The Three Acts of Life
Since you’re here reading this, my guess is that you’ve probably completed most of acts 1 and 2, and it’s time to start building your third act. I want to give you everything you need to plan, design, and live your perfect third act.
The First Act
Typical age range: 0–25
Act 1 is about learning.
It’s often guided by:
Parents, teachers, institutions
Social expectations
Exploration rather than optimisation
Very few people have meaningful control or leverage in Act 1. That’s perfectly normal.
The Second Act
Typical age range: 25–50
Act 2 is about earning.
The defining traits are:
Responsibility is high
Identity is often tied to work
Income usually depends on continued effort
Many people end Act 2 financially stable but structurally exposed. If they stop working, income stops.
The Third Act
Typical age range: 50+
Act 3 is about intentional design.
It’s where you deliberately:
Build owner-controlled income
Turn knowledge into assets
Reduce complexity and create optionality
Most people drift into Act 3 having accumulated resources, but without a clear plan for how the next phase should actually work.
Your time to shine
You’ve done the hard yards, and now it’s time to bring it home and make the final third of your time your best ever!
You’ve been nurtured into adulthood and learned what it takes to gain and maintain responsibilities.
You’ve probably had periods of financial struggle, working in jobs you’d rather not have done, and maybe even had a few changes in direction along the way.
You’ve spent a few decades excelling in a field or niche, and you may even have climbed the dizzy heights of the corporate ladder.
You’ve acquired significant experience and learnings – many of which could only ever be achieved in one way, by doing them.
All these things are normal.
What will your third act include?
The first two acts of your life are usually shaped by circumstance and expectation. The third is the first one you get to design deliberately.
Figure out what you want your third act to look like, and begin to plan how you’ll get there.
Remember, it’s ALL yours to design, no limitations!