Finishing Well

by Bob Buford

Buford, Bob

Genres: Christian Living, Christian, Christianity, Nonfiction, Business, Self Help, Leadership

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was very intrigued by the review I read about this book; after reading it, I'm not so impressed. While I appreciate the idea that we need to fill our lives with meaningful activities as we approach and enter the "retirement" stage, it was a little depressing to read one story after another of people who had made so much money at such a young age that they could choose to walk away from their jobs and do something else. My husband and I are in our late 40's. We still have children living in our home (and will for the next 7-8 years) and we will be paying on our mortgage for YEARS to come. My husband has a good job and we consider ourselves fortunate but in order to continue feeding our family and paying that mortgage he has to keep working his less-than-meaningful job. Perhaps the book needed a subtitle--"Finishing Well: Advice for the other half."

[Paul Sr. · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is a great follow up to Halftime. I wish Bob had included some more examples of people who were not independently wealthy and had to work to support their halftime passion

[John Hollinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. Excellent work in interviewing, capturing, organizing and presenting thoughts from 60 people who learned the value of significance over success. There is much to be gained in this book for anybody, no matter their age. Oh that young readers would learn these lessons right from the start. The following are some quotes from just a few of those interviewed.

Pray for God’s will to be done in your life, that you’ll know it when it comes, and that you’ll be strong enough to go out and follow it… It’s important to feel as though you’re making a difference, and I think it’s probably pretty good medicine as well. (Tom Luce)

I have no problem with money, power, fame, or status--as long as they’re treated as resources, rather than as goals in themselves. (Tom Morris)

Profession of belief doesn’t carry the action. Only real belief carries action. We live in a context where millions and millions of professing Christians do not believe what they profess because they’ve been taught that the important thing is to profess it. (Dallas Willard)

I think the critical difference between success and significance is that success has more to do with outcomes I’m in charge of, while significance has more to do with outcomes I’m not in charge of. The beautiful thing about significance is that we resign the outcomes to God, and we let a power beyond ourselves take care of them. (Dallas Willard)

The Lord did many things for me long before I was communicating with Him and really acknowledging Him. I look back on my life… I can see how He was leading me all along the way. So I say, if God can guide my life when I’m not even trying to listen to Him, how much more can He do when I’m really trying? I’m just attempting to learn more about what God is doing in this world, and He directs my footsteps along the way. (Wally Hawley)

Finishing well is a process of becoming a better vessel for God’s purposes. I just want to improve continuously in my effectiveness for Kingdom things. My advice is to make sure you die in battle. The key is to live intentionally, with passion, for a cause worthy of your life. And then die bloody. (Jay Bennet)

Concerning what to look for when looking to get involved in nonprofit activities… The first thing I look for is clarity about the mission. Second, I look for people I respect who are practical-minded. Third, I want to be sure that it’s the sort of project that I can bring value to. So I always ask myself: Is it a mission I believe in? Do I believe in the people who are in it? Does it use my talents and gifts in a way that engages me? (John Castle)

Great answers tend to close things down, while really great questions open things up. My basic approach to life is to collect really great questions. Questions that force people to think about what they’re doing. Do they have a game plan or a sense of purpose in their life? I’ve found it very comfortable over the years just to ask people those kinds of questions, and it always opens up extraordinarily interesting conversations. (Dan Sullivan)

Death is universal, everyone dies, but not everyone lives. (Ken Cooper)

Success is being highly disciplined. (Ken Cooper)

Concerning the difference between being driven and called… Driven people think it’s all up to them; called people, on the other hand, understand that life and work are gifts of God’s grace, and respond appropriately. (Ken Blanchard) 

Do you see your best years ahead of you or behind you? If people see their best years behind them, then they’re probably not going to finish very well, because you can’t finish well when you’re going backward. (Ken Blanchard)

The people who feel best about themselves after retirement are those who get involved with some kind of work or activity where they can make a contribution to others, such as volunteer work, mentoring, or teaching. (Armand Nicholi)

First, life during the “retirement years” needs to be free of the stress we experienced during our working life. Second, the tasks we undertake during these years need to be meaningful work that benefits other people, or another person. And, third, it needs to be fun. (Armand Nicholi)

A study conducted at Fuller Seminary asked what the Bible teaches about finishing well. They looked at 100 people in the Bible about whom we have adequate data to evaluate how they finished. Only about a third of them finished well. Most of them failed in the last half of their life, which I think is rather significant. The thing that surfaced over and over was a failure, not in their knowledge of Scripture but in failing to apply Scripture in their lives. It was the feeling that because they knew the Word, they were living it, which was as untrue for them as it is for us. (Howard Hendricks)

If you stop learning today, you’ll stop growing tomorrow. I find that a lot of older people have thrown in the towel. They feel they’ve made their contribution, and they decide just to let the younger people carry on. That’s really risky. (Howard Hendricks)

Lord, help me not to die before I die. (Howard Hendricks)

