this blog probably have noticed my lack of productivity recently. Earlier this year I was publishing twice a week consistently. The last few months, not so much. It’s not because of laziness or a lack of interest in writing, although at times, just like any other challenging job, it’s … Continue reading My New Book