|
by: Cynthia Barnett
Bob is a 65 year old graphic designer that is very financially
secure. His colleagues, friends and family define him as a
prosperous “fly by the pants” kind of guy. From
as far back as he can remember, Bob has always hated planning
and believes that his “spontaneity” and ability
to think creatively while implementing new ideas has made
him successful. For the past 30 years or so, Bob believes
that his non-planning methodology has worked well for him.
Well, Bob is now tired of the working rat race, and decides
that it is now time to retire and have some fun. He doesn’t
know what he’ll do exactly when he retires in 6 months
other than have a good time. However, he knows that he won’t
plan his days and will do whatever pleases him.
Let’s take Sam, a 60 year old attorney who is also
financially secure. He is a “plan it to the bones”
type of guy that loves planning and believes that his impeccable
organizational skills have enabled him to accomplish all of
his goals. Some might say that Sam is a bit anal but he disagrees
and believes that his planning methodology has served him
very well the past 35 years or so. His motto is “great
planning makes a great man.” Like Bob, Sam is ready
to retire. He’s had enough of the hustle and bustle
of being a senior partner in a big law firm and is ready to
retire so that he can pursue one of his lifelong dreams of
becoming a volunteer for several organizations. Unlike Bob,
Sam has already started planning out his goals, activities
and has designed a “downsizing plan” that will
enable him to retire in less than 6 months to pursue his dreams.
Now, let’s flash to the future. It is 6 months later.
Bob is retired and is downright bored. Although he initially
enjoyed not planning his retirement and found much pleasure
in doing things on the spur of the moment, he is getting a
bit bored with bar hopping, going on weekend fishing trips,
and hanging out at the health club. He is also getting bored
with himself and is starting to wonder if there is more to
retirement than simply having fun. He is even considering
going back to work or perhaps taking on some work projects
to give him something to do. On the other hand, Sam is having
the time of his life. He’s right on schedule. The first
few months, he rested and relaxed and enjoyed himself immensely.
Now however, he has transitioned to his non paid volunteer
activities and has become a valuable resource to two prominent
nonprofit organizations. Sam is truly enjoying his retirement
and looks forward to a busy, scheduled day of providing volunteered
activities.
So, what has this taught us? It has taught us that planning
for your retirement is more than simply deciding that you
have enough money to retire on a certain date. It is about
planning how you’ll spend your time while accomplishing
your goals. In fact, according to Christina Wright, a Retirement
Specialist, “Many professionals don’t actually
plan for their retirement. Although they evaluate their finances
and are sure that they can support their lifestyles, they
don’t plan how they’ll actually spend their time
day in and day out. This “lack of planning” often
leads to intense boredom and dissatisfaction with their newfound
freedom. As a result, many of these professionals go back
to work part or full time, not for the money, but to obtain
some mental stimulation and excitement in their lives. This
could have been avoided by simply planning out their goals
and working hard to accomplish them”
With this in mind, we’ve talked to hundreds of successful
retirees and found that like them, you can accomplish your
retirement goals through the implementation of these five
easy steps:
1. Have a positive mental attitude. You should have a positive
mental attitude about this new phase in your life. You must
know what retirement means to you and be willing to do whatever
it takes to make you happy.
2. Be committed to your goals. You should make sure that
you are 100% committed to living your life the way that you
visualize it every single day.
3. Transition slowly and visualize success. You should be
willing to transition yourself from a working professional
to a retired person. You should visualize how great your life
will be in a lifestyle that will give you the satisfaction
you desire once you retire. For example, if you see yourself
as lounging around all day, you have to ask yourself some
hard questions like; will this truly make me happy? Can I
see myself doing this for the next 25 or so years? If I find
this isn’t fun, are there any activities that might
make my days more fun? If so, what are they?
4. Plan your days. Regardless of whether or not you intend
to lounge all day or are involved in many activities, it is
always a great idea to plan out your days. This doesn’t
have to be a mind-boggling task and you don’t have to
use a fancy planner to be successful. Instead you simply have
to think about your activities a day or week in advance, and
plan how you’ll spend your time.
5. Find pleasure in accomplishing your goals. Find satisfaction
in actually accomplishing your new life’s goals in retirement
whether you are volunteering at your favorite organization
or going fishing with a friend.
In conclusion, taking and maintaining control over your retirement
is up to you. By having a positive mental attitude, being
committed, transitioning yourself, planning your days and
finding pleasure in your accomplishments, you can make your
retirement dreams come true!
About The Author
Dr. Cynthia Barnett is a ”refired” educator who
had reinvented her life moving from the school house to an
entrepreneurial venue.. She is the author of “Stop Singing
the Blues: 10 Powerful Strategies for Hitting the high Notes
in Your Life, and a Retirement Lifestyle Specialist. She was
recently interviewed by Time magazine for their article on
women in mid-life who have reinvented themselves.
If you are ready to “RE-FIRE” your life and not
retire give me a call at 203-855-9714 or sign up for my blog
at http://www.refiredontretire.com.
|
