If money were no issue, how would you spend your time?
If money were no issue, how would you spend your time? Would you get up and go to the same job each day? Change jobs? Would you sit around and watch TV? Would you give more to the community? Spend more time with family?
In the past few weeks there have been a number of articles and social media posts regarding retirement. Most likely the frequency isn't up, yet my awareness has been heightened. I have seen comments by those who say that they never plan to retire, that retirement is the biggest mistake they have made, or that they fear they can never retire due to finances.
To me "retirement" is one more step on my journey through life. Retirement is defined by Wikipedia (You know the internet is always correct!) as "the act of leaving one's job and ceasing to work." That is a horrible definition. Let's have some fun in redefining the concept of retirement.
Retirement isn't:
Ceasing to work (Work is part of life. Ceasing to work is called death.)
A time to check out of life
A time to sit on my rocking chair and do nothing
An absence of thinking
An absence of being involved with passions or interests
An absence of facing life's challenges
That time in life when you decide that you can reap the results of years of planning and can have the independence you desire can be called retirement, but it shouldn't be defined as Wikipedia has coined it. It takes years of preparation.
Retirement is:
No different than running a business - it takes planning and consistency.
Starting to plan as early as possible - preferably in our 20's. Remember Stephen Covey's quote: "Begin with the end in Mind."
A time that allows us true freedom to:
Start a new venture
Work in the same job that we love
Mentor those in younger generations that are craving the leadership skills and knowledge that we posses
Spend more time with family and friends
Travel if desired
Give back to the community in ways that couldn't easily be done while working full time and/or raising a family
Whatever else comes to mind
I have a friend that owns a business that has been very profitable and an ongoing concern. He also has another business, more of a ministry, that focuses on the needs of others. This ministry is one that could take him around the US and the world helping people in so many ways due to the needs he has identified. He doesn't want to "retire;" what he does want is to transition to this other business which excites him and has great upside potential. What he does want is the financial independence to make different choices.
My friend, like many of us, wants to pick the ending of one season, the beginning of another, and the choice in transition. Retirement should be another season, another beginning, and another transition just like many we have made before. The question is: What are you doing to plan your transition and how does that impact the decisions you make today?
Ron,
You are doing exactly what I meant. Life hands us challenges. We can sit around and feel sorry for ourselves, or do what you have done, made the best lemonade possible. Many don't want to travel and can. That is OK, as long as they don't sit at home feel sorry for themselves and not do anything.
Many can't afford to retire, but also can't work. There are many things we can all do with the gifts we have been given. I laud you for diving into writing and creating your own community. Thanks for the input.
Some great advice for those either in or thinking about retirement. Unfortunately, the best laid plans… Can be waylaid by circumstance. Two examples that come to mind are early retirement caused by being laid off and being unable to find another job, resulting in much lower retirement income than originally planned. The second of course, health failure, is the worst, because it can put financial burden on retirement and change plans as far as continuing to be vigorous and carry out all of those "freeing" options that retirement is supposed to bring.
I switched work at retirement from writing and analyzing factual information to writing fiction in retirement. My disability greatly limits my ability to travel, interact in the community, and a social life. But I have been preparing for that eventuality a long time and it doesn't bother me too much as I dive into my writing and Internet connections instead.
Of course, unless one is financially independent at retirement, options become quite limited. And, unfortunately, many many Americans are being faced with these concerns these days.
Don’t Wait, Lead Now is a must-read for emerging leaders and anyone in leadership that wants to up their game— full of practical, real-world examples that highlight the traits and behaviors that create high-performing teams.
Don’t Wait, Lead Now is a must-read for emerging leaders and anyone in leadership that wants to up their game— full of practical, real-world examples that highlight the traits and behaviors that create high-performing teams.
Welcome to AD, you have a nice readable writing style
Why don't you post a poem or two, maybe an article and even a short story .... the more things you post the more readers you will attract to your work
Best wishes for success as you continue your writing
m
You are doing exactly what I meant. Life hands us challenges. We can sit around and feel sorry for ourselves, or do what you have done, made the best lemonade possible. Many don't want to travel and can. That is OK, as long as they don't sit at home feel sorry for themselves and not do anything.
Many can't afford to retire, but also can't work. There are many things we can all do with the gifts we have been given. I laud you for diving into writing and creating your own community. Thanks for the input.
I switched work at retirement from writing and analyzing factual information to writing fiction in retirement. My disability greatly limits my ability to travel, interact in the community, and a social life. But I have been preparing for that eventuality a long time and it doesn't bother me too much as I dive into my writing and Internet connections instead.
Of course, unless one is financially independent at retirement, options become quite limited. And, unfortunately, many many Americans are being faced with these concerns these days.
Ron