For over 40 years I have been helping people plan for retirement. However, it’s only recently I began to realize that helping people reach financial security was only half of the task. The second half is about figuring out the next chapter and answering the question “now what?”. I suppose this came home to roost now because eventually I plan to stop working and lately I’ve been struggling to figure out what life without work would be like.
I have a wonderful and fulfilling life: great family, financial success, wonderful business, great friends. I sold my business and know the successors are going to take good care of my clients—what more could I want, right? But deep down I have found myself not wanting to give up working! I’m getting older (now 80) and although nobody is forcing me to stop working, I feel that it’s time to move on. But move on to what? What will I be giving up when I stop working? To help answer these questions, I started to define what it is that I like about working:
- I have a routine—get up, go to the gym, have breakfast with some friends, go to an office.
- I enjoy solving financial planning problems.
- I feel like I am making a difference, whether it is helping colleagues, clients or friends.
- I like learning new things; there is always something new going on in the financial planning industry and working with clients brings stimulating new challenges.
- I enjoy being around intelligent people who are self-confident and have a sense of humor.
When I look at this list, I find that the following are important to me:
- Staying physically fit
- Being intellectually stimulated
- Creating joy in my life
- Having a routine
- Making a difference
So my next step is to determine how to get what I want without a “job” and consistently use those factors as a frame of reference for deciding what to focus on in my life. Here are my current decisions:
- I will continue my gym routine regardless of whether or not I’m going to the office.
- I’ll continue to “work” as a consultant for Abacus by helping on special projects and helping clients on a pro-bono basis.
- For intellectual stimulation I’ll continue to learn the banjo and try out some college courses. I have just recently signed up for a class on Tolstoy and War and Peace.
I’m now at a place in life where I’m not concerned about my own future or financial success, so I’m free to help my sons, my grandchildren and other people in need improve their lives. When I think about it this way, “now what?” is not so daunting.