Lord, I can’t do anything about yesterday, and tomorrow may not come. Let me be your man today. (Vester Hughes)

Service to others is the rent we pay for the room we have on earth. (Pat Thomas)

I want to be totally used up when I die. (Pat Thomas)

I’m convinced that when I get to Heaven and come face-to-face with my Creator, there’s going to be a final exam, and as I visualize it, two questions will sum up the part of my life on earth: (1) What did you do about Jesus? (2) What did you do with what I gave you to work with? One question about belief and one question about action. (Bob Buford)

Finishing well to me primarily means that I want, more than anything, to be found obedient and faithful. Finishing well means I’m not trying to write my own plans; I just want to be available for whatever God assigns me to do. (Denis Beausejour)

The Way Out is Through
Just as resistance generates muscle, working through our worst experiences generates joy. The challenges we encounter are no reason to quit the journey. They provide occasions to seek wisdom and strength to continue. (Bob Buford)
When I walk to the edge of all the light I have, And take the step into the darkness of the unknown, I believe one of two things will happen. There will be something solid for me to stand on, Or I will be taught to fly (S. Marlin Edges)

There are two secrets to finishing well. One is maintaining continuity between what you do before you retire and what you do afterward, Second is having a sense that you have a project or task to pursue in your latter years, so you don’t just drift into uselessness. (Simone de Beauvoir)

We can retire from our jobs but we can never retire from our calling. Calling gives us a sense of task or responsibility, right up to the last day we spend on earth, when we will go to meet the Caller. I think that gives life incredible value, and therefore the prosperity of finishing well is that we continue to have a sense of responsibility and engagement that makes each day we live enormously important. Those who have a deep sense of what their gifts are--their purpose in life and their calling--are much more alive. Calling continues right up to the last day. Our work may not last, but our calling never dies. (Os Guinness)

Concerning paralyzed by perfectionism… I was partly released from that myself by a wonderful quote from G. K. Chesterton, who said “If a thing’s worth doing, it’s worth doing badly.” A lot of us need to know that. If we insist on waiting for the perfect situation, we may never use the gifts or talents we’ve been given. (Os Guinness)

Concerning no regrets… In some ways, we all have regrets. If you live long enough, you’ll have them. But I find I just have to take the times where I’ve sinned or failed or not lived up to my own expectations, and I just have to put those at the foot of the cross and know they’re forgiven. That’s how I can live without regrets and keep on going. (Os Guinness)

My father had a tremendous sense of God’s presence, and he described the way he finished. He said the home he was in at the end of his life was “the waiting room for Heaven.” I like that image very much. The prospect, the hope, and the joy of Heaven were real and vivid to him. (Os Guinness)

[Michael O'Neal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book looks at the second half of one's life and what it takes to finish it well. Buford puts forward numerous thoughts concerning such items as moving from success to significance in the second half of one's life and finding your core values/passions/strengths to guide your second half. His approach to discuss these items is to interview others, who He views as successfully embodying the concepts he is putting fourth. He interviewed many heavyweights, such as Peter Drucker, Dallas Willard, Roger Staubach, and Hamilton Jordan. Typically, this worked for me, but at times, I found it hard to relate to the individuals he chose to interview. Also, I think it would have been more effective, if would cut down on the number of interviewees, and gone a little deeper than so many shallow vignettes of people's lives. I liked the essence of this book and would recommend it to anyone contemplating a life change or new career.

[Julia Leong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bob Buford captured the lives of those who he deems to be finishing well, the code breakers, the path finders, via interviews and the book presented it akin to having a lunch with them, listening to their stories.

Key themes I took away from these stories in finishing well:
- retirement as a concept doesn’t exist in their mind. It’s not in their bible, some claimed
- it’s about how they can use their gifts and talents to enrich other lives
- it’s about doing what they enjoy, giving it all, not getting distracted from their purpose and staying the course
- they didn’t all find it on day one. For many, it was a journey of self-discovery
- many are believers and centred their journey on God
- some are blessed to find their purpose early and in the field they are in. Some spend time searching but eventually these stories showed there are many pathways to finishing well. Everyone’s context is different and it’s about finding a context that fits

Overall, a good read and ultimate it’s about whether we take the plunge to commit to a life of significance.

[Leslie Yong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Praise for this book “Finishing Well” by Bob P. Buford. It’s so wonderfully written to motivate those who are senior to (be) prepared successfully to live off their second part of balance lives meaningfully- up to ripe old age

Author Bob Buford illustrated through his interviews with various people of age 40 and older who have pioneered the art of finishing well in the past, and who can teach us to do the same, starting today.
The author listed 60 of these trailblazers - including Peter Drucker, Roger Staubach, Jim Collins, Ken Blanchard, and Dallas Willard - and has recorded
their lively conversations in these pages so that they can serve as "mentors in print" for all of us.

