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 volun...

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 a...

  Larry Gard, Ph.D. We’ve all seen the ads on television telling us to plan for retirement and save more money. They’re absolutely correct and the earlier you start the better. But whether or not you build the nest egg you want, you still need to be psychologically prepared. In fact, I’ve encountered many financially comfortable people who were surprised by how strongly their emotions impacted their transition to retirement. You can’t go from the present to an active and meaningful retirement without giving it some thought. It simply doesn’t emerge on its own. What Has Been Satisfying? Long term, you need a strategy to figure out what is going to be interesting, meaningful, compelling, and rewarding. As a starting point, one exercise I do with clients involves determining key satisfactions derived from work and then identifying alternatives that can provide similar benefits. For example, perhaps one satisfying thing about work is that it allows you to tackle problems. You don’t nee...