When looking back at life, many retirees have regrets about what they did not accomplish. Some may take responsibility for their failures, but often people blame the obstacles others placed in their way. They have dozens of excuses for not achieving their goals and ended up settling for second best.
Unfortunately, these same retirees enter retirement unprepared. They end up wasting precious time and energy – wishing things were different. They struggle through retirement without a vision and plan and in the end, ask themselves, “Is this all there is?” They cheat themselves out of the best years of their life.
As you enter the second longest phase of your life, you have the opportunity to get it right the first time. You have 10,15, 20, maybe 25 years or more in front of you, in which you can realize your hopes and dreams. To make this happen, you need to know what you want and create a plan that will get you there.
A successful retirement takes courage, commitment, and desire. You can have an elaborate retirement plan but if you don’t have the conviction to follow it, your plan is nothing more than words on a page.
Change is a natural part of retirement. This involves changing routines, making new friends, trying new activities, and taking on new responsibilities.
By reviewing my video tapes, doing exercises as part of my online Strategies for Retiring Right! course, reading my ebook Strategies for Retiring Right! and completing the accompanying workbook, all of which are available on my website, www.whencaniretire.ca, you now have a plan.
In my 60-page ebook, Strategies for Retiring Right!, I outline:
- Your Retirement, Your Dream
- How Much is Enough?
- Overview, Holistic Retirement
- Developing a Balanced Leisure Lifestyle
- Relationships – spouse/partner, friends, family, service providers
- Choosing Where to Live
- Using Legacy to Guide Actions
- Engaging Mentors
- Your Bucket List
- 3 examples of completed retirement plans
The accompanying workbook contains 10 exercises designed to help you create your detailed retirement plan.
Hopefully, you gain new information and insight and the exercises prompt thinking about who you want to be and actions you need to take to make it happen.
Always remember, that your plan is an active, living document. Wants, needs, and desires change and so may your plan. Keep it close and review it often!