In the middle of a busy work week when things are overwhelming, early retirement might sound like a dream. No alarm clock, stress free Tuesday afternoons, drinks on the beach. Nothing to worry about, life on cruise control.
Right? I don’t think so.
Purpose
When my grandfather was in his mid to late 80’s, I asked him what his secret was. How are you still alive and doing things everyday? What keeps you going? How are you still driving, hanging out with friends, and living on your own?
At this point he was still working part time (very part time) for a friend of his and doing well in his daily living. He said one word that has stuck with me: purpose. He said you’ve got to have purpose everyday. Something to do, someone to help, something to look forward to.
I let that simple message sink in: purpose. Just one word, but a very powerful one.
Just lounging around the house and playing golf isn’t going to get it done. Neither is endlessly laying on the beach, waiting for your next mai-tai or daiquiri. No matter what you do or who you are, everyone needs to provide value and feel like they matter.
- An aging former executive might find purpose in mentoring a young leader
- The dog trainer finds purpose in turning a dog with behavior problems into a well-mannered family pet
- A grandmother might find her purpose in teaching her grandkids old family recipes
- The retired basketball coach finds purpose in speaking to teams and helping newer coaches
The list goes on and on. Purpose doesn’t have to be this huge thing, it just needs to be something that matters to that individual person.
Related: Why Are You Working So Hard?
Purpose and Early Retirement: Retiring to Something
If you’re someone thinking about early retirement, or just retirement at a traditional age, think about purpose. Are you retiring to something, or just trying to get away from something?
If you’re just trying to get away from something, think twice. It might feel temporarily good, but what is your next purpose? What is your daily living going to look like?
If you are retiring to something on the other hand, that’s a purpose. And I believe that person will be much happier, have greater life satisfaction, and live longer.
What do you think? Is purpose key?
