It has been said that the life we lead is a result of the choices we make.
In your pre-retirement and retirement years, it’s important for you to make the right choices, the ones that will result in building a fulfilling and energetic retirement. Visualization helps you create a mental picture of retirement and helps to prepare you for making the right choices.
Also, it’s time to ask yourself if your plan will truly meet your needs and wants, We all know what we are retiring from – our job, boss, company, occupation, or trade – but what are we retiring to? Is your retirement going to bring you the satisfaction you desire and deserve? To answer this question, you need to have a good idea of what will make your retirement life meaningful.
By being specific with your wants and needs, the choices you make along the way will be more goal-directed. You will recognize which behaviours and choices support your goals and which do not. You will know when you are satisfying your needs and when you’re off track.
Most pre-retirees want, need and value family, their social life, financial security, health, personal and spiritual development, and leisure.
Here are some common human needs. Ask if it is important enough to include one or more into your retirement planning.
- Achievement: Accomplishing tasks, being the best.
- Affection: Giving and receiving kindness, and companionship.
- Affiliation: Being accepted, feeling a sense of belonging.
- Autonomy: Being my own person, establishing priorities and time schedules.
- Challenge: Getting involved in interesting and thought-provoking endeavours.
- Competence: Being respected and recognized for skills and abilities.
- Expertise: Becoming a respected authority in something.
- Family: Having time and meaningful relationships with loved ones.
- Growth: Challenging oneself to be constantly learning and reaching full potential.
- Health: Being physically and mentally fit.
- Integrity: Being honest, true, and conscious of oneself.
- Leadership: Able to wilfully and responsibly direct and influence the efforts of others.
- Location: Enjoying current addresses, city, region, and country.
- Money: Being financially secure.
- Pleasure: Enjoying life, having fun.
- Recognition: Attaining status, being respected.
- Security: Leading a dependable and stable life.
- Service: Helping others, contributing to their well-being.
- Spirituality: Possessing inner harmony and peace, living by beliefs.
Visualize your retirement that meets your top six (6) prioritized needs. With your retirement vision, what are you doing, who are you with, what leisure activities are you participating in, what makes up your typical day, what is your diet like, what is your state of mind?
Throughout the retirement visioning process, it is imperative to be optimistic about your future. Focus on the rewards of a balanced retirement. Enjoy feeling complete, being enriched, and financially secure.
The next time we meet, I’ll outline the questions we need to ask about our retirement vision. For instance, “Is my vision clear and understandable”? “Is my vision brief or does it ramble”? “Is my vision attainable”?
Rick Atkinson