Six Reasons I Don't Believe In Traditional Retirement Anymore

Life Lessons and What We Know About Blue Zones

It took me a lifetime to figure out my purpose. Not knowing one’s purpose is a miserable feeling, much like being lost in the dark.

What does purpose have to do with retirement? Everything is because, in the school of life, our purpose is to know who we are, where we are from, and where we go when we graduate from this place.

Before we go further, I’m not knocking people who retire. Good for them! They earned it. But the tragic reality is that most people will never make, save, invest, or have enough money to support their lifestyle during retirement. Because of that, and the constant noise from investment firms and mainstream media make us feel like tiny turds stuck on a treadmill.

Here’s why I don’t believe in traditional retirement anymore:

1. Where does “retirement” or anything like it appear in the Bible? It doesn’t, and for good reason. One example, Psalm 92:14 (NIV), instructs us, "They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green."
2. I invested my entire life in finding work I love doing. In 1991, when I started my first business, I gave up “working for money” and put purpose first. I loved that business until I hated it. Then, I sold it to move on to something more “purposeful.” I work for a purpose. The money follows.
3. Retirement is like believing “Diamonds are forever.” They’re not. Ask anyone who confused infatuation with love, got married, then divorced. Same with the “American Dream.” All of this nonsense is sold to us by enterprises that spend billions each year to brainwash us into believing their crap.
4. I already had too much time, which wasn’t ideal. What is perfect for me is working part-time. I built “lifestyle” businesses that suit my lifestyle. I work less than 40 hours a week and make a great living.
5. I used to own a retirement planning business. I learned that almost all of my clients got bored in retirement after a few years. Typically, the woman of the household would call me because they are almost always the actual decision-maker. She would say, “Cliff, we need to come see you. Retirement has been great. But we need a new plan. John is bored playing golf with his buddies. He’s at home all day now, bugging the heck out of me. Plus, we could use a bit more income.”
6. I studied the Blue Zones research. If you’re unfamiliar with it, keep reading because what we know about people who live in the Blue Zones is that they live a longer, happier, healthier life than most of us.

Retirement is a modern-day invention of the marketing machine. It doesn't mean retirement, in a traditional sense, is wrong or bad. It's not. Most of us can't afford it, freak out about it, and lose sleep because we don't know better.

Lessons from the Blue Zones

Let’s explore three lessons from the "Blue Zones" areas worldwide. If you see what I see, you may discover that living with purpose for your entire life can be much more rewarding than traditional retirement.

1. Purpose helps us live longer. In Blue Zones like Okinawa, Japan, and Sardinia, Italy, people live well into their 90s and beyond. The secret is that they always have a reason to get up in the morning. In Okinawa, they call it ikigai—which translates to "reason for being." In these cultures, people don’t retire as we think of it in the West. They may stop working full-time but remain deeply involved in their communities, families, and passions.
2. Staying connected beats isolation. Solitary confinement is among the most cruel punishments in the world, yet millions of people do it to themselves before and during retirement. However, Blue Zone research reveals that tight-knit social networks are vital for a healthy life. Blue Zone people stay connected to their communities, friends, and families.
3. Work can become your friend. In the West, we often see work as something to escape. But what if work was something we loved that gave us purpose? Retirement is not an option for many of us—and that’s okay. If we shift our mindset away from the idea that work must end at a certain age, we can find ways to do work we love for as long as possible. In the Blue Zones, people often continue to work in some form well into their later years. They don’t see it as a burden. They find joy and meaning in their tasks, whether farming, teaching, or caring for grandchildren. Finding work that brings joy is priceless for those who can’t afford to retire. If we align our purpose with our livelihood, we can live a fulfilling and financially stable life.

Purpose Is Priceless

If you see knowing and living your purpose as a powerful way to live, you may discover that retirement is vastly overrated. Instead, living fueled with purpose and passion for work and life, in balance, is a favored way to go.?

Even if I were a billionaire, would I retire? Heck no! I would invest much of my time giving the money away. I’d keep enough to ensure my family is set for life because we are ordinary people. My beautiful wife, who’s had a typical career, plans to retire within the next few years. Because I control my time, I can keep doing what I love and travel with her when the time is right for her to retire.

In conclusion, retirement may differ from what Wall Street wants us to believe. The happiest, healthiest people in the world don’t focus on retirement. They focus on living with purpose. For those who can’t afford to retire or don’t want to, finding a way to do meaningful work for as long as possible becomes the goal.

Maybe it’s time we rethink what retirement means. Instead of chasing an end to work, more of us will learn to focus on finding work that we love, staying connected to our communities, and having a purpose that empowers us.

Sources:

Dan Buettner, The Blue Zones

National Geographic’s Blue Zones Projec t

"Purpose as the Key to Longevity," Harvard Health

Clifford Jones is the founder and managing partner of Clarity Strategic Coaching, LLC. He writes about mental health, consciousness, and the art of human transformation. Cliff serves company leaders as an executive coach, strategic advisor, and communications consultant. He is also a family man, writer, visual artist, and mental health advocate. Learn more at www.CliffordJones.com .