Buford gives you a chance to sit at the feet of these pioneers and learn the art of finishing well so you can shift into a far more fulfilling life now, no matter your age, and pursue a lasting significance that will be a legacy for future generations.

[Curtis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good lessons, worth the time to read - it went quick... A bit repetitive saying the same thing over and over. Spoiler, the big takeaway is that you can retire from work but you shouldn't retire from your calling and should keep doing that. That calling should be doing something of significance - as in helping others. Good to hear stories of actual people, but it's a bit hard to relate to as nearly all of the case studies are from super wealthy and/or successful people that obviously can pursue significance in their Life II without having to worry about funding life in retirement and their quest for meaning.... their big challenge was to walk away from their money making.

[Marno · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is like a sequel to the much more successful: "Halftime." Throughout this book much mention is made to "Halftime" and one gets the impression that it'd be better to read that book instead of this "Finishing Well." "Finishing well" is basically just a collection of testimonials from people who have been successful through purpose after reaching their halftime dilemma.

I speed red this book to find tidbits of valuable information. Though some were valuable, I would not have gained anything more by reading every word. If you have the book, learn from it what you can, but don't feel like you need to commit to reading everything.

[Jhilliard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book by Buford is a helpful followup to his popular book, Half Time. He goes to great lenghts to give practical examples of individuals who are done well in their second half. The stories are inspirational and encouraging.

[Michael Vincent · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent work which includes insight from an A-list of top thinkers and practictioners (many Christians) who are seeking to finish well. There is much practical advice and wisdom throughout. This could have been more specifically biblical, but that was not the purpose of the book.

[Josephine Olok · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the idea of the book - the need to finish our lives well after halftime/ midlife. Unfortunately I could not relate to any of the people featured in the book. My one takeaway, and what I appreciate, is the need for a purpose filled midlife, one that focuses on significance over success.

[Kim Moline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second half plan. Pay it forward.

[Kelci · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not worth reading. Highly repetitive and heavy on the religious tone.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish his books featured more ordinary people rather than business icons. I have found most of his characters in his books unrelatable to the every day reader/

[Cheryl Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

It would be more relatable if it included more than wealthy individuals.

[Jell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me tell you first, before anything, that the person who got me to reading was my parents. I memorized a children's book at the age of 2 (which my parents always take pride in) and though it doesn't seem monumental in any way I seem to feel like some special kid who was the only who colored within the lines, unlike the mess made of the rest. My parents' bed has a headboard that looks like a bookshelf, so by the age of 10 they were sick that I stay in their bed reading books because I'm keeping them from doing R-rated stuff. Haha. So, again, TL;DR, I stole this from Dad's part of the shelf, and it's a really good read. Makes you really think about what you should fill your life with. Some say books like this are best read at middle age, but I beg to differ. As early as now, I think it's great to read something eye-opening as this. Sort of makes things clear, and gives you a nudge to start doing things that would matter in the long run.

[Dian Novita Elfrida · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had this book as a present. It should had been an interesting one since it tells experiences from succesful Christians above 50 years old that realize money isn't everything, and the bestway to ending life is to do the will of God.

Unfortunately, it is not tranlated well to Bahasa Indonesia. Many times I have to take sometimes to digest some words to get the meaning. Perhaps the writer himself not really the good writer, I am not sure. Need to read the original to prove it.

Anyway, a lesson that I got which also the weakness of this book as well is: You don't have to wait until you are 50 or live succes to do things that pleasing the Lord.

[Jeff Lampson]

I really like Bob Buford's books and his focus on the challenges and life alignment opportunity for successful transitions into and during the second half of life. He has a strong gift for conveying depth and wisdom with the pragmatic nature honed as a successful business leader.

This is book is based on interviews with 60 inspring people. Peter Drucker's "Ten Principles for Life II" were a special treat for me to read, contemplate and apply.

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must read for anyone who desires to live a life of significance. Many great examples of people who have changed their focus from success to significance, fill the pages. The only thing that is missing are stories of people who didn't achieve success before achieving significance. That can be done as well. I recommend the book to many of my friends.

[Scooter Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding Read

Highly recommend this book for all in mid-life and beyond. It is a great retirement gift, packed with wisdom and insights from many who lived their lives to the fullest. Don’t retire, refire and make a glorious impact in the world in the final quarter of your life. FINISHING WELL

[Mark Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. Details inspiring examples - from personal interviews - of people (particularly business or other leaders) who have repurposed the latter half of their life to focus on "things of enduring significance". I recommend it.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

great examples on how to continue to use one's gifts and strengths for the long haul! Inspiring.

Good for anyone to read but especially good for those over 40

[Cindy Sarpalius · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the interviews in this book. I didn't find it particularly compelling, but the over all theme of the book has inspired me.

[Robert Rositzke · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book for the "over 50" crowd!

[Hugh Laybourn · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent , thought​ provoking, well written stories about using your life to the benefit of others

[Priti]

A thoughtful approach to how to finsh well, so that your life is your legacy.