“Danny” was an active, fully engaged business owner I’ve known for a number of years. He said he wanted to slow down and eventually retire.
But, well into his 70s, he couldn’t seem to disengage from his work and his multiple companies, even though he said he wanted to retire and was satisfied that his businesses were in good hands with his younger partners. (He also had a wife that REALLY wanted him to quit working every day so he could travel the world and follow their alma mater’s football team.)
It wasn’t until he seriously completed the Model Week Worksheet that he was able to actually pinpoint how he would use his time and so became motived to fully and happily retire.
Others come to the end of their careers and realize that retirement is not like they thought it would be. They’re less than enthusiastic when asked, “How’s your retirement going?”
A good way to not get “stuck” in your work or bored in retirement is to carefully study and plan your life after work. A great first step is to complete the Model Week Worksheet (see my previous blog post). Start your work in pencil because, if you are like others, you will make many adjustments in your projected week after discovering what you really want to do with your life after work. When you get to a final draft, you might discover a feeling of confidence that you are on the right track.