[nieuwy-89]

Originally Posted by marsplasticeraser

I really like this thread, and it reminds me of a discussion I had with a professional coach who worked with business people, many of whom were senior execs.

I thought I'd share some insights of his, that I felt were really interesting.

He said that retirement is incredibly hard for virtually all his clients, and they struggled a lot as they retired. There were four main reasons, and in fact many dealt with all four issues!

1. They were used to everything being perfect for them - life was easy. A good example is that their assistants would call ahead and make sure everything was just how they liked whenever they travelled / went out to eat. Once they retired they were just a regular senior citizen at hotels/airlines/restaurants.

2. They struggled not being important on a day-to-day basis. Before they were 'celebrities' in their business, important people that the rest of the company and others wanted / needed to know. The day they retired they lost almost all that value and importance. It was a huge ego hit and their social network dried up.

3. Related to #2, they often put their energy into work and relationships with colleagues and clients. When they retired they had weak relationships with family/spouse. Many reflected they wished they had spent more time with their spouse and children and they'd never have the relationships they wanted to have.

4. Finally, they didn't know what to do with the time. They were so one-dimensional and work focused that they had no real interests. They'd golf a bit, travel a bit, but it didn't really bring any joy. They felt it hard to get interested in a new hobby at 60 or 70.

Ultimately, many of them reflected that they would have done things differently and dramatically lessened the energy they put into their careers if they did it over again.

TLDR: Focus on your family, friends, your own interests and don't let your career be how you define yourself.

Great post. One of my big fears is losing my social network when I retire.