Aging and the job

Ever thought about what you can and cannot do as you age? I was visiting a friend a week ago and was asked to help her with some odd repairs in the house. This happens quite often and we sometimes make a joke of working for food while there.
However, this time the repair was to replace a light fixture. It might have been considered a lack luster chore except for the fact that a whole different wire connection needed to be inserted in place of the old one. Nevertheless, this did not turn out to be the major work of the job.
To do the job accurately I would have to spend considerable time on a ladder working over my head. Available was a three-step ladder with a handle to lean against if need be. After my hands and arms gave out a few times we both took a break and considered the question of what we could, and could not do, given our age.
I was one to never be limited. Just two years ago I was 25 feet high up on a 40 ft. ladder thinking nothing of it. Now, I wondered if I should be on any kind of ladder at all. This transition of talents is a question for all of us as we age. What can we do and what ought we have someone else help us with, or perhaps have them do?
Yes, our egos are at stake, especially for many men; myself included. We have been the gallant home repair men for years. Now what? Yield to someone who may not do the work as well as we would? Hardly. Yet, our health is more valuable and more at stake than our ego, and most likely the job.
Perhaps a talent assessment ought to be done prior to each repair job. Some questions to consider might be: can I mow the lawn for 2 hours in this heat? Can I stand on this ladder for 15 minutes looking and working over my head? This object may too heavy for me, whom else can I get to help me? Is this job worth risking my health, or perhaps my life? Lastly, what is really at risk, my health, my ego, or the job being done well with nothing broken?
Reed Daugherity is a career consultant. He can be reached at reedcoach@earthlink.net or http://www.findingvalueinaging.com/