Top 7 Secrets to a Successful Retirement

The word “success” may be relative, especially in the context of retirement. There is no single, easy answer as to what would make you feel successful upon hitting the finish line of a life-long career. When you look back at the life you lived, can you say, “That was good”? But while a cookie-cutter answer may be elusive, many experts tend to agree on certain points that they consider to be the elements of retiring successfully. Here are the top 7 secrets to a successful retirement. 1. When you look at your retirement, do you see it as an end of some big thing? While the word “retire” itself connotes the end of something, it should not be so. In fact, no less than former US President Jimmy Carter exemplified that retirement could be the beginning of something that is truly wonderful. Upon retiring from the White House, Carter and his wife Rosalynn set out to undertake several important activities that they had chosen under a common criterion: it is what their heart wants. They founded what is known as the Carter Center, gave much of their time as Habitat for Humanity volunteers, and traveled around the world in search of wrongs to right, resolve conflicts, and champion human rights. Not everyone is Jimmy Carter, of course, but you can still make your retirement as a new beginning by setting out new projects that you have long wanted to accomplish, or by simply giving your time to those in need. 2. Count your successes. This is similar to counting your blessings. Look back at your life and identify as much as possible all the things you have successfully accomplished, big and small, picayune and grandiose, and enter them into what you may call a “success inventory.” Most of the time, we live our lives quite unaware of our various accomplishments—we think we remember them all, but we really don’t. By writing it all down, it helps jog our memory and focus our thoughts on the positive. Knowing all your accomplishments can also give you a more solid idea of where your strengths lie, from which you can move on to do greater things during your retirement. 3. Fickle-mindedness is all part of the journey. You may want to volunteer to feed the poor one day, then the next day you want to climb Mt. Everest. You’re not crazy; these contradictions are normal. The key is to recognize them as a natural part of your search for meaning. 4. Discuss it with your partner. This may come as a surprise to you, but your partner may have a different set of ideas on how to spend your retirement. Avoiding in talking about it would not help in your search for fulfillment. Moreover, talking about it will help both of you to address your concerns and apprehensions, as well as your hopes, and such openness can effectively relieve both of you of stress. What’s more, you both may come up with good ideas that will appeal to both of you. rn5. Identify your passion. In the same sense as what Jimmy Carter did, you should find out what excites your heart and soul. This may not be as easy as it sounds, as finding your passion may involve the help of your friends, or a few days of meditation and soul-searching. But identifying what your heart really wants can help you focus your efforts on activities or goals that you truly care about—it will make your pursuit more achievable. 6. Prepare yourself to see new opportunities. After identifying or knowing what you really want to do, prepare yourself by reading about your goal. For example, if you want to join Habitat for Humanity as a volunteer, know as much as possible about the organization. It will also help to talk about it with other people, online or offline, so that new leads to further opportunities will open up. 7. Don’t be afraid to try new tools, and enjoy using them. A retired writer once built his own cabin in the woods at the age of 65, where he intends to write more. Regardless of what your current age is, do not be afraid of taking on projects that you think will help you toward your set goal. By “new tools,” it can be as complicated as building a new garden or a study, or it can be as simple as buying a new iPad.