You go to school, you might go to university, you get a job, you work. You get paid for what you do and hopefully you like what you do. You get up every day and your life has meaning and purpose. This plays a large role in shaping your identity.
Then one day – you retire.
If you haven’t retired already, there are a few key questions you may wish to ask yourself before you do:
- What are the non-financial aspects of work that you are going to miss? Because that sense of identity may be something that you want, or need, to replace.
- How much is enough? If you want to live in a mansion with several luxury cars in the garage, that is one thing. If happiness for you is a bunch of good books and a shack on the beach, that will require considerably less. A financial plan can provide clarity or peace of mind about this.
- How many years will health and mobility allow you to do the things you would love to do? Depending on your answer, you may need to move on some of these sooner.
Funded Contentment is having enough money saved to do the things that you want to do, the things that make you happy and content.
Here are some other things that might be helpful to think about before retirement:
• What excites you?
• What makes you want to get out of bed in the morning?
• Who do you want to spend time with?
• What makes you happy?
To be clear, purpose is not the same thing as achievement. It is different for everyone. It could be fishing on a peaceful lake, or going on a safari, or gardening. It could be golfing with friends three times a week and it may involve continuing to work a little. All these things together can provide one with a sense of meaning and purpose.
If you want to be happy in life, determine what makes you happy…and spend your money on that!
