“The pandemic didn’t change everything, but it did open up new thinking, new channels and our options for steering a different course in pursuing the best in career and wealth success …”
With seasoning, comes smarter choices for work, income & savings
Odds are good you have found a career, or at least a steady job. And as part of that path you have made some plans for retirement beyond just hoping for social security.
A lot can happen now that you are uncorking this new vintage of you, so let’s break this down into two areas, career/work and finances for the purpose of looking at your options and some resources for informed decisions and guidance.
Jobs, Careers & Callings
In a series of guest lectures to collegiate marketing students we presented The Top Five Must Haves for a Successful Career. In amongst some predictable data discussions and heads-up for navigating corporate, institution and agency landscapes was one section on a foundation for happiness: Do What You Love and Love What You Do.
Which sounds like a really great philosophy, but many people haven’t seen that as the driving force for working, let alone career and wealth. We’re often trading hours for dollars, trying to get along and hoping for some job satisfaction or recognition for our efforts. What you have been getting out of your employment may correlate with how you see your work … is it a job, a career or a calling?
- Job — You show up, you do your work, you eek out whatever enjoyment/satisfaction you can and you go home
- Career — You show up ready, you’re strategic in your efforts and seek achievement/recognition/higher pay
- Calling — You show up early and often, you are driven to make a difference and create change/lift/legacy
All of which means you may be perfectly happy in your current lane, but for most, there’s a want for more, or an idea or passion for pursuing something different. Have an entrepreneur inside aching to get after it? Want to taper off work involvement to enjoy other pursuits? Want to start planning now so you can stride into another phase of activity/work in a few years? Fortunately, there’s no shortage of business/work/bliss experts out there.
To save you some time, we have winnowed the roster down to people and systems (resources below) we feel will help you the most, most quickly. And lest you get impatient with your path and outcome, remember “You think that the goal is to be over there, and we say the goal is the journey over there; the goal is the fun you have along the way on your way to over there.”
About That Long-term Money Plan
As we age, finances seems to take on more weight. Do we have enough to retire? Have we made good decisions about money? Are we prepared for life’s surprises? (and this is big) If we’re going to live longer, how much extra will we need for an increased lifespan?
Fortunately, beyond typical financial planning (social security says you’ll live to 86, other planners target age 95) there are services and advisors who are partnering with longevity health practitioners, and they are tailoring programs to keep you solvent well into age 120 and beyond.
So who do you talk to for answers and plans that honestly take into account the possibilities (or probabilities if you act soon enough) of pushing a robust level of health into century-plus years?
Below we have collected several career and wealth reference articles, and a roster of professionals who will respond to your inquiry quickly with a reasoned approach.
Career and Wealth Resources:
E S S E N T I A L S | R E A D I N G
THE FEEL RICH PROJECT starts by analyzing your specific history with and feelings about money, then uses that information to help you redirect your life where you want it to go. It’s a uniquely personal experience during which you will:
- Explore your needs, values, and beliefs–what does true wealth look like for you?
- Learn how your life experiences created your money beliefs and habits
- Understand replacing destructive money habits with those that support your vision of a happy life
- Create a just-for-you action plan to meet your goals and start living richly
According to author (and TML contributor) Michael Kay, Your beliefs and feelings about money drive how you see yourself and how you define “rich.” Learn more here.
AGEWISE Renowned cultural critic Margaret Morganroth Gullette reveals that much of what we dread about aging is actually the result of ageism—which we can, and should, battle as strongly as we do racism, sexism, and other forms of bigotry. Drawing on provocative and under-reported evidence from biomedicine, literature, economics, and personal stories, Gullette probes the ageism thatdrives discontent with our bodies, our selves, and our accomplishments—and makes us easy prey for marketers who want to sell us an illusory vision of youthful perfection. Learn more here.
THE VIEW FROM UNRETIREMENT Richard Eisenberg reveals more from “the other side” of retirement and delivers some terrific advice and insights as a contributor to MarketWatch’s Retirement section. Eisenberg is a freelance personal finance writer and editor and co-host of the “Friends Talk Money” podcast. Learn more here.
HALFTIME: MOVING FROM SUCCESS TO SIGNIFICANCE Buford provides encouragement and insight to propel your life on a new course to true significance–and the best years of your life. Buford focuses on this important time of transition to the second half of your life, giving you the tools you need to:
- Take stock of your successes and accomplishments thus far
- Redefine significance and what it means to you
- Identify your personal goals
This updated edition also includes questions for reflection at the end of each chapter, brand new stories of men and women enjoying a second half of significance, and specific halftime assignments to guide you into your second-half mission. Learn more here.
E Q U I P M E N T | S Y S T E M S
NERDWALLET RETIREMENT CALCULATOR Overly simplified but a good start for understanding basic money needs for contributions, timing and outcomes. Nerdwallet will (as they ALL do) try to upsell you, but just use the free calculator for basic info and plan from there. Learn more here.
IAN MITCHELL One of the premier researchers using lipofullerenes in products to boost your brain function and increase the quality of an aging mind and body, Mitchell is candid in his interviews and is offering some ground-breaking solutions on his new Wizard Sciences site. These products are staples in biohacking circles for upgrading your brain and life for the (many) years ahead. Learn more here. Ian Mitchell bio pic courtesy Ben Greenfield.
TRU DIAGNOSTIC Biological Age is the #1 biomarker for healthspan & lifespan, and it is increasingly important (insurance companies think so too) the you get some basic data to know how your habits thus far have affected your odds. TruDiagnostic helps individuals objectively track their aging with an at-home sample collection kit, and a rapid laboratory turnaround for analyzing & delivering epigenetic reports. Note: companies like Altos Labs are rapidly advancing in this research. There’s also a great post on the Longevity Advice site that outlines not only the tests available but why this research is so vital. Learn more here.
E X P E R T S | B R O W S I N G
MICHAEL F KAY In building a highly successful financial planning firm. Kay worked with 4,000+ men, women and families, led workshops and trainings in dozens of cities and gave talks to thousands and wrote two books on aligning money with values.
As Kay guided many highly successful men to prepare for life after traditional work in the last 20 years, it was clear that it wasn’t how much money they’d set aside for retirement that made their “Chapter X” deeply satisfying. It was how well they began to prepare—mentally and physically—for this next stage.
Kay’s web presence includes his site, and active blog and podcast to share not only his expertise and experiments, but the teachings of other thought leaders and the inspirational stories of those making the journey. Learn more here.
