A recent survey from a nonprofit research group Institute for the Future reports that 53% of Americans rarely think about their future lives. In the United States and probably worldwide, life expectancy is on the rise, but if you are not giving thought to your future, you could end up having a troubled life. You could be optimizing this longevity by actively planning for your retirement.
There is an old joke that one of the most certain causes of death is retirement. Well, it used to be a joke but not anymore. If you think about it, there is some truth to it. Failing to plan early enough for your retirement will land you in some serious troubles in the Future. Retirement is that time between leaving the productive workforce and transitioning beyond where you are today. You can choose whether to approach that time as a countdown to the end or as an alarm clock that will awaken you to each moment until you finally get there.
Saving for Retirement
There isn’t a predefined formula for saving for the Future! You already know that you should be doing it. What opportunities will you likely to pursue when that time comes? Will you try a new hobby? Or perhaps open a new small business? Or maybe, you want to spend your life after retirement traveling. Whatever it is that you wish to, it starts now!
Saving for your retirement can be challenging for various reasons. Still, the most common challenge about retirement saving is that you cannot determine the amount of money you will need for your retirement, no matter how much you are currently saving. This means there is something that you can start doing right now to guarantee you a better future.
Life can be full of responsibility and hustle. These two combined make us think we want to be free, which is to retire. We think that we want a life free of accountability, but freedom and responsibility work hand in hand in reality. It is that freedom that forces us to take responsibility for something that we are passionate about. We challenge ourselves because we want more, deserve more, better, and believe that we can be better, which pushes us to hustle. When we become better, we seek alignment, and then from there, we aspire for more growth still through the hustle.
The Smart Retirement Plan
The last decade has popularized the term ‘side hustle,’ and everyone seems to be in the groove. They are fun, low pressure, and a person enjoys doing them since they are businesses that we have personally chosen. However, for most people, the only challenge is striking a balance between your main hustle and your side hustle. But think about this, how fun would it be if your main hustle became your side hustle? On your term?
Smart people are already winning because they understand this fundamental principle that all we want for retirement is freedom and time. A powerful combination since you can do what you want whenever you want. As such, how do we make our money today help us achieve money freedom in the Future? Well, building relationships now is critical. Surround yourself with people, invest in them and when you have time, spend it with them.
Nowadays, it is no longer about stashing cash in our bank accounts; it is all about finding our anchor. Something that lights us up piques our curiosity and connects us to the world around us. If you can do this, formulate it into a purposeful hustle that will last a lifetime. Rather than retreating from your skills, accomplishments, and achievement, your retirement will be a celebration and sharing your lifetime of wisdom.
