Category: Retire Slowly

  • Phased Retirement: Blended Lives

    Author and psychologist, Morrie Shechtman, posed some interesting ideas in the mid-1990s in his book, “Working Without a Net,” that are applicable today to the notion of phased retirement. In the 90s, you may recall, personal accountability was a big deal.  Newt Gingrich was a fan of Morrie’s and touted many of his principles of self-reliance during the “Republican Revolution”…

  • Phased Retirement – Failure is an Option

    Will you fail at retirement – or even at a planned phased approach to retirement? Whether it’s the Standish Group or Gartner, these research organizations estimate that well over 50% of corporate information technology projects fail to meet their objectives. A 2017 Harvard Business Review article estimated that over 50% of executive-level hires fail in their new roles in less…

  • Phased Retirement: Countdown to the Date

    While I’m an advocate for phased retirement – versus a sudden full stop – having a goal date and timeline is still an important motivator. Being able to count down to the date when your full-time work ends and some new type of work begins is not only motivating, it’s exciting! When I ask one of our friends, “How many…

  • Retirement: Self Worth vs. Net Worth

    Retirement is a significant life transition that brings about many changes, including a shift in one’s identity and perception of self-worth. After dedicating decades to their career, individuals often find themselves grappling with a sense of loss and uncertainty as they navigate the uncharted waters of retirement. While financial stability, hobbies, social engagement, and community involvement are commonly advised to…

  • Phased Retirement: “When I finally…”

    This mentality, from the book “Four Thousand Weeks” by Oliver Burkeman, can keep us from really living our lives.  We push happiness out into the future while we’re waiting for some other day “when I finally”…have more money, or have more time or achieve some milestone. This week my wife and I drove north and east from Arizona back to…

  • Phased Retirement – Unscripted Days?

    When I talk with people about their retirement plans, it seems this is what many of them long for. Unscripted days. No crises to deal with, no unproductive meetings to attend, and no decisions to make or issues to resolve.  Their view is that of an ‘endless weekend’ to kick back and enjoy themselves. But be careful what you wish for!  Day…