The episode highlights the flexibility and choices available to individuals approaching retirement. It encourages listeners to challenge the conventional view of retirement and consider alternative paths that align with their interests and goals.

What You’ll Learn in Today’s Episode:

·       Retirement is not limited to the traditional concept of completely stopping work at age 65.

·       Some individuals choose to continue working past the traditional retirement age because they enjoy their work and find purpose in it.

·       Business owners can approach retirement by gradually transitioning their involvement in the business, allowing it to operate independently from them.

·       Retirees with an entrepreneurial spirit may choose to start a new business or monetize their skills and passions.

·       Graduated retirement involves reducing work hours or transitioning to part-time work, providing a smoother transition into retirement and time to explore new interests.

·       Switching careers or pursuing new opportunities is possible in retirement, as financial freedom allows individuals to explore their passions and curiosity.

·       Retirement can also be a time to give back by dedicating time to charitable causes or organizations that align with one's values and interests.

 Ideas Worth Sharing:

·       "Retirement is not just about stopping work; it's about finding something that fits you better than the traditional retirement."

·       "Business owners should aim to make their business operationally independent from them, focusing on what brings value and frees up balance in their life."

·       "Retirement can be an opportunity for business owners to explore new passions or start another business."

·       "Graduated retirement allows individuals to slow down their work gradually, experimenting with how they want to spend their time in retirement."

·       "Retirement doesn't mean you stop working, but rather it gives you permission to pursue something different, whether it's a new career, entrepreneurship, or charitable causes."

Resources in Today’s Episode:

Joe Curry

Lindsay Wilson

“Peaks and Valleys: Making Good And Bad Times Work For You” by Spencer Johnson

Description: A young man lives unhappily in a valley. One day he meets an old man who lives on a mountain peak. At first, the young man doesn’t realize he is talking to one of the world's most peaceful and successful people. But during the encounters and conversations, the young man comes to understand that he can apply the old man’s remarkable principles and practical tools to his own life to change it for the better

How to Create Your Perfect Retirement Lifestyle: Personalized Options for Pre-Retirees

Discovering your ideal retirement lifestyle may seem like an elusive goal, but we want you to know it’s entirely achievable. By exploring various retirement options such as starting a business, pursuing a passion project, or even retiring part-time, you can create a purposeful retirement plan suited to your individual needs.

Finding the perfect retirement lifestyle is crucial for a rewarding and satisfying life beyond your career. As the time to retire draws nearer, it's vital to consider the impact of your personal preferences and interests on your retirement experience. Through assessing your goals, investigating diverse retirement paths, and establishing a solid financial foundation, you'll be able to live a life full of choice and opportunity. Moreover, by delving into hobbies and business pursuits that excite you, you can remain mentally active and even supplement your income. Embarking on this quest for an ideal retirement lifestyle will ensure that your golden years are tailored to your unique requirements and desires.

1. Assess your personal retirement goals and desires
When considering retirement, many people often think of the traditional approach – simply stopping work at a certain age, embracing leisure time, and living off their saved funds. However, this one-size-fits-all perception may not work for everyone. Retirement can be a dynamic and fulfilling time of life, so it's crucial to assess your personal goals and desires to uncover your ideal retirement lifestyle. It's essential to break free from societal expectations and focus on aspects that bring you joy, purpose, and fulfillment. Approaching retirement in this manner allows you to create a plan tailored to your unique preferences and aspirations, ensuring that your post-work life is meaningful and engaging.

Many individuals often feel pressured to follow societal norms regarding retirement. We encourage people to open up to novel approaches to retirement. Understanding what retirement means for you on a personal level is vital to creating a plan that aligns with your individual needs and desires. It's essential to reflect on your aspirations, assess which activities make you feel most fulfilled, and develop a strategy that allows you to live your golden years how you want. By focusing on your unique dreams at this stage, you'll ensure that your retirement is an enriching and meaningful experience that offers a sense of purpose, joy, and accomplishment. All in all, assessing your personal retirement goals and desires is critical to achieving financial freedom and shaping your ideal retirement lifestyle that doesn't solely rely on a conventional approach.

2. Research various retirement options and paths
Exploring various retirement options and paths is an essential step while considering a non-traditional approach to retirement. Retirement is not a one-size-fits-all event, as different people have diverse visions of how their retirement might look like. Researching various retirement options is crucial because it will give you a comprehensive understanding of how you can align your aspirations and financial goals. This process includes understanding various lifestyles, engaging in personal hobbies, and establishing possible income streams through entrepreneurship or part-time work—all while sustaining a work-life balance during retirement. Conducting thorough research provides a clearer picture of what you want your retirement to be and opens up possibilities beyond the traditional retirement concept of working till 65.

Financial freedom enables individuals to explore different paths without the pressures of paying bills. By putting systems in place and focusing on value-generating activities, individuals can efficiently contribute to their retirement goals. Understanding the importance of researching various retirement options for our audience is vital, as this crucial step empowers pre-retirees to craft a retirement plan that best aligns with their personal needs and desires. By recognizing the retirement alternatives available and their potential benefits, individuals can break from societal expectations and chart their retirement journey according to their preferences. This process ultimately leads to a more fulfilling, purposeful, and aligned retirement lifestyle customized to one's desires. Furthermore, considering various retirement paths provides essential clarity to individuals on what their post-work life should look like, making the transition into retirement a much more rewarding experience.

3. Create a financial plan to achieve flexibility
In today's fast-paced world, retirement is no longer a one-size-fits-all concept.

Understanding your unique needs, desires, and goals is essential to creating your ideal retirement lifestyle built around flexibility and financial independence. One crucial aspect of achieving this personalized approach is to develop a financial plan that allows for the freedom to explore various retirement options. By thoughtfully considering the necessary finances, you can create an adaptable retirement plan that caters to your individual interests and aspirations for your golden years.

Focusing on the importance of financial flexibility is crucial for our audience as it provides the foundation for exploring a diverse range of retirement options. Addressing one's financial needs, such as estimated living expenses, healthcare costs, and potential income sources, allows pre-retirees to craft a retirement plan that best suits their unique circumstances and aspirations. By establishing a solid financial foundation, individuals can freely explore various retirement options, such as part-time work, starting a business, volunteering, or pursuing their passions, without the constraints imposed by monetary concerns. Ultimately, planning for financial flexibility empowers pre-retirees to craft a purposeful and fulfilling retirement that aligns with their individual needs and desires, providing them with the opportunity to create a life that brings joy and satisfaction beyond their traditional working years.

As a pre-retiree, it's imperative to understand that retirement is not a one-size-fits-all concept. To create a retirement lifestyle that aligns with your personal needs and desires, follow the steps shared in this blog post: assess your goals, explore various paths, craft a financial plan, strategize income generation, and delve into passion projects or entrepreneurial ventures. By doing so, you'll be on your way to a retirement that is both meaningful and rewarding. So, go ahead and redefine retirement on your terms, and embrace the exciting opportunities that lie ahead.