How to Solve the Retirement Problem

Reinvent Yourself and Design the Life of Your Dreams

There are two problems with retirement in America.

1. Most people can’t afford to retire. The National Institute on Retirement Security found that 63% of Americans do not believe they are on track to retire comfortably, and 40% have no retirement savings.
2. Among the 53.5 million retired Americans, 10.7 million aren’t satisfied, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That’s 20% of us!

This tells us that whether we are working, semi-retired, or retired, we will always face the same life challenges. This means we have the same opportunity to reinvent ourselves at any stage in life.

The way to solve the retirement problem is to design the life of our dreams starting now.

Design the Life of Your Dreams

I’m a Boomer, and most Boomers I know missed the boat when they worked a job they hated for two, three, or four decades only to retire rich, miserable, and unhealthy.

I knew I was unemployable in a traditional sense when I was in my late twenties working a hotel job. I felt miserable taking a bi-weekly paycheck for chunks of my soul.

“There has to be a better way to live,” I thought.

I vowed to reinvent myself and design the life of my dreams. I searched for and found a new career. After a year of that, I started a business. It was a complete reinvention of myself. It was hard work, but it didn’t feel like work because I felt freedom, purpose, a deep meaning, and incredible significance.

If work doesn’t feel like work, what’s the point of working about retirement? Finding a way to live within our means and work in ways that give us income, purpose, and a sense of meaning, that’s living.

What Retirement Feels Like

How would you feel if you could wake up every day and feel like you’re retired even if you still work full- or part-time? Maybe that’s the simplest way to solve the problem with traditional retirement.

Here are some words that are commonly associated with retirement. Imagine finding ways to enjoy these feelings no matter what stage we’re in.

1. Freedom
2. Relaxation
3. Satisfaction
4. Contentment
5. Joy
6. Fulfillment
7. Peace
8. Excitement
9. Gratitude
10. Enthusiasm
11. Reflection
12. Achievement
13. Anticipation
14. Connection
15. Renewal

Let’s find a way to feel retired by learning to reinvent ourselves and never stop.

Before we do that, let’s look at the traditional view and definition of retirement and change it.

The Old Way to Retire In Stages

Traditional retirement is a significant life event that marks the end of a person’s career and the beginning of a new phase of life. A traditional journey through retirement can be divided into five stages, each with unique challenges and opportunities.

1. Pre-retirement. We focus on financial planning, such as saving for retirement, paying off debts, and estimating future expenses. We may also start thinking about how we will spend our retirement years, such as traveling, pursuing hobbies, or spending time with family and friends.
2. Honeymoon. Stage two is characterized by excitement and freedom. This stage often lasts for the first year or two of retirement, during which retirees may feel a sense of relief and joy that they no longer have to work. We take advantage of their newfound freedom by traveling, pursuing hobbies, or spending time with loved ones. It looks like the “Van Life” we see on social media.
3. Disenchantment. This often occurs around the third or fourth year of retirement. We may feel restless or bored with our newfound freedom during this stage. We may also feel a sense of loss or grief for our former career and identity. This stage can be challenging, as we may struggle to find meaning and purpose in retirement. However, the same is true for many of us during our working years.
4. Reinvention. During this stage, we commit to rediscovering our passions and interests and may begin to explore new hobbies or volunteer opportunities. We may also seek new social connections and find ways to give back to our community. This stage can be a time of growth and self-discovery as we re-evaluate our priorities and goals.
5. Contentment. Contentment in traditional retirement can often occur around the eighth or ninth year. We have established a routine and a sense of purpose during this stage. We pursue hobbies and interests, maybe even part-time work or volunteer opportunities, and take on new challenges or experiences.

It’s pretty easy to see the similarities between designing a life and designing retirement. Change seems to be a constant.

It’s time to end the stress over traditional retirement by living these stages now and designing the life of your dreams, knowing we may have to reinvent ourselves more than once.

Stop Stressing Over Retirement

The way to end our stress of retirement is to change how we view it and live for the present, the greatest gift of all.

For example, it doesn’t matter what stage of life or retirement is when we consider that the opportunity to feel contentment, love life, and feel great, is a reality without the traditional concept of retirement.

The problems are the same in our working years as during retirement. For example, saving, investing, managing debt, dealing with inflation, healthcare costs, paying taxes, and other factors must be well-managed no matter what stage of life we’re in.

We’ll always have to manage our financial and life circumstances, including social isolation, loss of identity, and health issues.

This is how we can stop stressing about retirement.

Nine Ways to Live As If You’re Retired Today

Instead of fretting about what we don’t have for retirement now and in the future, let’s look at nine ways to live as if we’re retired.

When we choose a positive mindset and set our intentions in the right places, we can learn to be present and purposeful and design the life of our dreams without the typical concerns and baggage of traditional retirement.

In short, embrace reinventing yourself whenever you feel like it.

1. Reflect on your values and priorities.
2. Set meaningful goals based on your passions and interests.
3. Live within your means and simplify your finances.
4. Maintain a healthy lifestyle and prioritize self-care.
5. Stay connected with loved ones and build new social connections.
6. Engage in meaningful activities, such as hobbies or volunteer work.
7. Continuously learn and challenge yourself.
8. Seek professional support, such as a coach, trusted advisor, or therapist.
9. Embrace change and be open to new experiences.

In conclusion, we can intend and plan to live the life of our dreams by designing it without waiting for a traditional retirement. By following these steps, we can improve ourselves and our quality of life no matter what stage of life we’re in.

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This article was originally published on Medium. Thanks for reading my article and sharing or commenting. Check out my latest e-book if you’re stuck in your career or life, Reinvent Yourself: A Do-It-Yourself Guide for Strategically Designing Your Life.

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