Retire

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I was facilitating a discussion with a group of 30 people between the age 25-50. We got to the subject of retirement. I asked them why they would want to retire. Their overwhelming response was that they would like to do exactly what they want, every day.

Over the weekend I stopped at my parents condo to take care of a few things. While I was there, I ran into a group of their friends that are all retired. I asked them if they spend every day doing what they want. They all said no. They have responsibilities to take care of, errands to run, spouses to keep happy.

If you are fortunate to be in a business that you love, you are already doing what you want most days. In a sense, you are already retired. If you don’t enjoy what you are doing, remember that if you pursue your passion the money will follow.

If you are not doing what you love, maybe the goal shouldn’t be conventional retirement. It should instead be getting paid for pursuing your passion.

My goal is to never retire. I’m not suggesting that I want to maintain my 60-80 hour a week schedule when I’m in my 70’s, but I want to stay active in businesses that I love. The benefits include having a sense of purpose, which gives you a reason to get up every morning, while helping to maintain mental sharpness. Hopefully you can put some extra money in your pocket as well.