Comments on: The Retirement Identity Gap

By: Nano-Businesses: Bridging The Financial Gap For “Early Retirement” | Brave New Life

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 14:18:32 +0000

[...] The opportunities are endless. Find something you enjoy doing, and think of ways to monetize it. If you truly enjoy it, and your goals are only to make nano-business type money, then you’ll find a path to make money, as I’ve done. And, once you’ve retired, nano-businesses are also a great way to fill the other retirement gap. [...]

By: DaveSunDown

DaveSunDown — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 12:47:36 +0000

This is a great post. You’re keying in on something that, most days of retirement, is much more important than how much money you have to spend.
Perhaps a good way to think of it is ‘whose time will you be spending in retirement’? Obviously, it’s your time, but which ‘you’? Parent? Coach? Spouse? Gardener? Traveller? Volunteer? Model train maker? Neighbour?
Each of us has multiple personnas and in retirement, we can choose which ones to spend our time on.
I’ve created a reading list for those who need help in redefining themselves at this important fork in life’s road:
http://brighterlife.ca/2012/07/23/maybe-i-need-off-the-job-training/

By: Your Retirement Identity | Canadian Dream: Free at 45

Your Retirement Identity | Canadian Dream: Free at 45 — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 12:52:19 +0000

[...] really enjoyed reading this post over at Brave New Life which points out an interesting fact about retiring early: you have to actually pick your new [...]

By: Weekend reading: Unpicking on Warren Buffett’s alpha

Weekend reading: Unpicking on Warren Buffett’s alpha — Sat, 06 Oct 2012 10:44:02 +0000

[...] The retirement identity gap – Brave New Life [...]

By: what i’m reading: new keyboard edition | The Dog Ate My Wallet

what i’m reading: new keyboard edition | The Dog Ate My Wallet — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 20:00:38 +0000

[...] and reading his stuff. This week, he writes about something I’ve seen first hand in my family- the retirement identity gap. It’s a problem I’m concerned about facing myself, in 30 years or so. What about you? Is your [...]

By: Joe @ Retire By 40

Joe @ Retire By 40 — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 15:35:30 +0000

People should consider taking some extra time to adjust to the identity gap. If it’s possible, you should take 3 months to a year sabbatical from your job to see if retirement is for you. Or at least to get used to the idea.
I took several 3 months sabbaticals when I was working and the last one transitioned into full retirement. It was a pretty easy transition for me because my time is filled up with taking care or our kid. I also identified myself less and less with my old job over the years so it wasn’t hard to let go there either. It helped that I have a blog and other online activities already set up before I retired.

By: Charleen Larson

Charleen Larson — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 11:47:16 +0000

My husband will be 62 in January, I’m two years younger. So as you can imagine, this is a topic I think about a lot.

He is fortunate in that he enjoys his job and works in an industry where ageism isn’t an issue. I’m hoping that his company will be amenable to cutting back his hours in a few years (or sooner) , but I’m not sure how he’d feel about that. There’s that identity issue you brought up. He would definitely miss the social aspect of work. He likes having lunch with colleagues.

Here in Silicon Valley we know many people who never do retire. They keep working not because they need the money but because they like what they do and perhaps they can’t see themselves doing anything else. So that’s an option too. There’s no law that says you have to retire.

I work from home in my own businesses and I can’t imagine ever giving that up.

By: shawn

shawn — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 11:45:06 +0000

Your initial message was very clear. I unintentionally understated your focal point with the mention of my three identities while working. How much faster could I have done an IM if not having to commit 40 hours per week to a job? How much more individual instruction could I have given the boys on the baseball team if I had not already “given” all day? How much better would I be at algebra at 8:30 at night if not have been at work all day? And finally, what toll does all the juggling take on me? I have a wordpress account now but dont have the guts to put anything out there yet.

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 04:15:43 +0000

Good post, I like the separation of identity and time… a topic that I’ve been thinking about as well as the prospect of “retirement” nears. More and more, I think a semi-retirement is in order where I can work part-time and fill both the time and identity gaps. With kids in school, being able to take off for an entire two months a year in the summer but working part-time the rest of the year is my goal. This won’t work for all careers, but as I meet more retirees, many of them now have this sort of down-shift period.

By: greg

greg — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 01:27:07 +0000

yeah – thanks for writing this! I have been considering just this thing since I am on track to be financially independent by 30; thankfully I have a few years to make sure I figure this out for myself. This post is definitely a good addition to my list of things to consider.

The way I’ve started thinking about “having too much free time” is essentially the same as “living the examined life” or, in more common terms, “choosing between knowledge and bliss”.

I currently have all sorts of things including two new mini-careers to try out, but without the stress of having to succeed and put up with crap. However, these inclinations are a bit more transient than I’d hope to have by the time I’m actually faced with the opportunity to choose …