Retirement Tips

Some people are really lucky. They retire and get to spend their time doing something they love, maybe something they’ve always dreamed of doing, just waiting till retirement so they can do it. And they can even make money at it.

Is there some reason you can’t have a ‘retirement job’ like that?

Not really.

Admittedly, we can’t control everything. But we can usually control more than we actually do. One of the things we can control is the effort we put into making our dreams come true.

For example, I remember reading something once about the difference between dreaming of being an author and of being a writer. People who dream of being an author plan on writing once they have the time, but people who dream of being a writer actually write. They don’t wait for the time…they make it, and just wish they had more.

For many of us, retirement is a time where all our excuses hit a brick wall, particularly if those excuses are about starting our own business or otherwise working for ourselves. For many retirees, that brick wall stands there firm and strong even when we do finally have the time.

But retirement is actually a great time to take that final step. Sure, we may really need extra money, but we no longer have the excuse of not enough time. All we have to do is face the truth. The truth being that many of us are actually scared to death to take that final step.

Tomorrow we’ll talk about some of the excuses people give for not taking that last step, and what we can do to overcome those excuses.

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Yesterday we starting discussing getting your dream retirement job or maybe we should call it your dream job in retirement.

Many of us have dreaming of a certain job. Maybe we wanted to be a writer or a painter or take photos to sell at craft fairs. Waiting for retirement was a great excuse for not taking final step earlier. But what excuse do you have now?

“I have to get a part time job. We need the money to make ends meet.”

OK. So get the part time job. That still leaves you with a lot of extra time you didn’t have before. And your business could bring in more money, too. What’s your excuse now?

“I can’t afford it. I don’t have my former level of income any more.”

Yeah. What’s your point? You already knew that would happen. You knew it while you were working. What’s different now?

Face it. The only thing keeping many of you from finally trying is you.

There’s nothing wrong with wishful thinking. Of talking about doing something you know you’ll never do. Or, perhaps more important, admitting that you’ll never do it. Heck, I’ve recently talked with friends about my never-to-be-achieved dreams…and they’ve shared theirs with me, happy to know that it’s OK to finally admit to them.

But…fear shouldn’t keep you from trying to do something you’re perfectly capable of at least attempting.

There’s a big difference between knowing you’ll never really go skydiving, even though you’ve always thought it would be the coolest thing in the world to do, because you’re terrified of heights and have artificial knees…and not making the slightest effort to actually write the book you’ve always talked about writing. Or have you been too afraid to call anyone to offer your services as a private consultant, even though your experience is second to none? Maybe you figured that no one would really be interested in your silly little invention, even though it just might change the world. Now’s the time to find out.

The way to get your dream retirement job is to stop dreaming…and to take action. Taking that first step may be the hardest thing you’ve ever done…but it could very well be the most rewarding.

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When we think about retirement investing, many of us initially dream of having enough money to spend the rest of our lives in a retirement lifestyle straight out of Fantasy Island. I went to high school with someone whose ultimate goal was to be a millionaire by the time he was 40, then retire and cruise the Caribbean on his own yacht. I ran into him at our 25th reunion and, you know what? He’d done it. And 2 years later, he had become so bored he couldn’t stand it…so he is working again. So much for the fantasy retirement lifestyle.

Now, granted, 42 is pretty young to be looking for a retirement job. But his situation does point out something many of us are going to be facing one of these days…when we retire, what are we going to do with all that free time?

I know, I know. You’re thinking you have all kinds of things to keep you busy. But do you truly have enough to last for 15 years? Or more?

If you’re one of the lucky ones, you have a passion that will, indeed, keep you busy. Something you’ve always loved to do which now fills up your time.

But the rest of us, unless we’ve always been couch potatoes, are going to need to do something or go stir crazy. Or, worse, die younger than we have to.

(And, yes, there are always going to be people who need to work after they retire because they need the money, but that’s an entirely different issue.)

The great thing about looking for a retirement job if you don’t need the money is…you don’t need the job because you need the money!

That opens up all kinds of possibilities. Oh, sure, you could volunteer somewhere. Volunteer opportunities are everywhere, but lots of us already do that. I’m talking about doing something new in our lives that we get paid for because what we do is worth getting paid for. After all, money has been a measure of how good we are or how much of a contribution we are making for most of our working lives, so it’s nice to know that we’re still worth something. Plus, working for free isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be.

But there are lots of jobs out there that could be just perfect for those of us who are retired from our previous jobs, but not retired from life. Even the Social Security laws are made so that we can continue to work and make a certain amount of money without affecting our benefits.

For example, seasonal jobs like park rangers are a great opportunity for retirees who don’t want to work all year round but love the outdoors. Or consider becoming a temp…taking work only when you feel like you want to work doing what you feel like doing. How about becoming a substitute teacher? You don’t need a degree in education to be a substitute teacher and to make a difference in young people’s lives.

Retirement doesn’t mean you have to putter around the house. Getting a new job can be a great way to spend your retirement!

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