Done With Work

Larry Gard, Ph.D. Most of us have beliefs and assumptions about retirement, often based on what we’ve witnessed among friends and relatives.  Yet the  reality  of retirement may not always coincide with our  expectations , which makes it that much more important for you to give serious thought to this next chapter in life.   The Pew Research Center conducted a survey comparing what younger Americans expected later life to look like, versus the reality experienced by those 65 and up.  They found some significant differences between the two groups.  For example, on the chart above we see that 39% of respondents expected that they would have a second career, but that was actually the case for only 14% of those over 65.   And it’s not just a matter of being realistic with your plan.  You have to take an active role in making it happen. Consider the finding that 80% of the younger Pew survey respondents expected they would be engaged in volunteer work, yet only 52% of those over age 65 were

Larry Gard, Ph.D. I had coffee last week with an esteemed colleague who offers pre-retirement coaching like me. We were discussing how notions of retirement have changed over the past few decades, so much so that many people have tried to coin new terms to replace the word “retirement” itself. “Reengagement” and “Life 2.5” are two such contenders.  While it may be the case that baby boomers have reinvented retirement, I’m a bit wary about giving retirement a new name. True, we have access to a greater range of active, compelling paths in retirement than our parents and grandparents did. Yet by giving retirement a new name, one that highlights the meaningful and rewarding activities that lie ahead, we run the risk of overlooking what makes retirement such a profoundly moving transition.   Jack Beauregard, founder of the Successful Transition Planning Institute, points out that unlike most life events, which flow from beginning to end, retirement starts with an ending. As much as we can