Six Building Blocks Fundamentally Changing How Life After Work is Viewed, Planned For, and Lived: Retirement: Different by Design

This book seeks to see retirement as a journey, not a destination—a road to travel, with lots of adventure along the way. First, we have to find that place they call retirement and, second, we have to figure out what we are going to do when we get there, what will be waiting for us when we arrive. Think of it as a personal journey of discovery and consider this book your travel guide to retirement.The book identifies and examines three major retirement themes. First, it explores one of life’s most profound “Pivot Points,” moving from the world of work into the world of retirement; a transition that is perhaps easy for some and difficult for others. Retirement, while appearing to be a no-brainer, is anything but, and whether it ultimately succeeds or fails depends on understanding five critical concepts: (1) life as we know it will be different, and hopefully “good” different; (2) retirements don’t just happen, we have to make them happen; (3) retiring from work is easy, it’s living in retirement that can sometimes be troubling; (4) the behaviors and dogmas that served us well at work will not necessarily serve our best interests when retired; and (5) when we retire from something we have to retire to something—we must not view retirement as an opportunity to do nothing, but rather as an opportunity to do different things.The second theme goes on to identify and define “The Retirement Life Cycle,” and how each “Stage” and “Age” is different from the other, requiring different responses, behaviors, and mindsets; and, most importantly, full acceptance of our aging selves. It describes how we can build and shape our own retirements, keeping in mind Retirement’s Six Fundamental Building Blocks, which are identified, defined, discussed, and analyzed to provide an understanding of how each Building Block contributes to the overall success and cohesiveness of our retirements, and how each Building Block is positioned one on top of the other to form an integrative whole in the form of a virtual pyramid. You will be the architect, builder, and resident of this virtual pyramid. If the design is poorly conceived or realized, the pyramid might collapse around you, and we don’t want that to happen, now do we?The third theme focuses on each of the six Building Blocks individually, describing how every layer connects to the one below and the one above, forming an almost indestructible monolith and creating what I like to call “sustainable retirements.” A chapter is devoted to each of those six Building Blocks.Retirement’s Six Fundamental Building Blocks1: Physical, Psychological, and Emotional Health and Well-Being2: Financial Security and Sustainability3: Retirement Transition, Adjustment, and Acceptance4: Intergenerational Life Engagement5: The Intellectually Curious and Physically Active Retiree—Discovery Adventure and Challenge6: Spirituality, Meaning, Family and LegacyI ask you all to join me on one of life’s most exciting journeys, a trip to this place we call “retirement.” And, whether or not I ultimately succeed in my mission is up to you. If I positively impact even one life, then I have succeeded; if I transform one retirement from dull to daring then I have succeeded; if I give new hope to someone struggling with retirement then I have succeeded; and, if I make one new friend then I will have exceeded my greatest expectations.—Excerpt from the Chapter 1 – Our Real Wonder Years, "How to Use This Book" by Rick Steiner, Ph.D.