Do You Need Money, Meaning, or Both?
What’s missing from your thinking about retirement?
Do you secretly, or not so secretly, worry that you don’t have enough money? (“Who doesn’t?” you reply. Especially this month!)
What, exactly, are your retirement money goals?
When was the last time you really thought about the things that matter most to you in life, particularly as you reach your 50s and beyond?
The people and activities that bring joy and meaning? Does your lifestyle reflect them?
Or are you letting the pursuit of money overshadow them? Is your mind tricking you into thinking you can’t afford to live a life that gives you meaning?
The best way to know how much money you will need is to sit down and make a realistic plan, as any financial advisor will tell you. But one of the first things they will ask is, “how much will you need to live on?”
To answer that question, you first have to look inside yourself.
You need to think about your dreams, your values, and what will give you meaning going forward.
A client I will call Paul is a CEO in his mid-60s in a large Northeastern city. His board had asked him to help plan a transition and he wanted help. He had never thought about what would come next; he only saw an ending to the work he loved. All he could think about was how much he had to get done first.
When I asked Paul, “What do you do for fun?” the answers were mostly work-related: dinners, travel, and events. Digging a little deeper, he recalled how he used to love backpacking in the woods. As we identified what mattered most to him, Paul saw a chance to buy a retirement home near friends in a college town that offered the natural and cultural resources and learning opportunities he wanted. He tested some scenarios with a financial advisor, found the perfect house, and is renting it out until he retires. Now he looks forward to a future with greater psychic dividends -- and lower costs.
It took me a long time and a number of false starts to figure out what I really needed – and didn’t need-- for my own meaningful next chapter. For me, it was a pruning process that involved deciding which branches of my life to cut back in order for new growth to blossom. I learned a tremendous amount and became passionate about helping others avoid some common pitfalls--including the mind tricks--that come with this life transition.
I have created a simple structured process to help you define your personal needs for fulfillment and uncover any concerns or limitations that can sabotage your retirement decisions.
We will work with your financial advisor, (or I can help match you with a professional who fits your needs) so that you can create a realistic plan for a next chapter that goes beyond money, and reflects your personal goals for a financially, healthfully, and emotionally sustainable future.
If this speaks to you, what are you waiting for? Let’s talk! Just pick a time on my calendar.