There's A Big Problem With Retirement. Here's The Scoop.
If you're retired or think about retirement a lot, you won't want to miss this one
Everyone wants to retire at some point!
We think about it a lot, and some of us even start to plan for it very early on.
We have:
Roth IRAS
401Ks
Savings Accounts
Emergency Funds
(If you’re younger and don’t have these things yet, get cracking!)
Needless to say, society does a pretty good job at making people aware that they should make some preparations for retirement.
So where’s the hole then?
I think the biggest misconception about retirement is thinking that “life after retirement is just automatic”, where you wake up, don’t have to go to work anymore, and just start living life like you’re on vacation.
The problem with this?
Most find that they now have all this time, but don’t know what to do with it…
Why is that?
They’ve grown to define themselves by their profession for the last 40 years.
Even though they may not have looked forward to going to work, they knew it was for a good cause. Not only are they earning money to save for retirement later on, but they’re making a difference in people’s lives from the work that they’re doing. Even though it may not be the job they would have chosen, the little moments of fulfilment they experience from time to time are what keep them going.
What most people don’t see is how this can backfire later on…
You see, most feel a sense of worthiness from their job, while they are employed, and now that it’s over, they feel like a small sense of purpose was lost. Even though it’s exciting to be retired, they’re no longer getting that feeling each day of:
I’m needed
I have a purpose
I’m doing good for the world
But that’s not all…
Throughout their time working, most people also had a sense of structure that they relied on for motivation in the form of:
Showing up on time
Meetings and Appointments
Deadlines
Responsibilities
Once they are retired, all that structure disappears and all of a sudden, the whole day is open to them. This can actually feel more overwhelming rather than liberating.
So in terms of human nature, most people enter “fight or flight” mode because they’re not sure how to fill up their day now.
I believe that society focuses heavily on the financial aspects of retirement planning while at the same time, neglecting the psychological preparation of what a fulfilling life without work actually looks like.
What I’ve come to realize:
We are taught that there is benefit to working a job and taking on responsibilities because we know we are earning money, and get some sort of recognition for doing the job well. After all, money is a GREAT motivator.
However, since most of us start working relatively early in life, and spend most of our lives working, we don’t often focus on the benefits of relaxation, and hobbies / leisure activities.
For most people, 5 days / week are filled with work and they’re lucky if they get 1-2 days per week to focus on relaxation and hobbies that they enjoy.
When I looked at this closer, I uncovered something fascinating…
Part of what makes hobbies so appealing to us is that we can’t do them all the time. There’s a scarcity about it.
While we are in the working world, our hobbies act as an escape from our work life. We view them as a reward because we know that this time will not last forever. So we tend to appreciate it more when it happens like this.
But what happens when you’re retired and have the whole day available? You can do your hobbies anytime you want! After some time, they begin to lose part of their appeal, and we may even find ourselves getting bored of them eventually.
We’ve done a great job at preparing people for retirement financially but how about emotionally?
After working for 40 years, entire weeks of free time can be overwhelming for people. They’re used to every inch of their day being filled up with work and responsibilities. This can make sudden weeks of free time feel daunting and can create a surprising level of anxiety.
Here are the main challenges I’ve noticed newly retired people facing:
Their sense of self-worth and purpose was shaped by their job.
They had external forces motivating them at work, while being retired now requires a shift toward internal motivation to do things.
Hobbies that were once perfect escapes from work don’t provide the same satisfaction now that they can be done full-time.
Entering a new lifestyle as a retired person can make you feel like a “beginner” again, which adds a layer of fear and anxiety to try new things.
If you happen to be in this category, I have a solution for you!
The Key Concept
The key is to find a way to combine your newfound free-time with a sense of purpose so that a sense of fulfillment is felt.
This can look like:
Mentoring
Community Involvement
Setting Personal Achievement Goals
Volunteering (at a place you’re passionate about)
If you have a hobby that you enjoy, such as playing golf, you could decide to become a youth golf coach, or organize charity tournaments.
If you love gardening, you could decide to start a community gardening program for kids at school or your local neighbors
If you love to travel, you could turn that into:
Food Blogging
Photography
Becoming a Travel Itinerary Guide
The Takeaway:
It’s important to note that for most, enjoying your hobbies when you’re retired isn’t enough to keep you in a state of fulfillment. The key here isn’t just about doing something you enjoy to fill the time, but to create a sense of meaning with what you’re doing.
When you are employed, your job creates that feeling of “meaning” for you. Once your job is no longer in the picture, it will be up to you to create that sense of meaning for yourself. Being aware of this upon retirement is key.
Successful retirement isn’t just about replacing your work with hobbies where you’re the only one benefitting. Instead, you can find ways to turn those hobbies into community activities that can help others, while at the same time bringing a sense of meaning and fulfillment to you as well.
In my opinion, retirement isn’t just about relaxation— It can also be about reinvention and meaningful contribution. It can be looked at as another exciting stage of life where learning and teaching can continue, just in a more relaxed fashion.
Retirement can be a new chapter of purpose in your life, not just an end to your career. The goal in retirement isn’t to stay busy, it’s to stay engaged. Think about how you can reshape your passions to benefit both yourself and others. When you begin to do this, retirement becomes less about filling a time void and more about fulfilling potential. It can be the creation of a new chapter that’s rich in purpose, connection, and continued growth.
Thank you very much.